The Omni Group

For the visual learners in the crowd, I thought I'd let you know there's now a comprehensive OmniFocus video training course available from Lynda.com. The training course offers more than 3 hours of info, but it's broken up into manageable 5-10 minute videos for your viewing pleasure. (I don't know about you, but the idea of sitting down to three and a half hours of anything is enough to send me packing. This is why I avoid all movies described as "epic" or "a sweeping cinematic masterpiece", because you totally know that's just shorthand for "better not drink anything before trying to watch this, unless your bladder is the size of an Airstream").

You'll need a Lynda.com subscription to watch the entire course, but there are a number of videos available for free so you can check out their approach and decide if it seems up your alley.

From the course description:

Join Chris Mattia in OmniFocus Essential Training as he shares how to capture and organize projects and action items into a system for managing tasks and getting work done. This course covers working with projects and contexts, dynamically building to-do lists, creating custom views with Perspectives, and synchronizing the OmniFocus database across multiple computers. Exercise files are included with the course.

Topics include:

The philosophy behind OmniFocus
Creating an actions list
Organizing projects with folders and action groups
Scheduling parallel and sequential actions
Adding photos and audio to actions
Integrating with iCal and Mail
Backing up and exporting data
Using the OmniFocus iPhone app

Also, don't forget—there's an online training course for OmniGraffle, too. There! I just planned out your whole weekend for you. It's gonna be awesome.

As you may know, we now have three different editions of OmniFocus: OmniFocus for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Our hope is that these options give you the right set of task management tools, so you can use whichever is right for your circumstance, wherever you are. You know, so you don't have to try and hammer a nail with a screwdriver. Because screwdrivers are for screws, and . . . uh, nails need . . . those nail-poundy whatsits, and—

Okay, that metaphor got away from me a little bit. OmniFocus: It's a Nail-Poundy Whatsit When You Need a Nail-Poundy Whatsit doesn't really roll off the tongue.

Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to talk with some OmniFocus users who are running the software on more than one device. I was curious to see how folks balance their task management when they're in different modes, how each version supports the work they do, and see if those who have all three versions really do use all three. Some of you may be wondering which versions you need, and I hope some of these stories will help give you a little more insight into what might work best for you.

One of the questions I asked was whether people used the app differently on one device as opposed to the other. (IE, is the way you interact with OmniFocus for iPhone the same as how you use it on a Mac?)  I also asked if they had a clear favorite, or if each version serves separate but equal needs.

I apologize in advance for the length of this post (seriously, you might want to get some coffee and maybe take a bathroom break first), but I received so many great responses I wanted to share as many with you as possible. Without further ado, let's hear from the OmniFocus users:

I keep the Mac version open at all times and use it to collect most my tasks, because I'm frequently by the computer. Whenever something needs action, I fire up the quick entry window, write it down and forget about it. Then while working I go through tasks by context. If I need to work on wireframes, or am just in a meeting, I now carry the iPad with me and collect/process through the new app for the iPad - there's no real reason to carry the laptop anymore.  If I'm not at work or if I'm outside for any reason, I use Omnifocus on the iPhone. When mobile, I use it to collect ideas, process my shopping list, and review projects. 

I would have to say that the Mac version is the one I use the most, and the one I can't imagine myself without. The iPad version is still too new for me to consider an essential part of my workflow (to blame is the lack of multitasking on the iPad, that makes it hard to switch between other apps and Omnifocus to collect actions).  — Fred, Developer and User Experience Designer 

I use the iMac primarily when I need to do heavy duty input.  (Also, I use the iMac if I am studying to input items that come to mind or that come up while studying.) I use the iPad version for the Review process, for quick reference when using iMac for other reasons, for quick input/review when I am in waiting situations, for reference/input to notes when in committee situations, when focusing on tasks in particular contexts.  I really do not use the iPod Touch version very much. The biggest use I have for it is if I am going into a store where a shopping list is needed. 

The iPad version is my favorite.  The Mac version is more efficient for input, the iPad version for reference/review. — Doug, Minister

I use the desktop versions for inbox processing, labeling, clipping, etc. Creation of action items happens here. I use the iPhone app to focus and get things done away from the computer.  The iPhone app is really a companion to the desktop, it is not a go-to because I spend numerous hours in front of the computer at work and have easy access to my iMac at home. 

The iPhone is great for course correction and minor tweaks, and truly makes the system "air tight" when you come up with that next action over happy hour. — Jarrod, Accounting Manager

I typically schedule a 15 minute "brain dump" where I sit in front of my Mac Mini and use the OmniFocus for Mac.  Then I usually sync with iPhone. However, after purchasing the iPad version, I have neglected the Mac version and just sit in my sofa while adding all of my tasks to my inbox. I also love the new "Forecast" feature on the iPad. I don't take my iPad outside of the home (I have the wi-fi version), so I usually sync with my iPhone. Even though I really love the iPad version of OmniFocus, I feel that the iPhone version is my most used device. It goes with me everywhere I go and gets more mileage than the other two devices.  So, the way I see it, both OmniFocus for Mac and iPad are used primarily as input devices for brain dump and some organizing and the iPhone version is the one the gets to go out and actually get things done and has the satisfaction of getting that "check" to accomplish all tasks. 

