Personal Knowledge Management organization

In this post, I dissect my Personal Knowledge Management system

Personal Knowledge Management organization

In this article, I'm going to dissect the core piece of my Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system. I'll explain which tools I'm using, but most importantly how I organize my knowledge.

Update 2022-05-06: Since publishing this article, I've perfected my approach and created the Obsidian Starter Kit to make it available for you all. It includes everything you need to get started with Obsidian as well as my recommendations for how to improve your workflow.

Obsidian Starter Kit and community
Who is this for?You are just getting started with note-taking or you’ve recently switched to ObsidianYou wonder how to take smart notesYou want to know how to properly organize your notes and avoid creating an overwhelming messYou want a solid system that scalesYou wonder what Zettelkasten, the PARA method, and the Johnny decimal system areGetting started with Obsidian is not the hardest thing in the world, but it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how to structure and organize your knowledge base. You have a busy life, and you don’t want to spend weeks or even months figuring out the “right” approach.What is this?I’ve been passionate about information, knowledge management, and PKM for more than 20 years. As an author, blogger, knowledge worker, and entrepreneur, I needed solutions to store and organize an enormous amount of information.Over the years, I’ve explored, used, and advocated many tools but have been using Obsidian extensively since 2020. With the Obsidian Starter Kit, I offer you the result of my own research and experimentation. It’s like a cheat code to jump straight to stress-free note-making.I’ve spent months refining and perfecting my Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system, and have spent countless hours tweaking my system. I’ve published a few articles to share some ideas about this. My system combines the Zettelkasten approach, the PARA method, the Johnny decimal system, and other ideas to create a solid basis for my work as an author, blogger, and content creator.The Obsidian Starter Kit is a ready-made Obsidian vault that includes my recommended organization system and plugins, as well as example notes to help you get started. It also comes along with a user-friendly guide.What’s included?If you buy access to the Obsidian Starter Kit, you’ll get:The Obsidian vaultA comprehensive and solid structure with support for Journaling and ZettelkastenLeveraging the PARA method and the Johnny Decimal systemMany recommended plugins to boost productivity and automate actionsA clear system for Journaling, Meeting Notes, Periodic reviews, etcMany templates to improve consistency and productivityA powerful dashboardMaintenance notes (e.g., find duplicate and orphaned notes)Automation rulesMany examplesThe user guideLifetime access to the Personal Knowledge Management community for support and knowledge sharingIn addition, you’ll also get free access to all future updates. Over time, I’ll expand it step by step to include tutorials about the various aspects; from exploration/curation to summarization and reuse.What’s in the user guide?The user guide is a growing and evergreen knowledge base about how to take smart notes. It includes:Installation instructions.Details about the contents of the Obsidian Starter Kit (i.e., Obsidian vault structure, key design principles, included plugins, etc.)A clear overview of Obsidian and its core concepts (everything you should know and care about)Clear explanations about...The Zettelkasten methodAtomic notesProgressive summarizationThe PARA methodThe LIFT principleThe Johnny Decimal systemJournalingMaps of Content (MoCs)Periodic reviewsWhy and how to tag notesTemplatingThe Markdown syntaxWhy you need a single source of truth for everythingThe collector’s fallacyThe Inbox Zero principleHow to capture informationHow to capture quotesHow to capture information about persons of interestHow to extract knowledge from daily notesHow to save mental contextsObsidian tips and tricksWhat’s in the video course?The Obsidian Starter Course is a video course (~2h20) of content covering:Obsidian: installation, user interface, key features, plugins, automation, tips and tricks, etcThe Markdown syntaxYAML metadataPersonal Knowledge Management techniques and principles: the Johnny Decimal system, the PARA method (e.g., the Zettelkasten method, the LIFT principle, Atomic notes, Maps of Content, knowledge capture & extraction, etc)JournalingPeriodic reviewsTemplatesAutomationTask managementBest practices and recommendationsHands-on explanationsand more!Evergreen contentThe user guide of the Obsidian Starter Kit is expanding day after day, week after week. It will soon include:More theoryDetailed processes (e.g. when to take notes, how to use Zettelkasten in practice, daily notes, periodic reviews, ...)Additional how-to guidesMore tips and tricks...The Obsidian vault also evolves over time:The structure improvesNew templates are addedNew plugins are addedetcRefunds policyIf you’re not 100% satisfied, then just let me know, and I’ll issue a full refund. I’ll only ask you a single question: How can I improve the product?If you think about asking for a refund, then consider reaching out to me with your issues, questions, and remarks. I’m always available and happy to help. My goal is to help you succeed.Testimonials”Finally clickeđ how awesome @Obsidian is! Thanks to your excellent Obsidian Starter Kit!”— Cal Desmond-Pearson (@CalSocialHermit)“Off and running w/ @obsdmd. I’ve installed the app & have @dSebastien Starter Kit & my own fresh start Vault open. Learning from former & putting into practice w/ real content in latter. So far, so good”— Raymond D Sims (@rsims)“Great content - got me up to speed with what I was looking for fast ! Sébastien answered some questions by mail also which was much appreciated ! Thanks”— Sam Gonzales”As someone who has bounced around trying to find the right Knowledge tool, I’ve realized that many of my issues have been related to the complexity of the tools and the processes. The structure, design and explanations provided in the Obsidian Starter Kit have finally given me the foundation I’ve needed. 100% worth it”— Michael Aaron (via e-mail)“I absolutely love your kit and it has been so immensely helpful”— Ashwin Appiah (via e-mail)“Thanks for making the product. I’m making efforts to start using Obsidian more in my daily workflow and having a place to start makes the task much less daunting!”— Liam Weight (via Twitter DM)“I’m very new to PKM, but the Obsidian Starter Kit has been a tremendous help in getting me started”— Fredrik Nordström (via the PKM community Slack)“Sebastien’s Obsidian Starter Kit is a powerful tool for those looking to dive into the world of Obsidian without being overwhelmed. It’s a comprehensive solution that significantly shortens the learning curve, providing an impressively structured way to start capturing notes and facilitating daily journaling. The kit’s integration of automated tasks and pre-designed templates are a boon to beginners, alleviating the initial intimidation of starting from scratch. If you’re new to Obsidian and need a solid starting point, this starter kit comes highly recommended. It doesn’t just help you navigate Obsidian, but also empowers you to harness its full potential right from the get-go.”— Lubos KolouchFredrik (via the PKM community Slack)“Just to thank the work and content that allowed me to discover the background of a custom vault. It was a real boost for me and given the price, it was a real investment of time and learning.”— Trobrillant

