Building addTaskManager, the best iOS productivity app for ADHD minds
Born in 2009 as a blog post, evolved into a complete productivity system, and now powering AI thinking processes. Fifteen years of proving that the best frameworks aren't complex—they're clear. Assess the situation, decide the direction, do what matters. Three stages. Infinite applications. Timeless resilience.
The original framework from 2009. Three simple stages that transform overwhelm into action: observe reality, choose direction, execute. Natural productivity without forcing systems.
Fifteen years after its creation, re-evaluating what still works and what changed. Not all life areas fit the framework, but in most domains, it remains remarkably relevant. A retrospective on resilience and adaptation.
Assessment isn't analysis paralysis—it's deliberate observation. Understanding context, constraints, and actual current state before rushing to solutions. The foundation that makes everything else work.
Decision follows assessment naturally. With clear context, choices become obvious. This stage isn't about perfect decisions—it's about committed direction based on actual reality.
Execution without assessment and decision is busy work. With both in place, action becomes focused and intentional. Do what matters, skip what doesn't.
Every color and icon in the framework carries meaning. Green for assess (observation), orange for decide (choice), red for do (execution). Visual language that reinforces cognitive patterns.
Fifteen years later, the framework adapts to AI. The same three stages now guide Claude's thinking process. Proof that solid principles transcend tools and technologies.