Doris - Minimalist Productivity App

The Challenge of Limited Time and Effective Task Management

Facing a workload exceeding available time is a common predicament. Many seek guidance on how to best approach such situations, and productivity experts consistently emphasize the importance of proactive planning.

As a freelance professional, considerable time has been dedicated to exploring productivity methodologies. The realm of personal productivity is vast, with a wealth of resources and applications readily available through a simple online search.

The proliferation of these tools stems from the enduring struggle against procrastination. Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of portable devices, such as PDAs and iPhones, has fueled the growth of productivity apps.

Therefore, with enthusiasm, let us introduce Doris, a web-based productivity solution complemented by a dedicated iPhone application available on the App Store [iTunes link].

Let's evaluate whether the beta version of Doris combines both aesthetic appeal and functional capability. According to Doris’s developers, its core principles are simplicity, usability, and speed.

Streamlining Daily Tasks with Doris

The login process is swift and direct, leading you to the My Tasks interface. Adhering to established productivity principles and Getting Things Done (GTD) methodologies, it’s crucial to externalize pending tasks from memory.

The interface is designed for quickly compiling a list of daily tasks. Once listed, the interface allows for easy prioritization through drag-and-drop functionality, enabling you to arrange tasks in the order you intend to address them.

This drag-and-drop feature also facilitates the creation of Groups, allowing you to categorize and organize related tasks. The subsequent screenshot demonstrates the grouping of similar tasks under the heading Work Related.

Alternatively, tasks can be moved from Groups into the Today view, bringing immediate priorities into focus. When the task list expands beyond the screen's capacity, individual groups can be collapsed to improve visibility.

Completed tasks are easily marked as done with a simple checkmark, visually striking them from the list. Acknowledging Doris’s claim, completing tasks does provide a sense of accomplishment.

To further enhance this feeling, the Task History section allows you to review your achievements at the end of the day. Tasks mistakenly marked as complete can be easily restored to the list with the Restore function.

Concluding Thoughts on Doris

Doris successfully embodies its stated virtues. The interface is straightforward, allowing immediate task creation upon login. The drag-and-drop functionality streamlines prioritization. Keyboard input is primarily limited to task descriptions.

The interface remains uncluttered, with the only potential distraction being informative updates from the Doris blog feed.

Doris encourages users to quickly transfer tasks from their minds to an organized list, enabling focused execution.

For those new to to-do lists and productivity tools, Doris is worth exploring. Its lack of complex features may be advantageous for individuals who prefer a minimalist approach.

Give Doris a try for a day and share your experience – did completing tasks on a Doris to-do list bring you satisfaction?

Image credit: gothick_matt