GTD Apps: Things vs. The Hit List
Several months back I read David Allen’s Getting Things Done and became an instant acolyte of GTD. It is so easy, and it keeps me in check. The concept of getting all things that I need to do out of my head, and into a reliable organization system has been really helpful to me because it means I can forget things knowing that I can come back to them when I need to.
So, the next step was to create that reliable system. As a power-mac user I immediately began looking for a GTD tool that was:
1. Easy to use from anywhere - It had to be easy to use, and allow me to input tasks from wherever I was on my computer. This helps ensure that I actually use the tool.
2. Simple user interface - Additionally, the user interface has to be simple. If I couldn’t “get” the application within a few minutes, it wasn’t going to be right for me.
3. Flexible - The application had to be flexible enough for me to use it the way that I want to use it. For instance, while I understand that a “project” is anything which can’t be completed in a single tasks, I often like to embed smaller projects into larger ones.
3. Economical - I’m definitely willing to pay for a good app, but I wasn’t willing to spend a ton of money on it.
When it came right down to buying a few months ago, I chose to purchase Culture Code’s marvellous new app Things. I loved the user interface, the ability to create and manage projects in the side bar, the quick entry HUD that can be beckoned at any time with a simple keyboard shortcut. And at a price of only $49 it seemed to meet all my needs.
Screenshot of Things
Sure there were a few things about Things that annoyed me. First of all, I didn’t like that all projects were grouped together no matter their size or scope. For instance, if I wanted to truly be a GTD acolyte, I should theoretically have “Active Projects” from everything from “Web site Redesign” to “Build Site Map.” The problem is that then I lose the essence of locating the “smaller” project within the scope of the larger one. And, since both of them are projects, they share the same weight in my sidebar. Sure, I could create an “area” for each larger project and then associate the smaller projects with that area, but I see “Areas” more like “Work”, “Home”, and “School.” So this seemed like an area where the simplicity of Things took away from its flexibility.
Another little thing that bothers me about Things is the fact that completed tasks don’t ever disappear in a incomplete project. I know that this is a good thing at times, but when I’m trying to focus in on what I need to do, all those grey completed task just get in the way.
So, even though these two things slightly annoyed me, I was really happy with Things, and it had really helped my work-flow.
Then, I decided to buy the MacHeist Bundle and along came Potion Factory’s GTD app The Hit List. At first I was just curious. I didn’t think that anything could meet my needs like Things had been doing. Boy, was I wrong.
Screenshot of the Hit List
What instantly delighted me about The Hit List is that the user has the ability to contain smaller projects within larger projects, and create a nest, which helps me be a better GTDer. Along with that, the sidebar is completely flexible using folders and even smart folders to organize the things I need to get done in whatever method I choose. Plus, setting tags and contexts are just as simple in THL as they ever were in Things.
Another enticing feature of THL is it’s focus on keyboard shortcuts. I can do pretty much anything in THL without leaving the keyboard, a major time saver.
Although I really like Things’ single screen feature for notes, due dates and more, I have to admit that THL’s “card view” is really helpful. By getting everything else out of the way when I’m in productivity mode, I can focus on the details of a single task without my mind wandering. Plus, the card view gives me a place to do thinking work (taking notes, writing memos, etc).
All in all, I have to admit that I’m very please with both apps. However, I think the flexiblilty of The Hit List makes it a clear winner in my book. For me, The Hit List is a grown up version of Things. I hope that Culture Code will take heed of some of the things in THL, and hopefully they can win me back in the future.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:10 am
Good comparison, Josh.
I have both apps, too—actually paid full price for each!
I like The Hit List much more, especially for its keyboard shortcuts, but I got to using it so much, it drove me crazy that it didn’t have an iPhone app (yet), so I ended up getting Things.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:17 am
Hey Adam -
I agree that the iPhone app would be a deal-breaker for me. I however, do not yet have an iPhone (stupid Verizon and my “In Network”), so it’s not that big of a deal for me.
Maybe by the time I get an iPhone, a kick-but THL app will be available for it.
Did you get in on MacHeist at all?
April 10th, 2009 at 12:28 am
Great comparison.
I, as well paid for Things. liked it at first, but then was disappointed in some of it’s “features”. I looked for some good alternatives and found THL through MacHeist. I decided that if MacHeist didn’t unlock THL, I would pay for the app full price (after trying the demo, I loved it).
Their work really shows, they’ve produced a great app!
As a newbie to GTD, do you have any tips/hacks to THL to make it better for the GTD workflow?
