Pile of Indexcards

Ref. : In my blog 'Mathematical approach for daily problem'

Professor of mathematics in Stanford University.

He worked on a great variety of mathematical topics, including series, number theory, combinatorics, and probability. In his later days, he spent considerable effort on trying to characterize the general methods that people use to solve problems, and to describe how problem-solving should be taught and learned (source : Wikipedia, George Pólya). In his book "How to solve it", he gave general strategy to solve given mathematical problem.

Personally, I call him as 'Pólya Sensei (Dear Teacher Pólya)' in my mind, though I have never met him.

Book : How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method,
new ed., 2004 (Japanese version is here).

In mathematics, solving problem become easier if one follows a certain strategy. George Pólya showed such general strategy in his book “How to Solve It”.

His strategy is especially useful when one must solve a problem which answer is unknown yet. It is like a compass in a deep dark forest.

Although his strategy is originally for mathematical problem, it can be applied for problems in our daily life. Because we sometimes don't know exact answer. In his strategy, following points are quite useful.

• Understand the problem : Ask yourself 'What are the unknowns? What are the given quantities? What are the given conditions?'
  
• Draw a diagram : Picture, graph, mind map. Understand the problem visually.
  
• Find similar problem : You may experience similar problem before. Most of time you don't need to start from zero.
  
• Solve related problem : If you can't solve the problem, try to solve related problem.
  
• Verify your answer : To increase reliability of your answer. Especially important when you don't know exact answer.
  

ref : G. Polya and “How to Solve It!" (PDF file at Ohio State University)

• Interest : Be genuinely interested in other people
  
• Smile :
  
• Name : Remember and use people's names
  
• Listen : Encourage others to talk about themselves and listen to them
  
• Interest : Discuss what the other person is interested in
  
• Praise : Make the other person feel important
  

Source : Dale Carnegie, How to win friends and influence people,
in Japanese, new ed., 1999 (photo @ flickr).
(English version quote from Wikipedia)

To remember 'SLIP IN to ones heart'.

I had used computer mainly for my writing and thinking during graduate school. I believed digital world is perfect. I rarely hand-write that time.

One day, I surprised that I can't remember Kanji (Chinese character). On input Kanji on computer, it shows candidates for translation to Kanji. All I need is just choose appropriate Kanji from the candidates. It is like difference between 'reading' and 'writing' or 'hearing' and 'doing'.

My colleagues, computer nerd, also complained this problem. We were twenteenager (?) at that time, too early to lose memory. It is obviously come from computer dependence.

Perhaps this problem is special case for Japanese, it is enough to motivate me to return to hand-writing. Memory about Kanji is getting better. And now I believe, from my experience, hand-writing do enhances memory.

Japanese use three kind of writing system for writing ; Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana.

Kanji was introduced from China to Japan in 5-6 century. Now Japanese student learn about a thousand of Kanji in elementary school. Usually, Japanese use nearly two thousand of Kanji in daily life (souce : Wikipedia, Jyoyo Kanji). Hiragana and Katakana is derived from Kanji, and there is 104 cases each (Wikipedia, Hiragana). Because of this complicated system, writing in Japanese on computer is more difficult than alphabet system.

We need following procedure for writing on computer,

Input Hiragana -> Translation to Kanji -> Choose from candidates -> Decision

This procedure is repeated for every word. Thinking is interrupted by this complicated input method.

Hand-writing is much much easier and faster than computer for me. It connects thinking (brain) and writing (hand) more properly.

Ref. : In my blog 'PEACE Method : Five steps to solve Problem'

Professor of philosophy at The City College of New York.

A philosophy has long history since ancient Greek, time of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. The word 'Philosophy' itself sounds me something difficult. Prof. Marinoff, however, applied it to solve a problem in our daily life. His 'PEACE' method is easy to remember. It is practical, useful and helpful.

Book : Plato, not Prozac! - Applying eternal wisdom to everyday problem
Website : Lou Marinoff's official web site

1. Problem
   
2. Emotion
   
3. Analysis
   
4. Contemplation
   
5. Equilibrium
   

Source : Lou Marinoff, Plato, not prozac!, 2002.

The Emotion always comes just after problem happens. You may worry or be anxious about the Problem. But it is natural for everybody. To solve problem, what is important is don't stop at the Emotion and go to third step, Analysis, and further.