I would say that my favorite right now is the iPad version.  Omnigroup has done a great job with the app.  It may just be that I'm in a "honeymoon" stage, so I would have to see how I feel a month from now to see if I still enjoy it as much as I do now.  The iPhone version is great for its portability.  It goes everywhere I go and I always have my tasks with me (though I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing -- especially on vacation). — Mauricio, Church Teacher 

I used the iPhone app more when I was out and about, but since I was using it on an iPod Touch and wasn't always near wifi, it wasn't that effective. And I found it slow and hard to navigate on the small screen. I don't think I really use the Mac and iPad versions all that differently.  If I used something other than wifi for connecting, I guess I might be more likely to use the iPad (or iPod) while I was in the car, but as it is, I use OF generally at home or if I'm at the office for pretty much the same tasks. Though I think I've traditionally done more task entry on the Mac version, that's starting to shift. 

The new iPad app is fantastic.  It's now become what I think of as the home device for my task list.  I still use both laptops, but I strongly prefer the iPad version.  One thing, though, that is easier on the laptop version is setting specific dates. So, clear preference for the iPad and they all serve pretty much the same need with a few minor differences. — Robin, Faculty Member

 

OmniFocus Mac: I use OmniFocus for the Mac primarily for two reasons.  The first is to be essentially an OmniFocus server that has OmniFocus open all the time and captures emails I send myself, so they can be converted into tasks.  This is done on my Mac Mini sitting at home.  The other is when I need to do a really thorough review, like my quarterly review, where I know I may need to do some mind sweeps or serious reference file cleaning, which I'd do on my MBP.  

OmniFocus iPad: This has become my almost de facto review and entry method.  I've been trying to do as much work digitally as possible during the day by using my iPad as a replacement for the typical day planner/folio I've carrying around for years.  I'll have my iPad with me during the day and use it to capture tasks from a meeting or conference call.  

OmniFocus iPhone: This is my mobile task list manager when running errands, out on the job site, or capturing quick ad-hoc tasks in places I may not have my iPad with me.

I use OmniFocus for iPad for a majority of my time inside OmniFocus, but each version has its importance to me depending on when/where I'm interacting with my lists.  My overall workflow for handling/processing my lists really requires all three versions for me. — Jason from MyGeekDaddy 

How I use OF depends a bit on where I am. When in the office, I use OF in conjunction with Evernote. I keep extensive notes in Evernote, but anytime an action item comes up, I use clippings or quick entry to add a new item to my inbox. Then, I go through my Inbox periodically throughout the day to move items to projects and add context. I also try to retain 0 items in my email inbox, and I use the mail clippings feature to keep track of those emails that require action by me.

When I'm home or out of the office, the iPhone becomes my main device. I will refer to context lists depending on where I am, but mostly I am consuming/completing items from my iPhone rather then entering new items. If I do happen to have my home machine up and running, I will use it to review existing projects or add new items as they come up. Obviously, I depend heavily on synchronizing all of this data among my three devices.

I can't say I have a clear favorite because the two versions serve different needs. I would never want to be without the other. — Dave

I use OmniFocus on my iPhone mainly for quick reviews or quick entries if something hits me. Since I always have my iPhone with me I can always do a quick glance at what’s going on or remind myself self of where I’m going (direction in life). The use iPad version more now than the MacBook one because of easy portability but I still use the Macbook version when I take some time to sit down and do a full review of everything going on. The beautiful part of it all is all my devices sync perfectly through MobileMe. 

Probably the iPad (is my favorite) because it still has that new toy feel to it. — Dewey, UI/UX/Interaction/Graphic Designer 

I use each product in a slightly different way:

1. OmniFocus for Mac. When I need to do a lot of list work, I rely on the desktop version of OmniFocus. With a 24" monitor, I can quickly see and work through multiple lists. This is my favorite version and I use it everyday to get organized.

2. OmniFocus for iPad. With the smaller screen, I use it primarily for reviewing/tweaking individual projects. I also am really enjoying the new Review and Forecast modes. This version gives me most of the power of the desktop version, but with more convenience and portability.

3. OmniFocus for iPhone. I use it for "on the go" data collection and reference. It's my back-up brain. I no longer carry a Moleskine for data capture since I always have my phone with me.

Each version is slightly different which allows me to think about my work in different ways and "see" my work in different ways. I can easily find stray actions or dead contexts by using different versions. The trio of products helps me keep my lists up to date and my mind distraction free: everything I need to remember is in OmniFocus. Which version(s) of OmniFocus you need depends on your work style and the gear you carry with you. All three versions help me manage a busy work life, and even more importantly, they allow me to not work all of the time. OmniFocus quietly remembers all of the details while I'm outside enjoying our very brief Minnesota spring and summer. — Dave C.

I mainly use the desktop version of OF on my home iMac and my MacBook Pro.  The databases sync via my mobileme account, and i have had zero problems with that.  This is key, when my laptop was in the shop, it was simple to set up OF on a borrowed machine and sync it.  I was up and running in minutes.

While I do have the iPhone version, I rarely use it.  On my 3G it just didn't open and sync fast enough, though the quick entry feature was nice for capturing thoughts on the go.  Now that i have the iPhone4, I need to revisit if OF for iPhone is useful for me.  I don't have an iPad, yet.

Desktop is my clear favorite, by far. — David, Apple Certified Technical Coordinator

On the Mac: I generally still do my inbox processing here. In part, this is because I've mentally associated a specific place and time for inbox processing and that's something I already find difficult to do elsewhere (so the portability of the iPad isn't as much of a win). It's also because drag-and-drop still wins for speed when I'm working through an inbox.  Further, if I'm digging through other notes or tools for items that need to be processed, having multiple windows open in a "traditional" desktop environment lets me get that stuff into OmniFocus more efficiently than it does on the iPad. 

