Database Design & Organization
Starting Principles
- Begin wide, not narrow: Let categories emerge organically
- You can always break databases apart and migrate pages later
- Use database templates to generate new databases consistently
- TODO: List preferred database defaults in a seperate document.
Placeholder Strategy
- Use TODO in page titles to indicate placeholder pages
- Batch process pages when you have time
- Alternative: Let the pages serve as an “anti-library of thought”
File Structure & Naming Conventions
Keep File Systems Flat
- Nested folder hierarchies are a relic of organizing files in the physical world
- We don’t need to adhere to that constraint in the digital world
- Free yourself from the hierarchy
Obsidian-Specific
- Use file naming conventions to maintain organization
- Include document types in naming: Reference, Project Plan, Report, General Reference, etc.
- Document types indicate how the doc should be interacted with
Knowledge Object Principles
Atomic Information
- Treat informational and reference pages as knowledge objects
- Make them the smallest unit possible
- Write information once, reference it everywhere
Linking Strategy
- Use links and synced blocks (in Notion) to avoid duplication
- Create a knowledge graph by linking notes
- Link forward and back [bidirectional linking]
Writing for the Future
Your Audience
- Future you
- Future generations
- Machines
Project Management Methodology
The Hard Rules
- Projects MUST begin with a verb
- Project names should (theoretically) reflect your desired end state
Execution Strategy
- Reverse engineer projects into sub-projects
- Break down until you reach a task you can do to move the needle forward
- Complete a sub-project and its associated tasks in full before moving to the next sub-project
Accent Colors
- Pick a single color (personally I use yellow) for tags, blocks, etc.
- This reduces the cognitive load of thinking what color to use by setting a default.
- Visually, it makes for a cleaner space.
- You can pick a secondary color for when additional distinction is needed – I like grey.
- This doesn’t mean you can’t use more colors but let friction force the need (i.e., only use it when absolutely necessary).
Note: Use cases will demonstrate these principles through detailed examples and templates.