When I was child, I do loved to play LEGO brick. It is piece by piece, as you know, with various color and shape. It is possible to build almost anything.

Writing an indexcard is somewhat like making a piece of brick. After accumulation of indexcard, the set can be organized/reorganized to build something larger structure, e.g. report, paper, book etc..

To realize such re-usability, a contents of single indexcard must be concise. I think the size of 5x3 indexcard is the best for this purpose.

I found that opened door trigger peple to drop by my office.

I had closed the door of my office because of air-conditioner last week. Then nobody drop by my office. After I open the door, even though few tens of centimeter, people start to drop by my office again.

It is somewhat like atmosphere of my office vacuums people inside.
Or, perhaps, the door may symbolize our mind is open or not.

Upset or fun ; it depends on our mind. Do not bother with trifles. Rather, let's make something productive.

Source : Carnegie, 1999b (@flickr).

Frequency of access dramatically decreases with distance.

It is maximum at about 50 cm. If you see a circle origins you, you see your coffee-cup is in the circle with radius of 50 cm. The frequency is half of maximum at 100 cm, that is, length of arm.

To make increase productivity, pen and indexcard should be within the 50 cm circle.

Do what you love, such as internet surfing, writing blog, watching DVD, reading book, anything your favorite things, not in midnight, but in early morning.

source : シゴタノ (in Japanese)

• Detective
  
• Pressman
  
• Field Scientist
  

Someone who has an effect on someone else's life. Reliability of the information is an important matter. No ambiguity allowed. They know human memory is not reliable at all.

• stand up from chair and read document
  
• drink strong coffee
  
• go to for a walk
  
  
• ... give up and sleep for a while
  

Understand 'I understand' : understood
Don't understand 'I understand' : not understood
Understand 'I don't understand' : understood
Don't understand 'I don't understand' : not understood

Anonymous

• David Allen, Getting Things Done, 2001.
  
• Jazzmasterson, Getting Things Done with Index Cards, photoset @ Flickr, 2004.
  
• Jazzmasterson, Getting Things Done with Indexcards 2.0, photoset @ Flickr, 2005.
  
• Jazzmasterson, External Memory, photoset @ Flickr, 2006.
  
• Rewl, Emory's Hipster PDA, photoset @ Flickr, 2006.
  
• Dave Gray, Index cards, photoset @ Flickr, 2006.
  
• Umesao Tadao, Chiteki Seisan no Gijyutu, Japanese ed., 1969.
  
• Watanabe Shoichi, Chiteki Seitatsu no Houhou, Japanese ed., 1976.
  
• Kawakita Jiro, Hassouhou, Japanese ed., 1967.
  
• Itasaka Gen, Kangaeru Gijyutsu Kaku Gijyutu, Japanese ed., 1973.
  
• Noguchi Yukio, Chou Seiri hou, Japanese ed., 1993.
  
• Special Thanks to Thorsten von Plotho-Kettner for technical support
  

Also, a discussion about indexcard with Jazzmasterson, Dave Gray, Edward Vielmetti, vaXzine (Jamie Parks), and RJStew is helpful for me. Thanks a lot

Revised : 2006.11.26 additional references

All indexcards in the KM2P are reviewed, then compiled into dock on every friday. All cards in the KM2P is moved into the dock after Review process. I work like this on weekend.

Next Actions and Someday/Maybes are moved back to KM2P on monday.

The open-loop is "opened loop" as it means in my tagging method. This simplicity makes possible to find open-loop much easier, even in the chronological sequence.

If you find two-separated dots in the sequence, that is open-loop. After accomplishment of the GTD card, the open-loop is closed (filled) which looks like a bar.

As I write in 'Date and Time', the time stamp is interpreted as 'absolute name' of each card. It provides easy and consistent way to spanning link between the indexcards.

To realize this, the time stamp must be unique, but not necessary to be accurate. Plus, it is easy to find a specific card, according to the stamp, if all cards are kept in chronological order as I do. As useful rule, you can omit year, month, date if the cards are written in same date.

This idea can be extended to any kind of documents. Actually, I put time stamp for all document I write/copy/printout. Sometimes a rubber stamp is useful.

The indexcards are kept in a card box in 'chronological order' in the dock. That is, the newest card comes at front of the card box. You will feel it's natural and comfortable. A blog, for example, adopt this method (newer comes top of the page).

