[Ayoa](http://ayoa.com/) is a rich and varied environment which provides whiteboarding, flowcharts, mind mapping, work breakdown structures, visual modelling, and synchronization with Evernote. It can be used as a project designer or a full-blown task manager.
Ayoa has a great planner, is great to develop mind maps into tasks. The canvas view is very interesting and quite unique. Ayoa provides a work breakdown views of tasks.
## Video introduction of Ayoa
This article is an attempt to balance the useful and interesting functions in Ayoa balanced against some of its limitations.
![[evaluation of ayoa mindmap.png]]
## Mind mapping with Ayoa
Ayoa allows you to mind map easily. Ayoa also provides the opportunity to break down a mind map into a work breakdown structure, schedule tasks on the calendar, and to generate mind maps through its integration with Evernote.
![[mindmapping-with-ayoa-and-evernote flowchart.png]]
## Mind map links to create new ideas
Mind maps, concept maps, entity relationships, brainstorming diagrams or class diagrams promote these natural and visual associations.
Imagine a set of ideas that we might not initially or instinctively associate. By making those links through the external mental process of mapping, the brain has something to work on. It’s a whole new ball game.
The brain can reinforce these associations to calculate new conclusions and thus create. Creativity comes out of the association of ideas. These provide new, holistic visions of the system.
The link between mind maps and tasks in Ayoa is dynamic because you can both break down a mind map into tasks - a top-down approach. Or you can use a bottom-up approach by collecting content in Evernote, tagging it 'Ayoa', organize it into a task board and then connect into the mind map overview. So a mind map with underlying tasks is a junction between bottom-up collecting collection yet provides an opportunity.
![[mjl-tek-content.png]]
Herewith another short video describing the link between mind map nodes and tasks in Ayoa
## Push tasks from Evernote to Ayoa
Evernote is about memorizing and categorizing things, events, facts material and content over the course of your life and work.
Evernote integrates with Ayoa. Once the integration is set up, you can tag Evernotes with one of the following tags, and it will appear in Ayoa. You can effectively post Evernotes to the Ayoa task board and then link them to a mind map.
Here is a short video describing how you can promote Evernotes to an Ayoa task board.
You can then bring them up into Ayoa as a kanban overview, organize them, and then mind map them. They’re also there ready to be organized into a workflow and actioned.
![[ayoa-workflow.png]]
*Above: a kanban view of Ayoa task board*
So you analyse top-down from one central mind map all the way down to Evernote leaves, and you can build up your Evernote leaves into a pyramid with a central theme on top.
This is seeing the whole from its parts, and dividing the whole into its components, or top down and bottom-up analysis.
The objective is better analysis, although there is something missing. To make the whole from components, you still need the human touch to fill in the gaps.
You can then see in Evernote how many notes are in Ayoa by the tag count below:
![[ayoa tags.png]]
## Ayoa process flowchart
![[ayoa flowchart process.png]]
## Benefits and strong points of Ayoa
*Advantages of Ayoa:*
![[main advantages of ayoa.PNG]]
*This is an Ayoa mind map which summarises Ayoa funcionality:*
![[strong points and benefits of ayoa.PNG]]
### Strong mind map functions
The mind mapping functions in Ayoa are a strength. Although I had one gripe about cutting and pasting or dragging and dropping mind map nodes, the general way of producing a mind map works well. You can add nodes and sub-nodes quickly.
The organic view demonstrates the important view of Tony Buzan that shape and form operate in a mind map too, it’s not just about the data.
![[ayoa multiple views of mindmaps.png]]
*Mind maps can be viewed in organic, speed and radial views*
Ayoa allows you to link tasks to a mind map. In this example, each mind map node has tasks attached.
![[mjl-tek-content.png]]
The mind map layer sits on top of the task workflow/canvas layer and enables you to stand back, to get an overview of what you’re trying to do in your project. Obviously, this process can also be top-down, you can add to your mind map and develop the tasks needed to fulfil the vision.
See how to [[Define Projects and Protect the Plan]] for top-down and bottom-up projects, and how to use the funnel concept to [[Sort Ideas into Actions and Projects]].
I thought of Ayoa as the “only” environment to do what I was thinking, which was mind map with a strong link to tasks, effectively actioning Evernotes.
### Add tasks to a mind map node
Linking tasks to a mind map is one of the key concepts, particularly in the analysis (phase) of a project. Here in Ayoa you can link a task to a mind map node. Either by creating a new task or linking an existing task.
![[adding a task from mindmap mode.png]]
#decision-making
I want to be able to mind map freely and then [[Sort Ideas into Actions and Projects]] recognizing the many factors which affect decision-making.
Mind mapping is a key technique to sort out these multiple influences and ideas. And once you see more clearly, you can start to build a project around them, and take action.
### Integration with Evernote
#Evernote
I initially came to use Ayoa when it was still called Droptask because of the integration with Evernote.