Most people I know don't pay much attention to their knowledge. They focus on reading, and learning, but never consider the fact that their memory is fundamentally flawed. My goal with this article is not to question your beliefs about knowledge management (I'll give that a try another day 😂), but simply to explain how I manage my own.

Alright, let's dive in!

Goals of my PKM system

One of the goals for my PKM system is to stay out of my way as much as possible. Also, I never consider anything to be set in stone. I regularly revisit the structure, and never hesitate to run experiments. I consider that my PKM system needs to adapt to me as I evolve through life.

Tools I use for PKM

I currently use Obsidian to store my PKM system, but the structure I describe here can be used with most of the other tools out there.

I use a single Obsidian vault to store all of my knowledge. I really don't want to use multiple ones as that would hinder my ability to link elements with one another.

Overview of my PKM tool's top level structure

Here is an overview of my current top-level structure:

The base structure is quite simple. In the rest of the article, I'll describe the purpose of each of those folders, one at a time.

Root

At the very top, I have a "_ROOT" folder, in which I store a few notes:

Top of mind: whatever is on my mind "right now", and probably the very next things I want to look at. This is my scratchpad. Whenever I want to dump ideas, or save context, the information goes there

  • This note is absolutely essential for me. I keep going back to it many times throughout the week. You can learn more about it here
Top of mind note
In this article, I want to share a few ideas about how to deal with what’s on top of our minds. Introduction Every single day, we have many things on our minds. We think about what we need to buy from the grocery store, when to pick up the kids,

Waiting for: Anything I'm currently waiting for (external dependencies)

  • This note helps me to keep track of important things without relying on calendar events and annoying reminders
  • I just look at those a few times a week

Me: Things related to personal development, my current issues, worries, health, etc