This is based on a simple law 'Frequency of access to an information decrease with elapsed time'.

You will notice a certain pattern emerges from sequence of tags. That is your cultural genetic code.

I use Moleskine Memo Pocket for as mobile card box. Taking indexcard using Memo Pocket is rewl@flickr's idea (photo at flickr).

But width of the pockets are just-fit for indexcard and inconvenient to put/pick indexcard inside. In order to overcome this problem, the characteristic accordion fold is reversed. I call it Kaizo (Modified, in Japanese) Moleskine Memo Pocket, or just as "KM2P". I showed the detailed procedure with photo on the flickr.

Thanks to this mobile card box, I can use card system in my office and room seamlessly. To start working, all I need is to open the KM2P. I can start working in a second.

Any box made from paper, plastic, wood is o.k. if it can hold indexcards. But if the box is beautiful, you will be more motivated to continue the PoI system. I use the Correct's card box. If you want it, please check this out.

I call the card box as "dock" because all of indexcards I wrote gathers and stored there finally. According to increasing a number of indexcard, the dock become important more and more, because it prevent your indexcards from dissipation.

I have one dock at my office, and another at my home.

I'll show tips and tricks I developed through my experiences.

It gives pleasure, enjoyment, amusement to the PoI system. This factor is quite important to keep writing indexcard in everyday life

Icon : Hat (something above)
Tag : 5th block

Quotation, cooking recipe from book, web, tv, anything about someone else's idea, are classified into 4th group. What is important is dividing "your idea (Discovery Card)" and "someone else's idea (Reference Card)".

Source of the information must be recorded. A book, for example, author, year, page(s) are recorded.

Revised 2006.12.29 17:41 : "Cooking recipe" is moved from the Record Card according to nick's advise. Thanks again

Icon : Square (check box)
Tag : 4th block. Squared as open-loop first, and filled later as accomplished.

The GTD is advanced To-Do system. Next Action of your project is described and processed through GTD method. The GTD cards are classified into 3rd kind.

See David Allen's "Getting Things DONE" for detail of GTD processing.

For me, the GTD card is optional ; number of GTD card may not exceed 10 % of all indexcards I wrote.

Revised : 2006.11.04

Icon : Electric Bulb (lightning)
Tag : 3rd block

Things from your brain, mind, spirit, everything emerge from inside you, are classified into 2nd kind. Your discovery, finding, understanding, cognition, detection, joke, good idea in your life and work.

I think this card is the most important in the four kinds of card. And you will enjoy the discovery card increases and becomes dominant in the card box because it is your own idea, finding and discovery through your life.

Revised : 2006.11.04

Icon : Circle
Tag : 2nd block from left

This is any kind of records around you. Diary, note, account, health, weather, diet are classified into this 1st kind. See picture for example.

Revised 2006.12.29 17:38 : "Cooking Recipe" is moved to Reference Card according to nick's advise. Thanks

According to the contents, the indexcard is classified into 4 kinds, that is, Record, Discovery, GTD, and Reference.

1. Record Card
   
2. Discovery Card
   
3. GTD Card
   
4. Reference Card
   

Let's look them in detail.

Date and Time is very important in this method. The time stamp defines the "absolute name" of the card. This absolute name is used to link between the cards.

Time stamp must be unique, but not necessary to be accurate. This is like URL of WWW. You can define name of the html file as you like, but the name must be unique if these files are in same directory. As you will see, the indexcards are kept in the card box in chronological order. Thanks to the time stamp, it is easy to find a specific card speedy fro the chronological sequence.

This absolute name technique was first introduced on the 2-channel.

Revised : 2006.11.04

The title should be short and exact as possible. The shorter title makes review process easy and speedy.

Contents are about 120 letters in Japanese (how many in English?). Keep one topic for one card, and don't put too much contents. Free-hand illustration is very nice.

In case you can't put the contents for one card, use 2 or more cards. Then put number, like 1/2 or 2/2, to the title.

According to the contents, the indexcard is classified into four kinds, that is, Record Card, Discovery Card, GTD Card, and Reference Card. From my experience, the four kinds is necessary and sufficient. Too much kinds causes out of control of the system.

The proper icon and tag are added to head of the title and top of the card, respectively.

The icon makes easy to identify the contents visually. The tag is important, especially for finding open-loop of GTD card.

