Overview
It didn’t take long for me to figure out that Producteev wasn’t going to do the trick. It doesn’t support the GTD process sufficiently. For example, it doesn’t have project status (e.g., Next Action, Someday/Maybe, Waiting) or contexts, though you could, in theory, use labels for both of these. There’s also no Inbox.
The web platform is built on HTML5 but doesn’t permit some of the simple drag-and-drop operations its competitors support. A quick setting frame opens when you click on a task that allows you to update its features. You can also select tasks if you need to edit multiple at one time and editing most attributes, such as tags or due dates is pretty simple.
The platform was acquired by Jive Software in November 2011, and it appears to have taken a turn more toward group collaboration than individual task management. If you’re a GTD practitioner, this isn’t really to your benefit.
Despite the free version allowing unlimited users, there’s also a premium level that allows Outlook integration, better customer support, and UI theme customization.
Pros
- Cross-platform with programs for Windows and Mac, as well as apps for both iOS and Android.
- Supports subtasks, which many people find beneficial for task management.
- Supports multiple workspaces (called Networks) which allow for easy segregation of work or personal projects.
- Allows you to set a “follower” which is akin to delegating the task.
Cons
- Doesn’t support primary GTD attributes, such as context or task statuses.
- Unable to indicate start dates.
- Can’t organize by anything other than due date.
- Web-based version is extremely slow to use.
Let’s see how the features compare against my list:
| Feature | Description | Producteev |
| Tasks | Tasks | Yes |
| Subtasks | Subtasks | Yes |
| Projects | Projects | Yes |
| Contexts | Contexts | No |
| Quick-Add | Put tasks into my inbox either directly to the app or via email, being able to quick add is a plus | Yes |
| Move Tasks | Move tasks directly to projects from inbox with shortcut keys (as opposed to having to cut, browse, paste) | Yes |
| GTD Hierarchy | Organization hierarchy must include Projects > Tasks > Contexts > Tags | No |
| Focus Areas | I wouldn’t mind having another higher level of organization above projects, either as drawers to file projects in, areas of focus, or nested project folders as these things would let me separate Work, Home and Personal projects | Yes |
| Delegates | Assign tasks to delegates (this was done as free text or from a contact on TodoMatrix, which was nice) | Yes |
| GTD Statuses | Use of standard GTD task statuses (Next Action, Waiting, Someday) | No |
| Due Dates | Set a deadline/due date | Yes |
| Delegate Due Dates | Set a deadline by which a delegate needs to complete a Waiting For task | No |
| Reminders | Set at least one reminder for the task (TodoMatrix allowed up to three reminders for the task and one for the delegate’s due date) | Yes |
| Recurring Tasks | Create recurring tasks | Yes |
| Task Ordering | Order tasks (preferably by drag and drop) | No |
| Google Sync | Sync with Google Calendar is a nicety, but it’s not something I really need or even know for sure I would use | Yes |
| Notifications | Some sort of notification badge to let me know that I have tasks aging out | Yes |
| Views | Time- and context-based views so I can review all items due within three days, or all past due items, or all items with @phone context | Yes |
| Search | Search functionality to find tasks | Yes |
| Search Filters | Create and save complex search queries and views | No |
| Multi-platform | Multi-platform availability (Web, Windows, Mac, Android) that allows for both cloud storage and offline updates from app | Yes |
| Offline | Update task list locally while offline for sync later | Yes |
| Windows | Application that runs on the Windows platform | Yes |
| Mac | Application that runs on the Mac platform | Yes |
| Web | Application that runs on the Web platform | Yes |
| Android | Application that runs on the Android platform | Yes |
| iOS | Application that runs on the iOS platform | Yes |
| Free Trial | Try the application for free for a period of time (days) | Yes |
| Subscription | Cost of subscription or Premium/Pro account | $99/yr |
User Interface
I really like the UI and think it’s (unfortunately) one of the tool’s better features. Ultimately, it’s OK for updating individual tasks and each of its important attributes though.
If you want to collaborate on tasks and/or project with a group and none of you practice GTD methods, this may be one of your better options. If you are a strict practitioner of GTD who wants a system that supports it masterfully, you should probably keep looking.
Developer: Jive Software
Website: http://producteev.com