  • I review this note a few times a year to evaluate my energy levels, and personal matters
  • It's my own barometer
  • Goals: My short/mid & long term goals (+6M, +1Y, +3Y, +10Y time horizons)
  • On hold: Projects or tasks or ideas that I don't have time for right now, but that I want to get back to at some point in the future

Routines: My current routines

  • I like to document those so that I can review those regularly and keep track of how they evolve over time. For instance my evening routine
How to Feel Better Every Day with an Evening Routine
Learn about the benefits of defining a clear evening routine to improve your well-being

How I organize my Journal

The "Journal" folder is where I keep my daily notes as well as my weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly reviews:

I move daily notes to folders corresponding to the year and week to avoid ending up with 365 items in the list at the end of the year.

Find Your Perfect Note-Taking app with this Free Database of ~300 Tools for Thought
Discover the Ultimate Database of ~300 note-taking and Personal Knowledge Management Tools.

I use the daily notes all day long. As part of my daily notes, I track things such as:

  • The progress towards my goals for the day
  • My achievements
  • My discoveries
  • What I've learned
  • What I'm grateful for
  • ...

I don't necessarily write it all directly in Obsidian, but I make sure to transfer whatever I wrote elsewhere during the day, or the next day at the latest.

At the end of each week, I review those notes to extract knowledge, ideas, quotes, etc. This serves two purposes. First and foremost, it gives me a clear understanding of where my time & energy have gone, and whether I was focused or not. Second, it gives me the momentum to organize my personal knowledge regularly. If there's interest, I'll write another article to explain how I go about doing this.

You can find more information about my journaling approach and the tools I use in my two-part series on the subject:

Journaling every day is powerful - Part 1: Introduction
Discover journaling and how it can help you live a happier, more fulfilling and more productive life
Journaling every day is powerful - Part 2: Going further
Discover journaling and how it can help you live a happier, more fulfilling and more productive life. Part two

And the other ones:

journaling - Sébastien Dubois
Explore Knowledge Management, Lifelong Learning, Note Making, Personal Organization, and Zen Productivity

What is the PARA method

I use the PARA method of Tiago Forte to structure the rest of my personal knowledge management system. Actually, I also use the PARA method to organize my data in various systems; not only for PKM.

The PARA method
Discover how the PARA method transforms digital chaos into structured clarity, revolutionizing your productivity and knowledge management.

The PARA acronym stands for Projects, Areas, Resources and Archives.

How I organize Projects

Inside the "Projects" folder, I have one sub-folder for each ongoing project. This includes my main projects (e.g., Dev Concepts), but also secondary ones that I have on the back burner such as launching my Youtube channel or learning more about Web 3:

How I organize Resources

Inside the "Resources" folder, I store reference materials, screenshots, diagrams, templates, scripts, and more:

How I organize Archives

My "Archives" folder contains past projects and resources I don't need anymore, but could want to find back later. I probably hoard too much content, but it has helped me a few times already.

How I organize my notes within Areas

Last but not least, my "Areas" folder contains the key elements of my Personal Knowledge Management system:

How I organize my Contacts

The first area is the "Contacts" folder, which is my professional and personal CRM. Inside of it, I have notes for different organizations and people I have had contact with. Everything is in there: friends, family, acquaintances, ex-colleagues, business partners, etc. I use my personal CRM to keep track of useful information such as birthdays, e-mails, phone numbers, key information I care about.

How I organize Meeting notes

In the "Meeting Notes" folder, I record my meeting notes, and make links with CRM entries. By tagging the relevant persons/organizations. This allows me to keep track of who said what/when, decisions made, etc. No fancy tools required!

I generally use the following tags for my meetings: #meeting #decision #task. Thanks to those, I can quickly query relevant information.

How I store temporary (fleeting) notes

Next to that, I have a folder for "Fleeting Notes". Anything I scribble to think about later goes in there. Fleeting notes include rough ideas, questions that pop into my mind (e.g., while reading), etc.

By definition, fleeting notes are temporary. Whatever ends up there is destined to transform or disappear at some point. To learn more about this, check out my article about the Zettelkasten method.