When you look at the indexcards in the card box, you will see which kind is dominant. I must emphasize that a purpose of the tag is not for classification. All cards are keep in chronological order in the Dock.

Revised 2006.12.30 13:22

Here I show what is written on each indexcard. They are,

• Icon and Tag
  
• Title and Contents
  
• Date and Time
  

Click picture above to see the format (I added notes on flickr).

We always start from blank card. There is format, but not printable template. Because we cannot predict what idea/infomation comes next. No PC, no printer required in this system.

The blank card is, in David Allen's words, "mind like water" and "ready for anything".

Revised 2007.01.02 18:43
Revised 2006.12.30 13:18
Revised 2006.11.26 : links are fixed

For the indexcard, I recommend to use quadrille indexcard. It gives base writing format. Moreover, the quadrille rule plays an important role for tagging procedure.

According to reports from my friends through this blog, however, it is difficult to get quadrille indexcard. And the quadrille cards in U.S. are different from the one I use. So, if you are interested in this system, I recommend you to use plain indexcard for a while. It is available anywhere, and doesn't cost so much. It reduce your risk in initial equipment investment.

When you finish a pack of plain indexcards, you will understand this system works better and comfort with quadrille card. If you decide to use this system seriously, I provide a service for you to get the quadrille indexcard I have been using.

For card box, you can use any box which can hold the indexcards inside at this moment. In fact, I use kitchen tray for temporal card holder. I will show my modified Moleskine and Card Dock later.

Revised 2006.12.30 11:57

I use blue pigment ink just because it's comfortable for me. The color can be change as your favorite.

I use pigment ink because,

1. high visibility
   
2. un-erasability
   
3. low pressure for writing
   

The cards are keep in a box called "Dock". The high visibility is important when flipping cards in the Dock. And this analog system is basically permanent system. A copy of our life. If is easy to erase, it means we lost our record. The third factor is important because we write a lot of cards. Physical effort must be reduced to keep writing.

I use Pilot's Pigment Drawing Pen 0.5 mm (Top of the picture above) for long time. It is enough strong pen-head, reasonable, and water resistant.

Revised 2006.12.30 13:01

To install the PoI system, all you need is

• Pen : pigment ink
  
• 5x3 quadrille Indexcard
  
• Card dock
  
• Clock or watch
  

Surprised? There is no computer, no printer, no templates. It's totally analog system.

According to your progress, you will want to add some options. For very first time, however, you only need four items above. If you are interested in this system, and just want to see and try how this work, I recommend you to use plain indexcard for a while. It is available anywhere. If you find an appropriate box, your total initial investment to introduce this system won't cost much more than $5.

This is extremely simple system. And the simplicity keeps this system rigid.

Revised : 2006.12.30 12:48
Revised : 2006.11.26
Revised : 2006.11.04

I have been introducing my information handling method on the flickr photo set "Maximizing Productivity". Here I would like to describe the detailed methodology.

Through this Blog, I introduce some simple method to keep stress-free accumulation of individual ideas by using 5x3 quadrille indexcard. I call it simply as "PoI (Pile of Indexcards)" method. As a number of cards increase, the system functions as own database. Then we are ready to use/reuse and organize/reorganize the cards to reproduce higher knowledge. What is important is to construct the database outside of our brain.

I write this blog not in Japanese, my mother language, but in English because I would like to share information and experience with people all around the world. Any comment, question, suggestion is welcome. I'm really happy if I could provide some hints and tips to improve your daily life

Best,
Hawk Sugano a.k.a hawkexpress

Revised 2006.12.30 13:44 : Add pictures. Some corrections.
Revised 2006.11.04

It was totally not a straight way to arrive indexcard. In fact, I had struggled. I have tried a lot of media before introducing indexcard.

• Todo on Palm m505 (2002)
  
• Omni Outliner on iBook (2002)
  
• Bugs Me on Palm 505 (2003.2 - 2006.5)
  
• Kokuyo B5 Note 6mm ruled (2003.8-2005.7)
  
• Circus Ponies Notebook on PowerBook (2005.4)
  

Long time I had believed that the digital medias are the best to process information around me from viewpoint of "searching". While I had wrote my journal of my life and work on a notebook.

From my experience of the long wandering in digital world, I understand the hand-writing on paper is suit for me. I arrived analog world at last. Even after I start to use indexcard, I tried several formats.