On the iPhone: The phone has some advantages and disadvantages that make it's place in my use very specific. The three aspects of the device that matter the most are physical size (both a pro and a con), it's almost always with me (big pro) and painful multitasking (con). Even with the iOS4 model, it's simply too heavyweight to switch around between apps, which means that any heavy-duty cross-referencing activity or inbox processing is right out. Additionally, anything other than a short text entry is kind of unpleasant just by virtue of the small physical dimensions. All that said, the fact that, in a pinch, I can basically do *anything* I could do with the bigger versions of the app is a Huge Deal. That's really the key to making OmniFocus work for me. Anything I might need to do, I can, and with a device that's almost always with me. 

On the iPad: This is  very new, of course, and I expect my use will evolve, but it has largely replaced the Mac version for the bulk of my use. In particular, the Forecast and Review modes are enormous wins and are straight up my preferred ways to see what's coming up and to do my weekly review across all three platforms. Much of the rest of the reason why the iPad is so fundamental to my workflow is because of the extra portability the iPad affords me with minimal compromise on how much I can see at one time. Yes, I find certain tasks easier to do in isolation on the Mac version, but the fact that the iPad is *so* much lighter and easier to carry with me than my Macbook trumps that most of the time. The "in a pinch, I could do anything here" effect still holds on the iPad, but it feels less like a compromise than on the iPhone. I could imagine a future in which I work almost strictly from the iPad version, with the iPhone as companion. I don't think it's there yet, but it's certainly plausible.

As to a favorite, I don't think I have a clear one. I think I could go without the iPhone and Mac versions for the longest, but I think that without the ubiquity of the phone and the power-user aspects of the Mac that my integration of the tool into my life would start to fracture long term. I'm pretty danged pleased with the iPad version though. Especially Forecast and Review, which really seem elegant and useful to me. — Josh

 

Of course, the OS X version is the most functional and is my primary client. When syncing was added, I was able to easily switch between my work and home computer (before that I kept the database on a flash drive). I purchased the iPhone version the day it was released so that I could have all my precious tasks with me while I was in a meeting or out and about. The iPhone version was good for reviewing and updating things, but the onscreen keyboard kept creation or significant modification of tasks to the desktop. Running 2x mode of the iPhone app on the iPad helped, but the native iPad version narrows that gap significantly.

As it stands, there still are some things the desktop version does that cannot be found elsewhere. The two primary are the notes field which supports rich text on the desktop (as compared to plain text on iPhone/iPad) and the totally useful Clip-O-Tron 3000 which I have begun using quite extensively to process mail and some related clippings. The interaction between mail clippings and Mail.app (having the relevant section in the notes with a link to the original message for additional context or to reply).

The best way to answer (which my favorite is) is to ask if there were only a single product, which one would I take? That would have to be the OS X version. The iPad is close second but the 1.0 version isn't quite there yet. Don't get me wrong, I use it daily both at home and at the office. The addition of reviews means I could live with the iPad version only, but it would be a compromise. With your desire for improvement I'm sure that every update will have me re-evaluate that decision. — Michael, IT Technology Manager 

The iPhone is my primary capturing device. When I'm on the road, in a meeting, on the train, I use OmniFocus for iPhone for capturing ideas and tasks to my inbox. When I'm travelling by car, I specially appreciate the audio note feature. Since iOS 4, I started using reminders on that device as well. 

On the Mac, I do the capturing in my home office, the organization of projects and actions. The integration with mail and the system in general is a great help. Doing a review on the iPhone is not very comfortable and I nearly never did that. So - before the iPad version was available - I did my weekly reviews on the Mac. At work, I had my MacBook on my side and did the capturing there. As I usually don't have a mac at my clients sites, the main reason for carrying my MacBook around was OmniFocus (and DEVONThink) and the more comfortable way of data entry and organization compared to the iPhone.

The release of the iPad version did a great thing for me: I now carry around my iPad. Doing a review on the iPad is very comfortable, even way better than doing that on the Mac. And I can do it wherever I want, i.e. on my balcony watching the sun dawn over the swiss alps or in the train, when I'm on my way home from a meeting in Zurich. Organizing is still not as intuitive as on the Mac, but it's possible.

As a conclusion: I could live without OmniFocus, I could even live without GTD. But I don't want to live without them. I am using OmniFocus on a regular base on my iMac, my MacBook, my iPhone and my iPad. If someone's not in a Mac Environment and wants to to GTD in an effective and efficient way, I do recommend buying an iPhone and an iPad and start using OmniFocus on both devices. With the iPad, there's no longer a strong need of the Mac version. You can do everything on the iPad as well. But if someone already got a Mac, I'd go for iPhone and Mac. I can go on like that for a while, because every combination is better than not having OmniFocus. The only thing, I'd not recommend, is having OmniFocus only on the iPhone. It's pretty hard to do the important organizational stuff on the small screen.

Currently, my clear favorite is OmniFocus for iPad. If I could only have one of the OmniFocus products, I'd definitely choose the iPad. It's more portable than the MacBook and OmniFocus for iPad is more comfortable to use than OmniFocus for iPhone. So it's the best of both worlds. In my opinion, if you have all devices (iPhone, iPad and Mac), you should buy OmniFocus for all of them. It gives you some more convenience and saves time. At a pricepoint of less than $150, it pays for itself. For me and most of my clients, it's equal to less than an hour of our work time. — Boris

I find the Mac and iPad versions the quickest when it comes to getting the information inside, especially with a bluetooth keyboard on my iPad. I'm a little more used to the Mac version but I love the look of the UI in the iPad version.  I really love the Forecast feature of the iPad version and I really hope I can test that feature in the beta Mac version soon.  I always have my iPhone with me so I never forget what groceries I need to buy or the dimensions of something I need at the hardware store. 