The Zettelkasten method
Discover the Zettelkasten method, one of the most powerful note-taking systems

The problem with keeping fleeting notes floating too long around is that they accumulate quickly and make less and less sense as the context in which they were taken fades away.

Ideally, I would like to be able to create fleeting notes from anywhere (mail, phone, Slack, Discord, IM, etc), but I don't have tools that can do that yet (I want to create those!).

How I store my inspiration (literature) notes

Inside my "Literature Notes", I store everything that I find inspiring throughout my days: expressions, quotes, book highlights, book summaries, interesting tweets, etc. Literature notes are always inspired by content produced by others that pique my interest.

Again, this is a concept of the Zettelkasten method that I have included in my Obsidian Starter Kit.

Obsidian Starter Kit and community
Who is this for?You are just getting started with note-taking or you’ve recently switched to ObsidianYou wonder how to take smart notesYou want to know how to properly organize your notes and avoid creating an overwhelming messYou want a solid system that scalesYou wonder what Zettelkasten, the PARA method, and the Johnny decimal system areGetting started with Obsidian is not the hardest thing in the world, but it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how to structure and organize your knowledge base. You have a busy life, and you don’t want to spend weeks or even months figuring out the “right” approach.What is this?I’ve been passionate about information, knowledge management, and PKM for more than 20 years. As an author, blogger, knowledge worker, and entrepreneur, I needed solutions to store and organize an enormous amount of information.Over the years, I’ve explored, used, and advocated many tools but have been using Obsidian extensively since 2020. With the Obsidian Starter Kit, I offer you the result of my own research and experimentation. It’s like a cheat code to jump straight to stress-free note-making.I’ve spent months refining and perfecting my Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system, and have spent countless hours tweaking my system. I’ve published a few articles to share some ideas about this. My system combines the Zettelkasten approach, the PARA method, the Johnny decimal system, and other ideas to create a solid basis for my work as an author, blogger, and content creator.The Obsidian Starter Kit is a ready-made Obsidian vault that includes my recommended organization system and plugins, as well as example notes to help you get started. It also comes along with a user-friendly guide.What’s included?If you buy access to the Obsidian Starter Kit, you’ll get:The Obsidian vaultA comprehensive and solid structure with support for Journaling and ZettelkastenLeveraging the PARA method and the Johnny Decimal systemMany recommended plugins to boost productivity and automate actionsA clear system for Journaling, Meeting Notes, Periodic reviews, etcMany templates to improve consistency and productivityA powerful dashboardMaintenance notes (e.g., find duplicate and orphaned notes)Automation rulesMany examplesThe user guideLifetime access to the Personal Knowledge Management community for support and knowledge sharingIn addition, you’ll also get free access to all future updates. Over time, I’ll expand it step by step to include tutorials about the various aspects; from exploration/curation to summarization and reuse.What’s in the user guide?The user guide is a growing and evergreen knowledge base about how to take smart notes. It includes:Installation instructions.Details about the contents of the Obsidian Starter Kit (i.e., Obsidian vault structure, key design principles, included plugins, etc.)A clear overview of Obsidian and its core concepts (everything you should know and care about)Clear explanations about...The Zettelkasten methodAtomic notesProgressive summarizationThe PARA methodThe LIFT principleThe Johnny Decimal systemJournalingMaps of Content (MoCs)Periodic reviewsWhy and how to tag notesTemplatingThe Markdown syntaxWhy you need a single source of truth for everythingThe collector’s fallacyThe Inbox Zero principleHow to capture informationHow to capture quotesHow to capture information about persons of interestHow to extract knowledge from daily notesHow to save mental contextsObsidian tips and tricksWhat’s in the video course?The Obsidian Starter Course is a video course (~2h20) of content covering:Obsidian: installation, user interface, key features, plugins, automation, tips and tricks, etcThe Markdown syntaxYAML metadataPersonal Knowledge Management techniques and principles: the Johnny Decimal system, the PARA method (e.g., the Zettelkasten method, the LIFT principle, Atomic notes, Maps of Content, knowledge capture & extraction, etc)JournalingPeriodic reviewsTemplatesAutomationTask managementBest practices and recommendationsHands-on explanationsand more!Evergreen contentThe user guide of the Obsidian Starter Kit is expanding day after day, week after week. It will soon include:More theoryDetailed processes (e.g. when to take notes, how to use Zettelkasten in practice, daily notes, periodic reviews, ...)Additional how-to guidesMore tips and tricks...The Obsidian vault also evolves over time:The structure improvesNew templates are addedNew plugins are addedetcRefunds policyIf you’re not 100% satisfied, then just let me know, and I’ll issue a full refund. I’ll only ask you a single question: How can I improve the product?If you think about asking for a refund, then consider reaching out to me with your issues, questions, and remarks. I’m always available and happy to help. My goal is to help you succeed.Testimonials”Finally clickeđ how awesome @Obsidian is! Thanks to your excellent Obsidian Starter Kit!”— Cal Desmond-Pearson (@CalSocialHermit)“Off and running w/ @obsdmd. I’ve installed the app & have @dSebastien Starter Kit & my own fresh start Vault open. Learning from former & putting into practice w/ real content in latter. So far, so good”— Raymond D Sims (@rsims)“Great content - got me up to speed with what I was looking for fast ! Sébastien answered some questions by mail also which was much appreciated ! Thanks”— Sam Gonzales”As someone who has bounced around trying to find the right Knowledge tool, I’ve realized that many of my issues have been related to the complexity of the tools and the processes. The structure, design and explanations provided in the Obsidian Starter Kit have finally given me the foundation I’ve needed. 100% worth it”— Michael Aaron (via e-mail)“I absolutely love your kit and it has been so immensely helpful”— Ashwin Appiah (via e-mail)“Thanks for making the product. I’m making efforts to start using Obsidian more in my daily workflow and having a place to start makes the task much less daunting!”— Liam Weight (via Twitter DM)“I’m very new to PKM, but the Obsidian Starter Kit has been a tremendous help in getting me started”— Fredrik Nordström (via the PKM community Slack)“Sebastien’s Obsidian Starter Kit is a powerful tool for those looking to dive into the world of Obsidian without being overwhelmed. It’s a comprehensive solution that significantly shortens the learning curve, providing an impressively structured way to start capturing notes and facilitating daily journaling. The kit’s integration of automated tasks and pre-designed templates are a boon to beginners, alleviating the initial intimidation of starting from scratch. If you’re new to Obsidian and need a solid starting point, this starter kit comes highly recommended. It doesn’t just help you navigate Obsidian, but also empowers you to harness its full potential right from the get-go.”— Lubos KolouchFredrik (via the PKM community Slack)“Just to thank the work and content that allowed me to discover the background of a custom vault. It was a real boost for me and given the price, it was a real investment of time and learning.”— Trobrillant

