Example uses of ndxCards™

It is easy to use ndxCards™ in a wide variety of applications. The list below is but a sample. Click on any item to see how the software can help you.

Prepare lecture notes

• Prepare note cards on the topic of your lecture (if you are a regular user, you probably have these cards from when you read the source material!)
• Annotate the note cards with the time it will take to cover the points in that note
• Start a project for the lecture, and create the outline - "Opening remarks", "Points to cover" etc...
• Filter the notes list to get the notes you need (use the topic and other keywords for the search), and drag/drop these on to the lecture outline. Organize the flow of lecture, and review the time to cover the material
• When you are ready, Export and print the lecture notes.

Use it as a software code library

• Copy code snippets into note cards- code that you tend to reuse. Use keywords to help you locate the cards easier
• Store standard headers, copyright messages, in their own cards
• When you need the code, just find the cards, and drop the code in.

Remember Jokes and Anecdotes

• Write down those jokes, or anecdotes that you tell well in ndxCards note cards.
• Assign keywords to the jokes - example keywords may include audiences who may appreciate the joke, or topics related to the joke.
• When you are preparing a speech or presentation, search for jokes as well - For example a funny story on "planning" may be appropriate for the strategy presentation.

Be more spontaneous - in a planned way - using ndxCards.

Keep checklists

• Those checklists that you use to make sure that you don’t forget things? - Write them down in an ndxCard.
• Have a checklist for things to take on a business trip - use that list, and keep it current.
• Have another for things to do before you ‘lock-up’ your house while you are away on a vacation.
• A checklist to put away things for the winter, a checklist when you start preparing to plant your garden, …..

Be more organized - there is no reason to forget to do things.

Take notes in meetings

• Write a new note card for each issue / topic / idea as the meeting progresses. Keep these cards all open at the same time, and add to them as needed
• Use ‘Action’ cards to capture action items, including who does it and when it is due.
• Add keywords - use meeting topic and other words as appropriate.
• If you have a projector, share the cards with attendees at the end of the meeting & get concurrence.
• Drop these cards in a project outline and you can publish meeting minutes. Just select the action cards, copy/paste into Excel to get an action register.

Use it when you write fiction

• Keep note cards on all your characters - traits, speech patterns etc that can help you while you edit your story for consistency.
• Keep note cards on ‘settings’ - descriptions of places, environments. Add information on these at different places in your story to have the information ‘unfold’ as the reader reads your work.
• Keep a card for a time line of events.
• Now as you write your story, you can quickly bring up any of this information as a reference - you can check for consistency without interrupting your train of thought.

Be more productive - focus on story and language, and let ndxCards help you with facts and reference.

Remember birthdays and anniversaries

• Write a reminder note card for the event
• Set up the trigger date before the date
• Note down information such as the person’s size, favorite color etc.
• Add keywords - perhaps the person’s name, ‘birthday’ etc.

Now you will never forget that special day, and will have the gift or card in time!

Develop your note taking habits

• Leave ndxCards™ running so that it is on the tray waiting for when you need it.
• Remember the short cut keys - You can copy information from a document, or a web page that you are reading, and with one keystroke ndxCards™ will bring up a blank card, paste the information (including the formatting) and all you need to do is annotate it with the subject / keywords etc.
• Use the reminder card to set up ticklers for you - the call you need to make, the bill you need to pay, the gift you need to buy, etc.
• Use the 'push pin' to mark cards that have current relevant information that you want handy. When you need to look at them, one keystroke or mouse click will bring them all up for your review.

ndxCards™ can help improve your productivity!

Gather software requirements

• Capture requirements on note cards - write each requirement separately. Make note of the source of requirements (Write a source card for each interview, or document that you read and link the requirements to the source)
• Categorize the requirements using keywords.
• Start a project and organize requirements in an outline. This will help you identify gaps in the analysis. When you are done, you can export a draft requirements document.
• List all the requirements in the notes list (use appropriate filters to get the list you want), copy and paste into Excel. Now, you can add columns for tracking in the downstream software development process.

ndxCards™ can help you in software development!

Use it when writing a drama or screenplay

• Make a note card for each character - traits, costumes/outfits, speech patterns
• Take notes on scenes - set design, props, lighting, instructions to actors / director
• As you write your play, quickly bring up the reference information on a character, or scene & make sure that the play will flow well

Use it as a simple daily to do list

• Write down a daily list of things to do in a card - and keep the card pinned. As you complete items, use the "strikethrough font style" to mark the accomplishments.
• At the end of the day, you have a history of the day.
• At the end of the week, or month, you have a good trail of how your time is spent. You can use it this knowledge to improve your time management skills.

Write a research paper

• Begin by gathering source materials - books, magazines, periodicals, interviews, etc. Make a Source card for each item, and needed Author cards.
• As you read - use Summary / Paraphrase / Quotation note cards to take notes, and link them to Source / Author cards. If you did not make these cards earlier, you can do so now.
• Take advantage of Auto-keyword, automatic new note, type-ahead features to take a series of note cards quickly on the same article or book.
• Begin outlining the paper using the Project feature - add headings & see where your notes will fit. As you discover gaps in the paper, do additional research / take more notes.
• When your project outline looks ready for a draft - export into your word processor for editing. Your bibliography will be exported too.

Let ndxCards™ help you manage projects

• Write Action cards and assign to members of the project team.
• Filter the notes list for this project (use appropriate keywords / subject); Highlight all the action cards, copy them and paste into Excel to get an action register that you can publish.
• Send the action cards to the assignees & ask them to send them back with updates when the actions are due. Merge these cards back into your database with the updates; now you can publish an updated action register.
• Add keywords - use meeting topics and other words as appropriate.
• As issues come up, generate new cards. Set yourself reminders to follow up on the issues.

Store your recipes

• Keep note cards for each of your recipes.
• Make notes about who likes it, calories etc.
• Add keywords - use descriptors like 'lo-cal', or 'quick-to-make'.
• When you are looking for a recipe, use your keywords to search for the ones you want.
• Remember, you can also search for words in the recipe - such as an ingredient name. e.g. find all recipes that call for pumpkin.

Write proposals more quickly

• Have several note cards that have standard text such as information about your company, information on key staff, standard terms and conditions etc.
• Use keywords such as 'boilerplate text', 'proposal,' etc. to help you find these cards quickly
• Write new note cards specific to a particular request for a proposal - make each salient point a separate card (perhaps you can use these for another proposal!). You can even have different members of your proposal team write note cards for their section and just assemble them later.
• Start a project - Make an outline for the proposal, drag these cards into the outline.

Now you can turn around proposals quickly!

Use it for your business correspondence

• Prepare note cards on standard or boilerplate text for such items as your company information, short personal biographical sketches of key staff, short write-ups on your products / services, etc.
• You may even want to save several variations of such standard text - short, detailed, with or without prices etc. Identify the note cards with appropriate keywords to help you find them quickly.
• Now, when you need to include any of this information in your correspondence, just bring up the card, copy/paste the text in your letter. (You can actually drag the note card directly from the notes list on to MS Word)

ndxCards™ can help improve your productivity!

Keep on top of your goals

• Write a card for each major goal or key objective. Use ‘Goals’ or ‘Objectives’ as the subject, and a key phrase from the goal as a keyword (and any other keywords as appropriate).
• For each key objective, identify actions (for yourself, your teammates or subordinates). Make action cards and assign them.
• Start a new project for your goals, with each goal being a major heading, and related note cards underneath. This will let you capture all your thoughts related to those goals in one place.
• Write reminder cards with due dates when you next need to review progress towards a goal - These will be ticklers.

ndxCards™ can help you achieve your goals!