Forums / Ideas

It seems like Lists (Tasks from your perspective) and Tasks (SubTasks from your perspective) already provide this functionality?

Posted at 9:19pm on May 25, 2006

I would agree with jgallen23, I'd love this feature.

I do see what you are saying tobias382, you can split them that way if you wanted, but if you have a large list of tasks with subtasks you may find you have to split them between many lists and it doesn't read well from then on - No one complete view, separate feeds, etc.

The ability to promote and demote tasks beneath other tasks would be superb.

Posted at 5:39pm on May 27, 2006

tobias382 you do have a valid point about Lists/Tasks however sometimes it might be neccessary to have several layers.

to extend jgallen23's example:

Party
* Store
- Milk
- Bread
* Garden
- Get out chairs
- Cut grass
- Clean BBQ

And so the List/Task method is not sufficient

Posted at 12:46pm on June 1, 2006

But wouldn't using tags accomplish the same thing? Tag the items for the "Store" with that tag. Just a thought.

Posted at 3:03pm on June 1, 2006

ranbarton

As a week goes on, I create tasks with things I need to do on the weekend with the tag 'errands'. Then on Saturday morning, my Errands smartlist has a nice list of what I need to do ready to go. Very handy and more flexible than the List/Task/Subtask idea, I think.

Posted at 4:11pm on June 1, 2006

I think what you've described there is really a list of Errands, a list in itself.

SubTasks are a bit more focussed than that and using the tag method to display tasks wouldn't work too well as when you display your Overview or receive a feed there's a good chance that they would all be out of order.

Using ccaine's example above:

Bread
Get out chairs
Milk
Store
Party
Garden
Clean BBQ
Cut grass

Sure they'd have tags assigned and all, but they still wouldn't display as you would want them.

Posted at 7:44am on June 3, 2006

I totally agree that subtasks would be great.
ie... In my "Work" Category, I am designing a website. I make a task called "XYZ Site". There are several steps (subtasks) that I need to accomplish, and they all have various priorities and an order. ie. "Buy Domain", "Point DNS", "Sitemap", "Client Meeting", "Initial Design", etc...

Simply having thes "indented" under the main task would look nice to me, but any way that those tasks have a parent task would work.

By the way... I love this. First day. Already referred others to it. Thank you!!!

Posted at 9:42pm on June 3, 2006

Yes, I see what Cub and filmstalker are saying and I agree. For example, I have a bunch of lightbulbs that need to be changed and so put a "change lightbulbs" task on my personal list. But sub-tasks include (1) Figure out which lights are out and what bulbs are needed; (2) Go to store to purchase needed items; (3) Install new bulbs. Simple example but one that occurs in many contexts.

Posted at 1:44pm on June 4, 2006

Whilst we are thinking about the idea of sub-tasks could I suggest the functionality.
After I enter a new task I then think about what needs to be done to complete that task.
I would like to select a task and the 'Add a new task' function change to 'Add a new sub-task for the selected task'
Any chance of doing that?

Posted at 7:55am on June 8, 2006

Thanks for everyone's feedback. Unfortunately we have no plans to add subtasks -- here's what I posted previously in the other topic on subtasks:

"As we've now provided several ways to organize tasks (tags, lists, and Smart Lists), we have no plans to introduce subtasks.

A workaround for subtasks might be to use lists and tags -- for example, I have a list named 'Shopping', and within that list I've tagged tasks with 'supermarket', 'mall', etc. I can then view tasks tagged with 'supermarket' in my 'Shopping' list, which helps to break down the list.

Hope this helps!"

Posted at 8:23am on June 8, 2006

Not really, it doesn't help.

Workaround is just that, it's not a solution. So there's not going to be any addition of sub-tasks to break up projects, the users will have to fit their thinking into the RTM system.

Thanks.

Posted at 4:38pm on June 8, 2006