Organize Everything With The LIFT principle
Discover the LIFT principle and why you should apply it to better organize data, information and knowledge
In this article, I will introduce the LIFT principle for organizing digital information.
This content is part of my Obsidian Starter Kit
I also cover it in my courses:
Sebastien DuboisWhat is the LIFT principle?
The LIFT principle was introduced by Google as part of the AngularJS and Angular style guides. It is a code organization best practice for software developers. But in reality, this principle applies really well to Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) and Information Management (IM) in general.
LIFT is an acronym for:
- Locate
- Identify
- Flat structure as long as we can
- Try to stay dry
This principle's goal is to ensure that we keep files and folder structures as flat as possible in order for us to be able to quickly locate and identify what we need. Also, it recommends applying the "Don't Repeat Yourself" (DRY) principle and thus avoiding duplicating information as much as possible.
Whenever you organize information, whether it is code, personal or work information, try to keep the LIFT principle in mind.
Sebastien Dubois
Conclusion
In this article, I've introduced the LIFT principle, a recommendation to keep your organization systems as simple and as flat as possible in order to always be able to quickly locate and identify what you need.
That's it for today! ✨
References
- Angular LIFT principle: https://angular.io/guide/styleguide#lift
About Sébastien
I am Sébastien Dubois. You can follow me on X 🐦 and on BlueSky 🦋.
I am an author, founder, and coach. I write books and articles about Knowledge Work, Personal Knowledge Management, Note-taking, Lifelong Learning, Personal Organization, and Zen Productivity. I also craft lovely digital products.
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Ready to get to the next level?
To embark on your Knowledge Management journey, consider investing in resources that will equip you with the knowledge you need. Check out the Knowledge Management for Beginners course, the Obsidian Starter Kit and my other products. These will give you a rock-solid starting point for your note-taking and Knowledge Management efforts.
If you want to take a more holistic approach, then the Knowledge Worker Kit is for you. It covers PKM, but expands into productivity, personal organization, project/task management, and more:
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