I don't have a favourite.  I need my iPhone version because it's more portable.  The Mac and iPad versions fill similar niches but, at the moment if I had to choose, I'd take the iPad version over the Mac because of the better looks and the Forecast feature. — Darcy

 

I now use OF on iPad the most. It's nice to be able to break away from the computer and sit somewhere more comfortable to review and organize. I have mail forwarding set up on my desktop, so I am constantly sending email from my office PC to land in my inbox. It shows up on my iPhone and iPad very quickly. The iPhone version is useful for it's mobility, but I really just use it now as a last resort if I don't have my iPad with me.

They serve different needs, and I'm glad to use all three, but I'd say the iPad version is my favorite. — Ben Smith

iPhone: The iPhone is essentially a glorified inbox collector for me these days. The most important GTD step is to actually write everything you think of down immediately so you don't waste your energy remembering it until you get home. I always have my phone with me, so OmniFocus iPhone is perfect for that. I'll also check on due/flagged items from my phone to help plan my day a bit.

Mac: This is where I organize all my tasks. If I need to process a bunch of inbox items, it's faster for me to just sit down and do it on the Mac. Most of my tasks have to be done at the mac anyway (writing code, sending emails, paying bills online, etc) so it's very nice to have the app around.

iPad: I'm not exactly sure where iPad fits in yet. The OmniFocus app there is so new I don't have anything set in stone yet. I've been using it for weekly review (which is great!) and to check in on all my tasks in bed at night. I'll do some inbox processing there too just to get peace of mind before I go to sleep. Again, it's so new I don't have a routine yet. I'd imagine if I go back to a full-time job where I couldn't use a Mac, I'd bring the iPad in just for OmniFocus.

I've been using the Mac version since beta so it's definitely my favorite just due to my comfort level with it. However, if I was new to the OmniFocus world, I'm guessing the iPad might take the cake here. I do love the iPhone version, and am impressed it launched alongside the app store. However, it'd be interesting to see the UI get a bit of a redesign to match some of the great improvements in OmniGraffle/OmniFocus for iPad. I think a new user would be fine with Mac + iPhone, or iPad + iPhone. You need the iPhone for collection out in the world, but need iPad or Mac for the heavier duty work. — Will, Developer 

Each version is very different from its siblings, and I use all of them differently. The iPhone app lets me bring my list with me, so I use it when I'm out running errands or visiting a client. It's also the place that I capture most of my ideas for things I need to do, which I'll leave in the Inbox until I get back to the office or home. I use the Mac version for what I call heavy lifting. Either reorganizing a project because facts on the ground have changed, or entering a lot of information, either with copying and pasting, typing notes, linking documents, or linking emails.

I use OmniFocus on the iPad probably the most. Every morning I wake up and scrub through my list at the kitchen table while drinking coffee to plan what I need to get done for the day by marking those items flagged. The new Forecast feature and the improved Review feature make this really easy, not to mention I find the touch interface more viscerally pleasurable to use. Then throughout the day, I get work done on my computer, and check things off on my iPad which sits on my desk in its stand. I really like being able to have my work and my to-do list on two separate screens. I always found command-tabbing between the two to be a pain.

OmniFocus on the iPad is easily my favorite. As I mentioned above, the touch interface is just a joy to use, and I find it far easier to plan my day and my projects when I'm away from my desk.

I do think each version serves a separate need. If pressed, I could get by without OmniFocus on iPhone because I could use the Notes app as an Inbox. I could probably also get by without OmniFocus on the Mac because I mostly use that version for heavy data entry, which is possible, but less convenient on the iPad. That said, I do think that if OmniFocus works for you and you can afford it, it's worth having a version for each platform you own. The different wireless sync options makes it so easy.

For someone who wanted to check out OmniFocus, I'd recommend the iPad version. OmniFocus is powerful on all three platforms, but I think the iPad version retains the easy navigability of its Mac sibling without being as intimidating as the Mac version can seem to new users. — John W., Lawyer

I think I use OmniFocus about the same way on my Mac, iPhone, or iPad. I toss ideas and quick tasks into the inbox so I don't have to break my concentration, then I organize it all later when I have some downtime. I love the keyboard shortcuts on my Mac, of course, because it's such a low-friction way of getting an idea out of my head and into an app where I won't forget it. But I use the iPhone and iPad versions the same way. They make it super convenient jot down ideas while on-the-go without having to lug my comparatively clunky MacBook Pro everywhere.

I think they all fill great niches. The Mac version lets me work very quickly without ever taking my hands off the keyboard, but the iPhone version is always with me wherever I go. The iPad version is a gorgeous evolution of the interface and workflow though, and it makes me wish I could work 24/7 just on my iPad, so if anything, I almost prefer it to the Mac version. — David Chartier, Associate Editor at Macworld.com

WHEW. I told you this was long. Thanks for all the wonderful responses, folks, and I hope those of you reading along found this valuable. I think it's clear there's no "best practice" recommendation for which of the apps will be most useful for you; it totally depends on your work style and where you are when you need access to your OmniFocus data. I know for me it's all about context, and I'm glad I have the choice to use a tool that suits my needs whether I'm at my desk, on the go, or sitting in a meeting. We hope, ultimately, that's what you feel like you have with OmniFocus: the right toolbox.

