246 - Useful Features of a PKM Programs
Reflecting on and brainstorming useful features of a PKM program that I don’t currently see out there. There are a lot of programs with features I don’t use. What would be something I’d find myself using a lot?
- Existing PKM Features I use a lot?
- Breakdown the PKM process than think about what tools could help facilitate along each step in my personal PKM process
- What PKM problems more generally speaking?
Used
- File Explorer - I use heavily, one of the main ways I find notes.
- Search Tab - primarily use for finding notes I haven’t worked on in a while and don’t immediately find using the hashtag index
- Hashtag Index - I add hashtags to the end of notes in such a way that it creates a basic index, whereby I’m easily able to search if I have a web/section of notes
- Linked mentions - I haven’t used successfully, it is nice when going through the creative phase to see what concepts connect to the current one. But I only have used it so far as a sort of quick back button.
- Star Tab - I use the star tab to track notes that I want to come back to because they are unfinished when I’m burnout or too distracted.
- Edit Button - Placeholder
- Pin Button - Placeholder
- Foot Notes - Placeholder
- Wiki links - not only do I use the wiki links feature (when you type [[ ) to interlink my documents, but I also use it to quickly find and navigate to other notes. Instead of going to the search tool, I just try to create a link to the note I’m looking for within the current file.
Unused
- Unlinked Mentions - I like the idea of unlinked mentions a lot but it is useless in its current form because my notes are in the format of “zettelkasten ID + title” (e.g. 202009161510 Aphantasia), and when writing I don’t use “zettelkasten ID + title”, I’d just use the title “aphantasia” in a sentence.
- Quick Switcher - I always mean to but just haven’t gotten in the habit of doing so, maybe someday I will. I also just flip over to the search tab instead.
- Outline - I feel like one day I’m going to use this but haven’t really found the need to yet because I have generally avoided creating really long notes that would make it useful.
- Open Random Note - I have this one saved, as I plan to use it more in the future. It is nice for selecting random note for the combinng process in remixing. See also localized random notes.
- Open Today’s Note - Placeholder
- Link with Pane - Placeholder
- Split Vertically/Horizontally - Placeholder
- Reveal in File Explorer - Placeholder
- Open Local Graph View - Placeholder
- Open Backlinks - Placeholder
- Star - Placeholder
- Open Outline - Placeholder
- Create a New Zettelkasten Note - I do not use this button because I have it mapped to a hotkey which I use instead
- Graph View - Placeholder
PKM Process
- Purpose of PKM
- Building a Knowledge Network for School
- Building a Knowledge Network for Work/Writing
- Building a Knowledge Network for Personal Use
- Information Digestion
- Choose Material to Process
- Process Material
- Index Material
- Interconnect Material
- Collection Maintenance
- Connecting Loose Notes
- Looking for New Connections
- Creative Writing
- Looking for Critical Mass of Notes
- Following existing arguments
I haven’t actually done much creative writing besides trying to synthesize two notes and making connections. All my writing has been done towards creating notes, not outside pieces.
PKM Problems
- Lack of Precision
- Lack of Connection
- Shallow Notes
- Overcollecting