• Indexcard 5x3 ruled (2005.7-2005.8)
  
• Indexcard B6 ruled (2005.8-2006.2)
  
• Keynote with Indexcard B6 Theme (2005.2006.4)
  
• Indexcard 5x3 section (2006.2 - 2006.5)
  
• Indexcard 5x3 section + Fieldnote (2006.5 - Present)
  

Finally I understand 5x3 quadrille Indexcard is the best for me. I use it for 11 month now, and I feel really comfortable.

Revised : 2006.12.30 12:38 6 months -> 11 months
Revised : 2006.11.26 some links are added
Revised : 2006.11.04

Nearly 5 years ago, I read Watanabe Shoichi's "知的生活の方法 (Chiteki seikatsu no houhou = A way to intellectual life)". His episode was very first time I realize what is card system, and it is used in academic world for long time. But I had never met someone who use indexcard seriously around me at that time. It is a story of another world for me.

A first encounter with indexcard in realty was when I was in graduate school. A professor left a box of indexcards in his office when he move to other university. The professor uses indexcard to manage papers he read like librarian do. Perhaps the indexcards were written when he was young, because they were written by typewriter. It was exactly 5x3 indexcard.

When I move to university at Tokyo as researcher, I saw a "real" indexcard is sold in co-op. In Tokyo, and in university, it is relatively easier to find indexcard than country side where I had stayed days of graduate school.

Revised : 2006.12.30 12:31
Revised : 2006.11.26
Revised : 2006.11.04

One of Watanabe Shoichi's book "知的生活の方法 (Chiteki Seikatsu no Houhou, A Way to Intellectual Life, 1976)" is filled with tons of his 'lifehacks'.

He introduced an episode with card system (indexcard + card box) during his stay in Germany as student. A German professor suggested to use card system. Following the hint, he immediately got card box, and start to use it for his research. After a year, he write 300 pages of doctor thesis and got doctor degree successfully.

Revised : 2006.11.26

渡部昇一 (Watanabe Shoichi, 1930-)

One of great leader of enlightenment in Japan. He has written nearly 400 books spans from English rhetoric (his major), Japanese history, culture, politics to enlightenment, intellectual life, lifehacks (though he never use this word).

Here is a list of his books in Amazon.co.jp.

In 1970, B6 size indexcard become popular among Japanese researchers after Umesao's book.

Now, the B6 indexcard is called as "京大式カード (Kyodai shiki Card, Kyoto-University-style card), and officially sold by the Correct.

梅棹忠夫 (Umesao Tadao, 1920-)

He introduced his method of organizing flood of information using B6 indexcard in his book "知的生産の技術 (Chiteki Seisan no Gijyutu, The Art of Intellectual Productivity, 1969)". After three decade, his book is still useful and regarded as bible among researcher and businessman.

Ex-professor of ecology and ethnology in Kyoto University.

In Japan, the indexcard is called "情報カード (Jyoho Card)", which means "information card". The Correct, Japanese stationary maker, sells various size of indexcard. Name card size, 5x3, 6x4, B6, bill size, with plain, ruled, section is available.

Then, is the indexcard is popular in Japan? I must answer "No". It is quite minor in Japan. Actually, it is difficult to find indexcard in stationery store. Sometime there is no 5x3 card. I usually order tons of indexcard, say 20 packs, all at once. It avoid starving for indexcard next half of year.

Revised : 2006.12.30 12:27
Revised : 2006.11.04

So called "Indexcard" is 5 inch x 3 inch (125 mm x 75 mm) size paper. 6 inch x 4 inch and B6 size indexcards are also available in Japan. The 5x3 size card have been used in library, and the 6x4 and B6 have been used by researcher for long time.

Recently, indexcard is getting popular and popular. I think two events become a break-through for new era of indexcard. One is Jazzmasterson's photos on the flickr about combination of indexcard and GTD (ver. 1 and ver. 2). Another is Merlin Mann's "Hipster PDA" in his site "43 folders".

It is curious for me that analog paper is getting popular and popular in this digital high-tech world.

Revised : 2006.11.04

This project started just after I show my pictures of indexcard-ing method on the Flickr since July. My friends ask me to write a blog about my life with indexcard. I still learning what is blog, what I can do with blog. But I start to think the blog is more flexible than the Flickr.

Any questions/comments about my blog are highly appreciated.

May the indexcard be with you!