Anytime I read non-fiction, I try to take notes and store those in there:

As you can see on the screenshot above, I have a literature inbox. I use that as a temporary space for rough literature notes that I need to review and split up. I review those notes once a week during my weekly reviews. As part of my review, I complete the drafts, add tags, etc.

Most importantly, whenever I add literature notes, I think about the subject for a few minutes and create fleeting/permanent notes that I link with the newly added literature notes. This step is crucial as it helps me surface the ideas, thoughts and questions I have about that subject.

As I mentioned above, I systematically tag my literature notes. Here's a simple example for a quote:

Tags allow me to quickly find content back. The difficulty with tagging is to be consistent.

How I store my own (permanent) notes

The most important piece of the puzzle are my "Permanent notes". Those are my own thoughts, ideas and ramblings. Those notes are the core piece of my PKM system.

I split those into two parts:

Again there's an inbox so that I give myself a chance to review notes before adding them to the main content (usually when I'm in a rush, don't have time to pause or don't want to lose my current focus). As with my literature notes, I review those regularly to ensure that the context of those notes is still fresh in my mind.

While reviewing the notes in my inbox, I focus on the subject (just like with literature notes) to see if it triggers some additional thoughts/ideas that I can add to my fleeting or permanent notes. I also tag those properly and link those with relevant content (e.g., literature notes and other permanent notes). Finally, I also add important permanent notes to my Maps of Content (MoCs). I'll tell you about MoCs another day!

And yes, you've guessed it: it's also a concept of the Zettelkasten method that I have included in my Obsidian Starter Kit.