An Ayoa task can be sent to Evernote. An Evernote can be ‘promoted’ to Ayoa. This dynamic relationship means that changing the title in one, changes the title in the other. Completing a task, changes the Evernote tag to Ayoa_completed. This is quite valuable because Evernnote fails as a task manager (despite the new reminders view).
*Edit: since writing, Evernote has added [[Evernote to capture ideas and issues#Evernote task|a task function]]
However, when defining projects bottom-up from Evernote, you tag an Evernote 'Ayoa'. This creates a task item in Ayoa, not a mind map node.
### Create an Evernote from Ayoa
![[send-task-ayoa-to-evernote.png]]
ayoa send to a specific evernote folder
![[ayoa send to specific evernote folder.png]]
clean link to evernote
![[clean-link-to-evernote.png]]
To create an Ayoa task from an Evernote, tag a note ‘Ayoa’ and the note appears in Ayoa.
tag a note Ayoa
![[tag-a-note-droptask.png]]
There is no “send to Evernote” function in Todoist, but it is still possible to link a task to Evernote by copying the Evernote internal link into a Todoist comment.
copy link
![[evernote copy-link.png]]
![[evernote-link-in-todoist-comment.png]]
### The Ayoa My Planner
One of the functions I really like is the planner, which divides the screen into Now, Next and Soon. These statuses, columns are an interesting mix between Eisenhower and GTD. Eisenhower talks about urgency, differentiating what is urgent, important or not. So I very much like both these concepts Eisenhower and GTD I was enthusiastic about the planner. You have the now (urgent), soon (less urgent but upcoming) and Next in between.
So you can easily distinguish tasks that are in progress, or should be doing now, from the subsequent ones. Those just after (next action), and the ones on the horizon which you should start to be thinking about. So it nicely models the low-level GTD horizons.
The Ayoa Planner is an excellent way to view priorities and filter them from the mass of potential items planned
![[ayoa my planner.png]]
Sliding items between now and next and soon is easy. And the view gives you a summary of what’s going on. It enables you to focus on the immediate stuff while preparing in the background (off planner) your workflow for after the soon.
![[ayoa planner now next soon tasks.png]]
My planner in Ayoa is an opportunity to play around with your tasks and to juggle what you should be doing or what you think you should be doing now. It is about focusing on the important and urgent priorities, the things you should be doing next and soon. Soon is not quite like ‘someday’, it’s just after next.
So it’s very easy to tag a task now, next or soon and then Ayoa presents them all in a unified screen with columns now next and soon.
My Planner gives you a great opportunity to establish your priorities and to juggle them around until you feel that you are doing the right things.
The greatest challenge is selecting the right things from the mass of ideas, tasks, desires, intentions and definite things that you need to do.
So once items are in the ‘My Planner’ screen it might give you a clearer vision of what is missing or whether your selection of priorities is appropriate.
Consider also that each task board might represent a separate project. The challenge is to select tasks from each project without selecting so many tasks that each project advances very slowly. It’s the difference between focusing on a single project, on several fronts, or snowed under with just too many things at the same time.
Take a look at this [tutorial of how to get started with Ayoa Planner](https://youtu.be/hfnvIJaBHAE)
My Planner in Ayoa provides a great view of the priorities. The principal of now, next and soon, helps to focus on current tasks and to decide on the rough timeline for other tasks.
It’s easy to set the planner status on an Ayoa task:
![[set-planner-status-on-ayoa-task.png]]
set planner status on Ayoa task
### My Planner is The Funnel
The Ayoa Planner implements The Funnel concept, which is a theoretical construct to [[Sort Ideas into Actions and Projects]]. The idea is that there is a funnel effect leading down from the backlog in preparation to Now.
![[The-Funnel.png]]
To select what to put in now, next and soon, you might filter on tasks which are important and urgent. Importance and Urgency are the key factors used in the Eisenhower method.
Most probably the important and urgent ones will be in your now. However, ideally, proactive management means that you don’t have anything that is urgent.
You might find, with practice, that you are less focused on putting out fires and getting ahead of the game. The now next and soon helps you to anticipate and hopefully avoid emergencies.
### Canvas and workflow views
*Task management in Evernote and Ayoa:*
![[ayoa driving task management.png]]
The canvas and workflow views in Ayoa are very helpful to model your tasks visually. You can easily swap categories and subcategories and add dependencies between tasks.
Ayoa is a digital productivity and collaboration platform that includes features for visualizing and organizing work. Canvas and Workflow views are two of these features.
Canvas View is a visual tool for organizing ideas and tasks. It allows users to create a visual representation of their work, such as a mind map, to help them see the connections between ideas and tasks. Users can add notes, images, and links to the canvas, and rearrange items as needed. The canvas view can be used for individual projects or as a shared collaboration tool for teams.