Questions/comments? Hit us up in the comments. We always love hearing from you.

Oh, you guys. I am so glad I don't have to start this post with anything other than this news:

OmniFocus for iPad is now available on the App Store.

It took longer than we anticipated to get here, and we're sorry for the frustration. Reminder note to selves: it's definitely hard to predict exactly how long it will take to design and build something no one has designed and built before. 

Our development and UI team deserve a huge amount of praise for the long hours they put into getting this release together. Thanks to the documentation folks and the video team for chasing a moving target in order to provide some how-to info on day one. Shout-out to Ken Case, who tried his best to keep you all in the loop on our progress, even when it became increasingly difficult to do so.

I hope you enjoy this app as much as we do. With the new task Forecasts, Map, built-in reviewing, and an entirely redesigned interface, I think there's a lot to love. But don't take my word for it: visit the OmniFocus for iPad website to learn about the features. Watch the overview video to see it in action.  And, of course, grab your own copy at the App Store. 

Thanks for hanging in there, folks. We're eagerly awaiting your feedback. 

Hello, esteemed Omni blog readers! We have two bits of news for you today, both OmniFocus-focused. 

BIT O' NEWS THE FIRST

OmniFocus 1.7 for iPhone is now available! The big changes are related to iOS 4: the app is now multi-tasking aware, so it's compatible with the fast app switching in iOS 4; database optimizations can now be completed in the background on iOS 4, and OmniFocus 1.7 now uses local notifications to display due alerts when running on iOS 4 (giving you the option to receive alerts for due tasks, even when you're not syncing with a server). 

Also, all the artwork has been refreshed in preparation for that fancy new high-resolution Retina display on iPhone 4. Plus, the app now periodically releases the magical and revolutionary scent of mango. (One of these statements is not true.)

If you're like me and haven't updated your phone yet because you like to wait until everyone else has already done it and you can confirm there are no reports of people saying things like "ARGH MY RINGTONE GOT REPLACED WITH A VUVUZELA", you should grab this latest version of OmniFocus anyway, because it also includes some handy fixes and overall improvements. 

OmniFocus 1.7 for iPhone can be found at your friendly neighborhood App Store.

BIT O' NEWS THE SECOND

Some of you have expressed interest in an update on the projected release date for OmniFocus for iPad. Interest has been communicated in a variety of ways: gentle email queries, polite forum discussions, and of course there was that brick that got tossed through our lobby window wrapped in a note reading YOU SAID JUNE YOU DILL-WEEDS WHAT GIVES.

Here's our current plan: we are hoping to submit OmniFocus for iPad to Apple next week, on June 30. I emphasize hoping because it's not a certainty and this date was extracted with great reluctance. Many Bothans died to bring you this information.

We wish you could get your hands on it right now, but as tempting as it is to rush it out the door for all the folks who are waiting for it, there's still work that needs to be done. I've been using the development builds and it's really exciting to see how things are coming together. It's very close to being ready, at this point it's all about fixing the rough edges and working on the UI.

When I say that, I don't want you to get a mental picture of engineers arguing over the pixel placement of one button. I mean, I'm sure that happens—ha ha ha, ENGINEERS—but I'm talking about a giant effort to influence how you feel when you use OmniFocus. This app needs to be more than a place to store your to-dos, you know? It needs to be a pleasure to interact with. It needs to be a place you want to go on a regular basis. It needs to be satisfying. 

I believe there are some features in OmniFocus for iPad that have the potential to change the way some of us feel about task management. Specifically, for people like me who are lazy about committing to a task manager and repeatedly fall off the wagon, I think this could be the perfect combination of app and device that keeps us engaged.

But we have to do it right. If I don't enjoy opening the app and interacting with it, I won't stick with it. Simple as that.

So, all that's to say: we're close. We're really, really close. This part is mission-critical, though, and we hope you're okay with waiting just a bit longer. We're pretty sure it's going to be worth it. 

Say, have you ever found yourself trying to mock up a website with only a wet piece of toilet paper and a broken crayon and it's not fun at ALL because because the crayon is that cruddy "atomic tangerine" color and the toilet paper is one-ply and you are, like, totally building the worst website ever?

Well, have we ever got a handy video for you, then! We just posted our latest video overview, which is a mere 2:32 of your time but nicely covers the basics for using OmniGraffle for iPad to create website wireframes. This video is not only handy and informative, it also features the smooth vocal stylings of our wonderful Support Ninja and Talented Video-Maker, Kris. 

Take a look at the video here, and if there are other topics you'd like to see us cover—for OmniGraffle for iPad or any other app—please let us know!

You guys, I hope you're not getting sick of our customer stories, but even if you ARE, you should stick around for this one. Because it's awesome. And involves monsters. 

Today we're going to be taking a look at how a comic artist uses OmniGraffle as his primary drawing tool, thanks to some fantastic info sent in by Simone Poggi. Simone is a developer/designer/illustrator who draws comics in his spare time—he's currently publishing his fantasy comic Another One Quest to Dust on the App Store, and he's working on an Android survival fantasy game as well. 

He writes,

I use Graffle to draw, it's like paper and pencil for me. Over the years Graffle has become my primary drawing tool, extending the way I create stuff to a whole new level. Today my skill with Graffle neatly surpass my freehand drawing abilities.