Obsidian Starter Kit and community
Who is this for?You are just getting started with note-taking or you’ve recently switched to ObsidianYou wonder how to take smart notesYou want to know how to properly organize your notes and avoid creating an overwhelming messYou want a solid system that scalesYou wonder what Zettelkasten, the PARA method, and the Johnny decimal system areGetting started with Obsidian is not the hardest thing in the world, but it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how to structure and organize your knowledge base. You have a busy life, and you don’t want to spend weeks or even months figuring out the “right” approach.What is this?I’ve been passionate about information, knowledge management, and PKM for more than 20 years. As an author, blogger, knowledge worker, and entrepreneur, I needed solutions to store and organize an enormous amount of information.Over the years, I’ve explored, used, and advocated many tools but have been using Obsidian extensively since 2020. With the Obsidian Starter Kit, I offer you the result of my own research and experimentation. It’s like a cheat code to jump straight to stress-free note-making.I’ve spent months refining and perfecting my Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system, and have spent countless hours tweaking my system. I’ve published a few articles to share some ideas about this. My system combines the Zettelkasten approach, the PARA method, the Johnny decimal system, and other ideas to create a solid basis for my work as an author, blogger, and content creator.The Obsidian Starter Kit is a ready-made Obsidian vault that includes my recommended organization system and plugins, as well as example notes to help you get started. It also comes along with a user-friendly guide.What’s included?If you buy access to the Obsidian Starter Kit, you’ll get:The Obsidian vaultA comprehensive and solid structure with support for Journaling and ZettelkastenLeveraging the PARA method and the Johnny Decimal systemMany recommended plugins to boost productivity and automate actionsA clear system for Journaling, Meeting Notes, Periodic reviews, etcMany templates to improve consistency and productivityA powerful dashboardMaintenance notes (e.g., find duplicate and orphaned notes)Automation rulesMany examplesThe user guideLifetime access to the Personal Knowledge Management community for support and knowledge sharingIn addition, you’ll also get free access to all future updates. Over time, I’ll expand it step by step to include tutorials about the various aspects; from exploration/curation to summarization and reuse.What’s in the user guide?The user guide is a growing and evergreen knowledge base about how to take smart notes. It includes:Installation instructions.Details about the contents of the Obsidian Starter Kit (i.e., Obsidian vault structure, key design principles, included plugins, etc.)A clear overview of Obsidian and its core concepts (everything you should know and care about)Clear explanations about...The Zettelkasten methodAtomic notesProgressive summarizationThe PARA methodThe LIFT principleThe Johnny Decimal systemJournalingMaps of Content (MoCs)Periodic reviewsWhy and how to tag notesTemplatingThe Markdown syntaxWhy you need a single source of truth for everythingThe collector’s fallacyThe Inbox Zero principleHow to capture informationHow to capture quotesHow to capture information about persons of interestHow to extract knowledge from daily notesHow to save mental contextsObsidian tips and tricksWhat’s in the video course?The Obsidian Starter Course is a video course (~2h20) of content covering:Obsidian: installation, user interface, key features, plugins, automation, tips and tricks, etcThe Markdown syntaxYAML metadataPersonal Knowledge Management techniques and principles: the Johnny Decimal system, the PARA method (e.g., the Zettelkasten method, the LIFT principle, Atomic notes, Maps of Content, knowledge capture & extraction, etc)JournalingPeriodic reviewsTemplatesAutomationTask managementBest practices and recommendationsHands-on explanationsand more!Evergreen contentThe user guide of the Obsidian Starter Kit is expanding day after day, week after week. It will soon include:More theoryDetailed processes (e.g. when to take notes, how to use Zettelkasten in practice, daily notes, periodic reviews, ...)Additional how-to guidesMore tips and tricks...The Obsidian vault also evolves over time:The structure improvesNew templates are addedNew plugins are addedetcRefunds policyIf you’re not 100% satisfied, then just let me know, and I’ll issue a full refund. I’ll only ask you a single question: How can I improve the product?If you think about asking for a refund, then consider reaching out to me with your issues, questions, and remarks. I’m always available and happy to help. My goal is to help you succeed.Testimonials”Finally clickeđ how awesome @Obsidian is! Thanks to your excellent Obsidian Starter Kit!”— Cal Desmond-Pearson (@CalSocialHermit)“Off and running w/ @obsdmd. I’ve installed the app & have @dSebastien Starter Kit & my own fresh start Vault open. Learning from former & putting into practice w/ real content in latter. So far, so good”— Raymond D Sims (@rsims)“Great content - got me up to speed with what I was looking for fast ! Sébastien answered some questions by mail also which was much appreciated ! Thanks”— Sam Gonzales”As someone who has bounced around trying to find the right Knowledge tool, I’ve realized that many of my issues have been related to the complexity of the tools and the processes. The structure, design and explanations provided in the Obsidian Starter Kit have finally given me the foundation I’ve needed. 100% worth it”— Michael Aaron (via e-mail)“I absolutely love your kit and it has been so immensely helpful”— Ashwin Appiah (via e-mail)“Thanks for making the product. I’m making efforts to start using Obsidian more in my daily workflow and having a place to start makes the task much less daunting!”— Liam Weight (via Twitter DM)“I’m very new to PKM, but the Obsidian Starter Kit has been a tremendous help in getting me started”— Fredrik Nordström (via the PKM community Slack)“Sebastien’s Obsidian Starter Kit is a powerful tool for those looking to dive into the world of Obsidian without being overwhelmed. It’s a comprehensive solution that significantly shortens the learning curve, providing an impressively structured way to start capturing notes and facilitating daily journaling. The kit’s integration of automated tasks and pre-designed templates are a boon to beginners, alleviating the initial intimidation of starting from scratch. If you’re new to Obsidian and need a solid starting point, this starter kit comes highly recommended. It doesn’t just help you navigate Obsidian, but also empowers you to harness its full potential right from the get-go.”— Lubos KolouchFredrik (via the PKM community Slack)“Just to thank the work and content that allowed me to discover the background of a custom vault. It was a real boost for me and given the price, it was a real investment of time and learning.”— Trobrillant

