After going from Roam research to Obsidian, I am now using Heptabase. I spent way too much time perfecting the folder structure, updating 46 plugins, etc., in Obsidian. Heptabase works the way I work, and I can't tweak it as much, which keeps the friction low. However, I still open Obsidian now and then, and consider whether to go back, since I agree with the fundamental mindset behind it.
The important thing is finding the tool that works for you (and not one that you need to do a lot of work on). And yeah, fiddling or adjustments is something I commonly hear from folks about Obsidian (likely because of the flexibility – its' greatest strength is also its' greatest weakness).
Heptabase has some nice spatial/visualization features. Do you use any of the collaboration tools with it?
Yes, and for me it has been freeing to get rid of the folders.
No, I haven't used Heptabase's collaboration features yet. However, I am interested in collaborative knowledge synthesis (inspired by Joel Chan), and curious where this could take our participatory research. Have you done anything along these lines?
I'm back in Obsidian after trying it a few years ago and not really getting on with it. I think I was trying too hard to make it perfect. David Kadavy's Digital Zettelkasten book helped make things feel simpler for me, and this time around I am just using it rather than obsessing over organising it.
Perfection can be such a barrier! I know that feeling really well.
Something that helped me when I started using Obsidian was a mindset shift that this was a workspace, not a presentation space. Even if I post notes online (which I do), they're drafts and living notes, not final polished pieces. If doesn't mean I don't care about what goes in – I very much do! – but that it's okay if a topic note is just a series of links that I want to come back to at later point, or just a small definition that allows me to connect on idea to another.
Thanks for mentioning Digital Zettelkasten. I haven't read that one, and it has been lingering on my "someday" list for a while now! What was it about that book that helped simplified things?
I think a lot of its appeal is that it's so short. I have Sonke Ahrens' How to Take Smart Notes as well, but it took me so long to read the book that I didn't have that sense of momentum to actually implement it. I read Digital Zettelkasten in a day, and that was enough to get me rolling.
Thanks for sharing. I've found myself trying Obsidian and trying to get the 'perfect' setup and then finding it doesn't work quite as intended - it generated friction. Which led to content spilling elsewhere. What are your organising principles?
When I’m chatting with folks in the Obsidian Discord who feel stuck searching for the “perfect” setup, I often suggest taking a step back to reflect on what’s already working—before diving into how others are doing things. Looking at too many examples too soon can sometimes add to the overwhelm rather than help resolve it.
Take a few minutes – digital, or analogue, however your brain best works – and make notes on what's working for you in your current system. Then, take note of what isn't working. Where are you experiencing friction? Is it in capturing information (information overload, not knowing where to file it) – or in retrieval (not being able to easily surface it again later)?
If we just jump into other systems without reflecting on our own process, it makes it tougher for us to understand our own contexts and needs – or when a new process could help or hinder us.
After going from Roam research to Obsidian, I am now using Heptabase. I spent way too much time perfecting the folder structure, updating 46 plugins, etc., in Obsidian. Heptabase works the way I work, and I can't tweak it as much, which keeps the friction low. However, I still open Obsidian now and then, and consider whether to go back, since I agree with the fundamental mindset behind it.
The important thing is finding the tool that works for you (and not one that you need to do a lot of work on). And yeah, fiddling or adjustments is something I commonly hear from folks about Obsidian (likely because of the flexibility – its' greatest strength is also its' greatest weakness).
Heptabase has some nice spatial/visualization features. Do you use any of the collaboration tools with it?
Yes, and for me it has been freeing to get rid of the folders.
No, I haven't used Heptabase's collaboration features yet. However, I am interested in collaborative knowledge synthesis (inspired by Joel Chan), and curious where this could take our participatory research. Have you done anything along these lines?
I'm back in Obsidian after trying it a few years ago and not really getting on with it. I think I was trying too hard to make it perfect. David Kadavy's Digital Zettelkasten book helped make things feel simpler for me, and this time around I am just using it rather than obsessing over organising it.
Perfection can be such a barrier! I know that feeling really well.
Something that helped me when I started using Obsidian was a mindset shift that this was a workspace, not a presentation space. Even if I post notes online (which I do), they're drafts and living notes, not final polished pieces. If doesn't mean I don't care about what goes in – I very much do! – but that it's okay if a topic note is just a series of links that I want to come back to at later point, or just a small definition that allows me to connect on idea to another.
Thanks for mentioning Digital Zettelkasten. I haven't read that one, and it has been lingering on my "someday" list for a while now! What was it about that book that helped simplified things?
I think a lot of its appeal is that it's so short. I have Sonke Ahrens' How to Take Smart Notes as well, but it took me so long to read the book that I didn't have that sense of momentum to actually implement it. I read Digital Zettelkasten in a day, and that was enough to get me rolling.
Thanks for sharing. I've found myself trying Obsidian and trying to get the 'perfect' setup and then finding it doesn't work quite as intended - it generated friction. Which led to content spilling elsewhere. What are your organising principles?
When I’m chatting with folks in the Obsidian Discord who feel stuck searching for the “perfect” setup, I often suggest taking a step back to reflect on what’s already working—before diving into how others are doing things. Looking at too many examples too soon can sometimes add to the overwhelm rather than help resolve it.
Take a few minutes – digital, or analogue, however your brain best works – and make notes on what's working for you in your current system. Then, take note of what isn't working. Where are you experiencing friction? Is it in capturing information (information overload, not knowing where to file it) – or in retrieval (not being able to easily surface it again later)?
If we just jump into other systems without reflecting on our own process, it makes it tougher for us to understand our own contexts and needs – or when a new process could help or hinder us.
I'll be writing more about my system and principles this week, but here's a post to get started with: https://ideawaypoints.substack.com/p/from-00-to-99-the-numbered-system