The Capture, Analyze, Resolve three-step process can help you gain control of any type of information.
Capture
The first step, Capture, refers to how you gather information whether it’s paper, email, or random info from online sources.The key to an effective capture system is that there is only one capture location. For email, it could be your inbox, or perhaps another folder that you will access regularly. If you’re organizing paper, it could be a file folder, magazine holder, or a letter tray. It is better if your capture location is mobile and can travel with you. As an Evernote Certified Consultant, I use Evernote to capture all the other random information that enters my workflow. You can get started with Evernote easily. Take a look at my 3 step process to get up to speed with Evernote here.
All items that will need action taken go into capture. When you have one location for information you gain a sense of control that you’ve been looking for. One caveat, if you are looking at an email or document that needs your attention, if you can resolve it within 3 minutes or less, go ahead and resolve it.+
Analyze
The second step, Analyze, involves setting up a time hopefully each day to go through your capture and prioritize the information. Determine when your focus is most keen and use this time to analyze. When you go through the analysis step, you decide if an action needs to be taken or perhaps just moving the information to a permanent location.
Resolve
The third step, Resolve, occurs when you’ve completed your analysis. This is where you setup an action on the information usually involving your calendar or task list. Resolution is the act of giving an item an action to resolve or complete.
Finally, items that can’t be resolved right away remain in your capture location being analyzed each day until the final resolution takes place.
One caveat regarding capturing information is what I call “Do It, Defer It, or Delete It”. When capturing and you come across something you can resolve within two or three minutes, do it then. If not and it has importance, defer it to your capture location. If it has no value, delete it right away.
If you’d like more information on how you can implement Capture, Analyze, Resolve into your day, please contact us today. Click on this link to learn more about Capture Analyze Resolve