I have to say, out of the many ways I've seen OmniGraffle being used, I think this might be one of the most fun. It's never even occurred to me that you could create an entire comic with OmniGraffle, but of course you can! It just goes to show that my rejected marketing tagline, "OmniGraffle: Not Just For Diagramming Although It Is Very Good At Diagramming All We're Saying is That You Can, Like, Totally Use it for Other Stuff Too", was right all along.

Simone tells us which features are most helpful for him:

I really love the way Graffle manages the Bezier shapes and colors because it's really, really simple and intuitive, but at the same time it's powerful. You can easily create any shape, apply a color or a texture to it, set the desired transparency, and change a thousand options (gradients, shadows, rotation, scale, etc) to perfectly fit your needs. You can finely set your working area by giving your desired resolution in various unit measures.The level/layer/working area options are really useful as well to manage images, background and graphical effects in a separate way, without interfering with other parts of the image. Furthermore the export function works great and you can export in a wide array of filetypes, deciding (if allowed by the format) to set a transparent background or not.

You're thinking, that's great and all, but how does one go about drawing shiny stuff that rocks in OmniGraffle? Well, it is mighty convenient that you phrased your thoughts in that specific way, because Simone put together a tutorial to show you exactly how to do this. Let's take a look (Simone's instructions are in bold):

Start with a blank document, then:

Click on the Pen Tool (what Simone is describing as "new bezier shape") and place the points in the drawing area as shown in the above picture. Hold "command" key and drag one point away to generate a bezier curve from the selected point. If you need an asymmetric spline, just hold "alt" key while dragging the vector, this would modify only one vector of them instead of both.

We have a fine head shape: add the eyes from the stencils (drag out circles from the Shape stencil), resize and place them at the proper position

Now we have to tweak the line's details to improve the epicness factor of our masterpiece. We will enhance the thickness of the head's shape by selecting it, and setting to 4 pixels.

(Hee. Improving the epicness factor.)

Let's give some color to our creation. First, the background: change the color through the inspector button in the "fill" tab. Repeat and do the same for the eyes and the head as shown below:

Our work is almost ready! Now let's add some shinies with a glass effect!

Copy / paste the head shape, then add a new circle:

Select both the new head and the newly created circle, go to "edit" > "shapes" > "intersect shapes" menu. We now have a new object, shaped as the intersection from the head's shape and the new circle's shape.

Edit the newly obtained shape as follows: 

... and place it over the original head:

Our monster now is quite nice, but it looks like he's floating in air, let's fix this!

Through the stencil panel insert a new circle, then change his properties as follows:

- shape the circle as an oval

- fill with solid color: black 30% transparency

- no border, no shadow

Now we have to put this shadow under the monster: select the shape, then click on the "send to background" button:

Finished! Our masterpiece is done for now! You may save and exit or export your creation in various formats, to share it with your friends and with your enemies, too.

Hello, AWESOME. I know what I'll be doing for the rest of my afternoon. Monsters ahoy!

I asked Simone if there was anything he could change about OmniGraffle, and he conceded there are a few things that bug him:

Each time I double-click somewhere (as I often do when I try to insert additional points to a previuosly created shape) Graffle adds a text label. I hate that feature and I wanna kill it personally from a menu option in the preferences.

Yes, this can be annoying—I've encountered it too. Be sure that when you're double-clicking to add a point, you're doing so on the edge of the shape itself so you won't get that pesky label.

There is no way to draw an "open" Bezier shape. Every time you create a new shape, you can only choose between applying a border to it or nor. It would be great if I can choose to create a "broken shape" in a fast way. Actually i have to draw the shape and then redraw a Bezier Line over it.

Gotcha. Our intrepid OmniGraffle product manager, Joel, tells me this is a filed feature request, so hopefully you'll see it addressed in an upcoming release. Also, just so you know, this feature is currently implemented in OmniGraffle for iPad.

I'd really like to use gradient colors for the lines as it is now for the shape's area.

A workaround idea: create a slightly smaller shape, and place it on top of the larger shape so you can see the outline. Voila, hacked gradient outline!

Graffle still does not make coffee! Please stop disappointing me and implement this feature.

Simone, I could not agree with you more. I am emailing our engineers RIGHT NOW to find out the reasoning behind this critical design flaw.

A huge thank you to Simone for providing all this great information. You can find Simone on his website, and check out his Another One Quest to Dust comic online or on the App Store. If you'd like a copy of the OmniGraffle file he used to create this tutorial, you can download it here. 

Welcome to another post in our ongoing series of real-life customer stories, which are kind of like case studies only hopefully a little less prone to making the claim that our "innovative solutions" are improving anyone's "bottom line". Let it be known that we here at Omni feel it's inappropriate to monkey with your bottom line.

Today we're talking about OmniFocus, and how Mr. Tim Metz, managing director of Yourzine China, makes good use of it. Tim writes,

My brain relies on OmniFocus so much these days I could be considered a "junkie" if it were a drug. I often consider sending my short term memory on a permanent holiday to the Bahamas as OmniFocus does all the work for me: managing my email, keeping track of delegated tasks and remembering those valuable ideas that seem to pop up at the strangest of moments for future use. 

(I love everything about this, and yet I think there's room for improvement. Could OmniFocus and my short term memory get together on the emails and whatnot while the rest of me takes that Bahamas vacation? I'm going to file a feature request.)