Thanks again for the great post.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:57 am
Great Comparison of two really well done GTD apps.
I, too, was using Things and really liked it. When I bought the MacHeist Bundle I thought The Hit List would be one of the long lost apps in the download folder. I was happy with Things and didn’t plan on changing. But I had the same reaction to The Hit List that you did. There is absolutely no frustration factor! No, “how am I gong to get this in there where I need it?” It’s the closest thing I’ve seen to a hand written list. You can “write” and file your list pretty much however you want to.
Thanks for a great review, I couldn’t agree more.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:57 am
Great comparison. My experience is very similar. I bought Things primarily because it has an iPhone app and THL currently doesn’t. I’m sort of disappointed with the Things iPhone app because syncing is very clumsy since it has to be on the local network and I rarely use Things on my iPhone when I’m near my computer, but I have to start it up just to sync.
I also bought the MacHeist bundle primarily for The Hit List. When I tried it, I fell in love. It just feels “right”.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:59 am
I also paid for things and then recieved The Hit List in the MacHeist bundle. What a great app. I’ve been using it almost exclusively for the past week. Even though i’m hurting from the lack of an iPhone/iPod Touch app, which i used to input tasks when i wasn’t at my mac but had my iphone, The functionalitly can be worked around untill the app comes out, which is in the works :D. Overall i think that both apps are great, but THL is working much better for me right now. Something about THL’s interface prompts me to input tasks more than i did in Things. As of right now i think that i will try to add tasks via ical and then sync that and then put them into THL.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:28 am
I thought the same (I got hold of THL a few weeks before Mac Heist). Ultimately though, I found that it’s just a little bit TOO feature rich for my liking. I found that there ended up being too much visual ‘noise’ compared to ’signal’ - and ultimately the layout is just a spreadsheet view. I prefer Things approach of only showing you what’s relevant for a task - a due date is only shown if there IS a due date for that task.
The acid test was that I just wasn’t Getting as many Things Done using THL as I had been doing using Things. Also, checking off a task as done in Things just feels more satisfying that in THL.
These are both great apps, and I’m really looking forward to how they develop.
April 11th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Great comparison.
I would also recommend checking out http://www.Gtdagenda.com for an online GTD manager.
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A mobile version is available too.
April 11th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Joseph-
I’m not sure I can give you any great advice on how to use GTD with The Hit List. Here’s the thing that I like the most about THL: it allows me to the flexibility to do GTD the way that best fits my needs. I can have multiple lists, with many sublists. I can set up categories, or contexts, or folders for “Areas” or folders for larger “projects” which have many sub project underneath it. I can have one project with tasks which have several steps.
David Allen pushes the idea that the system that you set up can look different for each person, but it has to work. That what I like about The Hit List. It just works for me.
THanks for your comments.
April 19th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
[...] fifth and last link is another comparison between Things and The Hit List as GTD Apps. The latest MacHeist bundle really has done wonders for The Hit [...]
April 20th, 2009 at 11:25 am
You guys should check out Doris:
- great iPhone support, even free app available
- web sync
- web2.0 usability you would expect
- os x widget
- available in 14 langs
Check it out http://beta.dorisapp.com/
April 20th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Demian -
Thanks for that link…I’ll have to check that out.
Josh
April 21st, 2009 at 9:45 am
And they say the Macheist bundle is bad for developers! You have put into words my exact experience. I would never have considered THL if it weren’t for that bundle. In fact it’s probably the best app in there. I’m of course wishing for an iPhone app as this is the perfect interface to grab all those to-dos, but the attention to user interaction within the main app itself makes managing tasks enjoyable. Things (which I do also love) now looks a little heavy and clunky.
I think these gtd apps should all agree on a standard storage format to make it easier to switch apps. Currently everyone thinks the walled garden approach is the only way to keep a customer. It’s not the case though. In fact what it does do is create a one way door - once we decide to move to another app to test/play etc it’s much harder to come back. If the lists/data were transferable then we could jump around from app to app and use them all.
Made sense in my head, hoping it still does now it’s here.
-Pascal
October 8th, 2009 at 3:33 am
[...] Your second option is Things. Things comes in at the same price point as the Hit List however, it does have the option of an iPhone app which is a key feature (The Hit List is rumored to have on on the way, so don’t fret). Things is definitely built for the designer in mind. The UI is incredibly gorgeous and an absolute charm to work in. The draw back? Very few shortcuts and an odd project scope issue. [...]