How I organize my drafts

As you probably know if you follow my blog/newsletter, I really enjoy writing a lot. The "Writing" area of my PKM system is where I write my initial drafts and keep a copy of my main pieces.

Future

My "Writing" area is one that I really want to improve in the coming months/years. Currently, only a fraction of what I write is available in my PKM, and it is a growing pain that I feel. It is frustrating because it means that I have a sort of split brain, and I'm unable to link all my ideas together. The thing is that it is difficult for me to accept duplicating my content. Ideally, I'd prefer to have a single tool where I can host my content, but also share it with the world and keep it up to date everywhere. I haven't found a solution yet, which is why I'd actually like to build it myself.

Another area that I'm keen to explore is the productivity aspect. So far, I use another information silo for my tasks: Trello. But I'm not using any of the advanced features it provides. My PKM could actually host my tasks, as long as I can create Kanban boards. One reason for which I'm interested in merging my productivity system with my PKM system is that I would be able to archive past tasks, tag those, and keep notes of the context and related discoveries. Oftentimes, I archive Trello tasks that contain a lot of useful information and lose it forever.

Finally, a key aspect that I'm currently missing in my PKM system is keeping track of content I'm interested in consuming/exploring (e.g., articles, books, Tweets, Twitter threads, etc). Currently, I use other information silos for that (e.g., IMdb, Goodreads, TV Time, etc). And silos are never great for integration. I intend to take care of this curation issue myself.

Conclusion

Those are the core parts of my current PKM system. Hopefully, this will give you a few ideas about how to better organize your own. ✨

To be honest this is actually only a fraction of my entire knowledge management system. As you saw, I've mentioned a few others systems that I use such as Trello, Goodreads, IMdb, TV Time, and more. But I'll tell you more about the rest in a future article!

As I said at the beginning of the article, nothing is set in stone. If you ask me in a few months, I'll probably have changed quite a few things 😂. But that's the cool thing about PKM; it can evolve together with you. 🎉

If I can leave you with one piece of advice, it is to experiment. To different things, and don't hesitate to revisit your choices.

Expect more articles about PKM on my blog in the future!

That's it for today! ✨