Zettelkasten Forum


How do you capture a framework into Zettelkasten?

I'm doing a deep dive into a product management framework, where I'm breaking down the necessary knowledge within each phase of that framework so that I can both produce better strategic & planning documents for my team and to write blog posts to teach other product managers how to operate within this framework.

Image of Framework for Reference

It's unclear to me how to productively capture this framework & begin developing out within my Zettelkasten. I've kept my ZK for ~6 months now, so I'm familiar with the framework (both from notes workflow & ideas workflow perspectives).

Currently, I'm considering this method:

  1. Create a note that contains the flowchart itself.
  2. Branch off of this note by creating a new note for each Phase & each document.
  3. Dive into the methodologies & techniques required at each Phase from there.

Am I on the right track? Is there anything obvious that I'm missing here?

Comments

  • So, there's no right or wrong here, just what works for you. That's really unhelpful advice, so I can probably explain a bit about how I would tackle this. Which is in no way authoritative, except in that it works for me and my needs (which kinda align with yours).

    I usually ask myself, what would interest me about the framework at a later time? You already have a clear idea here, you want to use the framework as a way of communicating with others. I'd probably follow your approach as well:

    1. Split out the framework into manageable atomic notes which have all the "buzzwords". Having an overview and explaining the parts more in depth is what I've done in the past;
    2. Write down each note in your own words. This helps you think about what you know and if you really understand the framework. This is especially relevant as you're working with abstract concepts. Think about applicability as well;
    3. If you're interested in "deeper reasoning" about this framework in context of other ideas/notes, consider creating separate notes around this. There's an excellent article on how to split out notes: Three layers of evidence.

    Caveat emptor, your mileage may vary, etc.

  • edited December 2022

    @Mach3Maelstrom said:
    Currently, I'm considering this method:

    1. Create a note that contains the flowchart itself.
    2. Branch off of this note by creating a new note for each Phase & each document.
    3. Dive into the methodologies & techniques required at each Phase from there.

    Am I on the right track? Is there anything obvious that I'm missing here?

    I think you are on the right track. At least, that is one way of doing it:

    1. Your point 1 is what many people call a "hub" note (sort of a "super-structure note"). I'd put the flowchart on a hub note.
    2. Then, most of the branches off this hub would be to normal structure notes - one for each phase.
    3. Each structure note could then refer to individual zettels, which contain methods, procedures, techniques, standards, etc.

    This approach introduces a massive amount of hierarchical structure into your ZK. I'm not often in favour of that, but in your case, it seems appropriate, at least as a starting point.

    However, don't forget to also create connections from each zettel to other zettels in the same work universe (not already connected through your structure notes) and to other general or random zettels in your ZK that are not part of your work universe. If you don't do this, you haven't really created a zettelkasten; you've just used The Archive to produced a structured set of notes. Maybe that is sufficient for your purposes, but the real magic of a ZK comes from the organic network of connections between zettels, not from the top-down structure.

  • @Mach3Maelstrom said:
    Currently, I'm considering this method:

    1. Create a note that contains the flowchart itself.
    2. Branch off of this note by creating a new note for each Phase & each document.
    3. Dive into the methodologies & techniques required at each Phase from there.

    Am I on the right track? Is there anything obvious that I'm missing here?

    This is exactly my advice. The flowchart is the very structure you need for your structure note. Depending what font you are using, you can create an ASCII-Flowdiagram which allows you to create clickable links within the image.

    I am a Zettler

  • @Sascha said: This is exactly my advice. The flowchart is the very structure you need for your structure note. Depending what font you are using, you can create an ASCII-Flowdiagram which allows you to create clickable links within the image.

    I've been slowly working on this very idea (via some old broken code that needs updating)...

                        .----------.
                        | random A |<-------.
                        '----------'        |
                              |             |
                              v             |
                         .---------.        |
                         | input B |<-------|-.
                         '---------'        | |
                              |             | |
                              v             | |
                      .--------------.      | |
                     /                \     | |
               .----(   FOO == BAR ?   )    | |
               |     \                /     | |
               |      '--------------'      | |
               |              |             | |
               |              v             | |
               |         .---------.        | |
               |        /           \       | |
             .---------(   A > B ?   )      | |
             | |        \           /       | |
             | |         '---------'        | |
             | |              |             | |
             | |              v             | |
             | |     .-----------------.    | |
           .---------| print "YOU WIN" |    | |
           | | |     '-----------------'    | |
           | | |                            | |
           | | |                            | |
           | | |     .-----------------.    | |
           | | '---->| print "TOO BIG" |----' |
           | |       '-----------------'      |
           | |                                |
           | |                                |
           | |      .-------------------.     |
           | '----->| print "TOO SMALL" |-----'
           |        '-------------------'
           |
           |
           |               .-----.
           '-------------->| end |
                           '-----'
    
  • This is how the Structure Note on GTD could be organised:

    I am a Zettler

  • Thank you! I have 2 major takeaways from this:

    1. In general, I've been focusing on making every Zettel invoke a behavior, courtesy of @Sascha 's advice here. However, I love @r1tger 's self-eliciting question since it also perpetuates ongoing motivation: What would interest me to find this Zettel at a later time? I'll leverage this question as I create Zettels moving forward.
    2. I'm on the right track, and Sascha's/ @Mike_Sanders 's visual breakdown helps me digest how this might physically look in flowchart format. I'm naturally a VERY visual thinker, so this appeals to me.

    Thanks, all!

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