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1/11 TO DELETE OR NOT TO DELETE, that is the question
@yenseejanseev few days back got me thinking about concept of DELETING data. I think we often are inclined to SAVE everything in the chance that some day it will be needed again
#roamcult @roamresearch https://twitter.com/yenceesanjeev/status/1320997867037704192?s=21
@yenseejanseev few days back got me thinking about concept of DELETING data. I think we often are inclined to SAVE everything in the chance that some day it will be needed again
#roamcult @roamresearch https://twitter.com/yenceesanjeev/status/1320997867037704192?s=21
2/11 It is as if there is some unwritten code of conduct: DELETING IS WRONG. YOU ARE BAD IF YOU DELETE However, as systems like Smart Notes shows, DELETING is not a sin and for those who manage data professionally, it will understood that deletion has its place and benefits.
3/11 Learning to delete what you won't need can be just as valuable as learning how to keep what you will need.
Illustration: Do you like a clean room? Cleanliness is not just about organization & structure, it is also about removing what is not needed. Good data hygiene!
Illustration: Do you like a clean room? Cleanliness is not just about organization & structure, it is also about removing what is not needed. Good data hygiene!
4/11 Lets make a parallel to the corporate world: many companies have "retention polices" that define what & for how long certain types of data are kept. Ex: Accounting records often require 5 yrs. of retention. After that they are destroyed, thus eliminating waste & legal issues
5/11 This concept can be applied to our notes. For certain types of notes we might choose to define our own retention policy. Ex: for projects I have a post-mortem process to do a review with goal of consolidating them into what is useful for the future & deleting unneeded stuff.
6/11 In effect, I am preparing my project notes to be useful to "future me". Since the project is just finishing, everything is fresh in my mind. But 6 months from now I will have forgotten many details & my notes may be confusing. So I "scrub" them to be useful to future self
7/11 I am not advocating deleting, but reminding us that DELETING has it's place, is healthy, practical & we should be intentional about what we will keep & won't keep. We talk a lot about note systems, structure & workflow, but I can't recall much of a discussion about deleting
8/11 The fact is, most notes (and blocks) I will choose to keep & no harm done & we have the space the for it. But it is good to have in the back of our mind: will certain notes serve a purpose or introduce potential mental fog in the future?
Here are some recommendations:
Here are some recommendations:
9/11
(1) For things you know you wont need, have an intentional process for how/when/why you might delete.
Example: I found a #lunch order from some project notes. I don't think I need to remember 2 years from now that I had @tacobell on [[November 4th, 2020]] --- DELETE
(1) For things you know you wont need, have an intentional process for how/when/why you might delete.
Example: I found a #lunch order from some project notes. I don't think I need to remember 2 years from now that I had @tacobell on [[November 4th, 2020]] --- DELETE
10/11
(2) If you have something that might not be needed later, but you aren't sure at this moment if it will or won't be, go ahead & tag it for a later review to assess it, maybe in 6 months or year.
[[May 4th, 2021]] #deletionReview (will show up in linked refs on that date)
(2) If you have something that might not be needed later, but you aren't sure at this moment if it will or won't be, go ahead & tag it for a later review to assess it, maybe in 6 months or year.
[[May 4th, 2021]] #deletionReview (will show up in linked refs on that date)
11/11
In the end....
(3) DONT overthink or worry about deletion, but don't ignore the place "deletion" has in grooming & trimming your digital garden.
What is your view on managing your data? Does being intentional about deleting, where it has place, is it good?
In the end....
(3) DONT overthink or worry about deletion, but don't ignore the place "deletion" has in grooming & trimming your digital garden.
What is your view on managing your data? Does being intentional about deleting, where it has place, is it good?