Tim's a GTD fan, and uses OmniFocus to support those methodologies:

To me OmniFocus is really the next logical step in the evolution of personal organization: (1) using a classic paper to do list - (2) your inbox is your to do list - (3) the Getting Things Done method - (4) OmniFocus.  David Allen so strikingly describes what happens when you use your inbox as your todo list: you lose the overview and you find yourself repeatedly skipping certain hard to-do items over and over again. Moving from that behavior to the GTD system is then a revelation. However, as things get more and more busy, I found the same happens with the GTD system: it's hard to keep track of all your next actions, emails and projects, even when you have them nicely organized in folders, your calendar and a word document. As soon as you lose trust in your system, you will start worrying about forgetting things and can't focus on the task at hand with a clear mind, which is the goal after all. This is where OmniFocus comes in.

What I love most about OmniFocus is that it allows me to capture everything I need to do in one place. No more mail folders with "next actions" or word documents where you might forget to look, everything goes to OmniFocus. The best example of this is email. Running a 30-people internet marketing agency in China, I have a daily steady stream of email to be dealt with that is challenging to say the least. Of course I stick to the rule of trying to handle things that can be done in under 2 minutes immediately, but sometimes you just don't want to deal with something at that moment but also make sure you don't forget about it. With OmniFocus I press one button, add a due date and hit enter and the email is filed for later review, without ever having to leave my mail program. 

Upon switching to OmniFocus at a later stage, I sort all my tasks in a custom made "due" view and I'm sure I won't miss the email that has to be dealt with, but I do it at my convenience and without having to worry about forgetting it.

Another great feature is the way "contexts" can be used. Contexts are the extended versions of "locations" as described by David Allen. So you assign a "home" context to tasks that can only be done at home, an "office" context to things that can only be done at the office and I use an "iPhone" context for websites that I want to check out and can easily read on my iPhone. 

My favorite context though is the "waiting" context. In this special context, I park all the important tasks that I have delegated to other people. Not every little wishy washy thing of course, because my colleagues are very capable of managing their own work, but assignments that are critical and can't be forgotten about no matter what. By safely storing them in this context and adding a recurring task for myself to check the "waiting" context every other day, I help myself to be a thoughtful manager for my colleagues and inquire at the right moment about the progress of certain tasks and if there's anything I can do to help.

Talking about people and contexts: another great way of using contexts is by adding people you interact with a lot as a context. For me this greatly helps to reduce the mailflow between my colleagues and me. Often mails go back and forth several times on a topic while it could be dealt with in a minute if you were to discuss it face-to-face with each other. On the other hand you also don't want to stand next to someone's desk every hour. Here the "people" context is great: when my colleague Bruce sends me an email that I want to further discuss with him, I file it to the context "Bruce" and leave it at that for the moment. Then whenever I have a meeting with Bruce, I'll check his context on my iPhone while entering the meeting and discuss with him in person the issues that are listed there. Much better than a chain of emails that can span a whole day.

This brings me to the iPhone OmniFocus app. Since it syncs with OmniFocus on my computer over the WiFi of our office, I use OmniFocus to take notes during meetings. My experience is that most meetings lead to actions / tasks, and previously my assistant or me would write them down on a piece of paper. However, after having several meetings in a day, I would have multiple papers with multiple actions that still had to go into my GTD system or OmniFocus. It often ended up not happening if I had a lot of notes. 

Now I have my iPhone during the meeting and record tasks directly into OmniFocus during the meeting. Not only will it be synced immediately with my computer, I don't have to process the written notes anymore and I can even add a "context", "project" and if necessary "due date" on the spot, right there in the meeting.

Last but not least is reviewing, one of the most crucial parts of the GTD method. If you don't review regularly and update what has been done, which next actions still need to be answered, etc. the whole GTD system will fall apart. Now OmniFocus already has a nice review option by itself, but the iPhone app really brings the reviewing process to another level for me. Because reviewing and organizing your tasks in itself doesn't add to whatever you need to get done, it's a bit of a waste of your valuable office time that could be used for other things. This is where the iPhone comes in: it allows you to do the organizing of your tasks on idle moments when you could otherwise not do much else: in a taxi, on the subway, in a queue. Back in the office it will sync with your computer over WiFi and you're all set again!

These are just some of the ways OmniFocus can be deployed in daily busy work life. But besides some of the applications described above, I can highly recommend it as a gift. It's great to help other busy people you know straight from the "inbox-to-do-list" stage straight to the OmniFocus stage of organizing your tasks. They will instantly get it and they will be thankful forever :)

There was so much great stuff in Tim's email I pretty much included everything as is, and I hope you find it as interesting as I did! You can find Tim at his online marketing company, Yourzine, at his electronic music production company, Dancetrippin, or on LinkedIn. Thank you, Tim, for sharing your story with us.

Now that we have three products available from the App Store, certain things have changed about the way we do business. The access to our software has changed. The way we receive payment for our software has changed. The flexibility we've always had with regards to discounts has changed. 

We plan to continue developing for iPhone and iPad. As Ken wrote back in January, it's our intent to bring all five of our productivity applications to iPad. This means, obviously, that these aren't short-term business changes for us. 

It has always been Omni's policy to give you as much information as possible to help you make an informed purchasing decision, because we truly want you to be happy with what you buy. This is a core value of our company, which we prioritize in a number of ways. We try to make sure you have access to good resources and documentation. We provide free trials on all of our Mac software. We offer top-notch customer service, including phone support. We offer a 30-day guarantee on products sold from our online store, no questions asked.

Your satisfaction is every bit as important to us as the sale. 

We're not trying to say we don't need to make money, because we do. We need to pay our rent, pay our employees, help others when possible, save enough to make it through bad years, and in a good year, hopefully even have a little extra for profit sharing. Omni has limited resources to invest into our development work, and we do have to recoup those expenses or we can't continue offering the products that we do.

However, no one here wants you to buy something from us that you won't enjoy using. Our primary goals are to help you decide if our products are right for you before you buy, and to help make things right if you aren't happy after you buy.

To that end, we've made some decisions that are intended to help us continue to do business the way we want, even within this new distribution model. Starting today, we are offering the same 30-day money back guarantee on all of our iPhone and iPad apps as we do with our other software. This applies to OmniFocus for iPhone, OmniGraffle for iPad, and OmniGraphSketcher for iPad. If you find that you're unsatisfied with your purchase, email sales@omnigroup.com with a copy of your App Store receipt and the reason for return, and we'll refund your money.

Let's just be up front about the fact that this choice obviously opens us up to some risk. We pay 30% of our App Store sales to Apple whether or not we refund a purchase, for one thing. 

So why are we doing this? Because we want to give you the same confidence in buying our App Store software as you have when you buy our Mac software. Because it's important to us that we continue to provide the same support and service we always have. Because we believe the benefit outweighs the risk.

The 30-day guarantee isn't intended to take the place of a demo period. We do ask that you take the time to look at the product features, watch the videos, and ask questions before you make your purchase. If we haven't given you what you need to make a buying decision, please, tell us what would help. 

Finally, if one of our products doesn't seem right for you, we don't want to try and convince you otherwise. We'd love to hear why it isn't right for you, of course, because that's how we make improvements, but we don't want you to buy something you don't need. The ideal outcome for us is when you get amazing value from the applications we create. 

That is, after all, the real reason we do what we do. 

Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. We hope you know your comments and concerns are always welcome.

Today's customer story comes from Aaron, who works as a problem solver for a large company that develops software for the healthcare industry.

(Side note: I have to admit I'm a little intimidated by someone whose actual job title involves solving problems. You know, speaking as someone who has on more than one occasion found herself shoving as hard as possible against a door clearly marked "PULL", just like that old Far Side cartoon.) 

Aaron writes,

I really love using diagrams as a way to help me think and keep my ideas organized.  When I was in college taking computer science classes, I used OmniGraffle to take notes.  You can't get through a computer science class without drawing a ton of diagrams, and with my lousy handwriting (and affinity for keeping everything neatly on my Mac for later use) I decided to give OmniGraffle a shot.  At first, it was very difficult to keep up with the professor writing diagrams on the whiteboard, but I quickly learned to use OmniGraffle's nifty keyboard shortcuts. I also made stencils for the most common building blocks of the data structures I was making diagrams of.  That, plus liberal use of copying and pasting, allowed me to efficiently take notes, and sometimes do it even more quickly than my classmates—it's common for something to get drawn on the board that's important, but then the professor erases a few parts and replaces those with new parts to make a whole new diagram.  On paper, this means quickly trying to draw your diagram again.  In OmniGraffle, it's a quick copy and paste. 

Here are a few screenshots of Aaron's old Graffle-created class notes:

He acknowledges these aren't necessarily the fanciest diagrams ever, and reminds us that when you're taking notes in class, you usually don't spend a ton of time making them super pretty. Totally understood! They look a heck of a lot nicer than MY class notes, which are typically covered in my pen doodle artistic specialty: the Tornado.

Just to show you what that last diagram could look like with a little fancifying, our User Experience Lead, Bill, took a few minutes to whip up a new version:

Coooooooooool.

Aaron adds that Graffle is also a fantastic general purpose layout program for designing GUI mockups, and shares one more example of his with us:

The thing I love about Graffle is that you can do almost anything with it.  Yes, it is marketed as a diagramming program, but it's also fantastic for doing desktop publishing layouts.  It's also a very respectable vector graphics drawing program, giving people the ability to quickly create things that might otherwise take a lot more effort in Illustrator.  It's beautiful to see how open ended it is.  

Now, most of the time company use case articles don't include anything other than glowing praise for the app in question, but we know that in real life software isn't 100% perfect 100% of the time. I asked Aaron if there was anything he would add to OmniGraffle if he could, and here's what he suggested:

Although I used Graffle to take notes, it's not a note-taking program, and there are some features that I'd love to see OmniGraffle have that would make it more conducive to Graffle-wielding notetakers like myself.  First, I'd like to have the ability to record classes and meetings with OmniGraffle and have the sound sync up with the edits I'm making to the document.  This would effectively eliminate my need to copy and paste diagrams just to show a progression of edits, and it would have made studying a heck of a lot easier.  You'd just have to hit play, and you're off!  Another thing that would be really cool to see in Graffle would be interactive collaboration on documents in real time (think Google Wave).  Perhaps it's a little out there, but the tools Graffle gives me to make awesome stuff are fantastic, and it makes me want to use them everywhere!

Cool suggestions, Aaron, and they've been entered in the Official Omni Bug Tracking System Which Also Tracks Feature Requests. 

Aaron tells us that now that his student days are behind him, he still keeps OmniGraffle in his arsenal of tools. 

The software I work with often has extensive relationships between different records that are used to configure the software, and if I'm troubleshooting an issue, I fire up OmniGraffle and diagram it out so I can keep my wits about me. 

Our software helps an official problem solver keep his wits about him, how awesome is that? 

Aaron can be found on Twitter at @harpaa01. Thanks for sharing your story with us, Aaron!

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