Workflow View is a tool for organizing tasks and tracking progress. It allows users to create a visual representation of their work processes, such as a flowchart or Gantt chart. Users can add tasks, set deadlines, assign responsibilities, and track progress. The Workflow View can be used for individual projects or as a shared collaboration tool for teams, and it integrates with the Canvas View for a comprehensive and visual representation of work.
Both Canvas and Workflow views in Ayoa are designed to help users and teams visualize their work, stay organized, and improve their productivity. They are intuitive and easy to use, and they provide a visual representation of work processes and ideas that can be easily shared and discussed.
*Below, a category and subcategory on Ayoa canvas view:*
![[ayoa canvas view 2.png|500]]
Swap from the canvas views to the workflow view.
Tasks in the Ayoa workflow view:
![[ayoa-workflow.png]]
One column:
![[ayoa workflow view.png]]
These perspectives on the same set of tasks can allow you to think about things differently.
![[ayoa canvas.png]]
The visual canvas view allows you to place tasks in the right categories and to swap categories and subcategories or place categories within categories.
You can collapse all categories down and pulling them together to get an overview of the big themes.
Model tasks in the canvas view and sequence tasks in the workflow view.
The canvas view allows you to establish dependencies between tasks by drawing an arrow between tasks.
*Below is a dependency between two tasks in Ayoa on the Gantt view:*
![[ayoa gannt chart.png]]
The Gantt view allows you to schedule tasks (against time).
Three easily interchangeable views in Ayoa can therefore be used:
- Canvas view: allows you to model and organize tasks and deliverables in logical groupings.
- Workflow view: provides a more structured work breakdown structure, allowing you to sequence the order of tasks
- Gantt view: to schedule tasks against the calendar
![[schedule-tasks-in-ayoa.png]]
### Kanban of tasks
Despite my concluding that Ayoa is too slow for everyday use, I have come back to the Ayoa workflow because currently, I know no better way of organizing Evernotes into a kanban such that it actually generates action.
The Ayoa workflow is a content planner.
![[ayoa-workflow.png]]
Ayoa allows you to drag-and-drop note tasks in a visually pleasing environment.
And you can then play with each note task in the task organization environment. Ayoa workflow provides you have notes, checklists and the link back to Evernote. It would be nice though if the link back to Evernote could open the desktop app and not the web app. You can then display your Kanban workflow grid visually in the canvas view.
![[ayoa-canvas-view.png]]
Example of Ayoa Canvas View
### Calendar integration
It's very useful to see task dates appear on the calendar.
![[see-tasks-on-google-calendar.png]]
Above Ayoa tasks on Google calendar.
But calendar integration is now an [ultimate feature](https://account.ayoa.com/business/subscription/buy) – thus setting you back $187.
### Ayoa Gantt chart
The Gantt chart is a bit clunky, I’m not sure that I would go all the way to planning and executing a project with Ayoa.
![[ayoa gannt chart.png]]
### A partial replacement of Moh.io
Ayoa is not the same as moh.io, but it does allow you in effect to arrange notes spatially.
![[mohio-map.png]]
*Above: moh.io modelling of evernotes*
What were the characteristics of [moh.io](http://moh.io/) that drew you to it? First, the visual-spatial two-dimensional presentation. Although it had quite different capabilities, the ability to link notes and to tag notes by linking them to tag visual tag objects.
Sadly, though, moh.io is now defunct, although you could purchase the [moh.io domain on product hunt](https://www.producthunt.com/posts/mohiomap) for around 5k USD.
![[mohio for sale.png]]
### Breakdown tasks into with a checklist
![[checklist-dans-droptask.png]]
## Gripes and feature requests
On a mobile device, the small screen is difficult to read, you have to scroll sideways to get the list of recent task boards or mind maps. But this is inherant in the small screen format and applies to kanbans in both Trello and Todoist. But on Ayoa, the columns are quite wide.
![[Bugs-gripes-and-requests-on-ayoa.png]]
### Ayoa is slow on mobile
Once you have a workflow, you cannot really use it seamlessly operationally on all platforms. Ayoa is slow on Android. And so it relegates itself to being a planner, rather than a daily task manager.
Each piece of software embodies a vision of what it means to manage a task. I need to play with my tasks on the phone in my off time. And when I do the app needs to be fast, responsive, and allow thoughts to race ahead. If the app is slow, the train of thought is stunted.
![[ayoa workflow view 3.png]]
Speed is a problem for Ayoa. The app is just not dynamic enough to bounce around between one task and another, and it quickly becomes frustrating to see the wait icon on opening. Perhaps that’s just me, but when I get an idea, I want to get it down as soon as possible – not wait until it evaporates.
But here it’s a little slow to find an existing task. Finding a task on a mind map node is a little slow. It requires you to go to the task menu on a mind map node and then click a further sub-item find task. I think either add or find a task should be at the top-level menu inside the mind map node.
### Moving a category to another board
The canvas view helps you move tasks in and out of categories.
![[ayoa canvas view 3.png]]
But you cannot move a category from one task board to another.
### Moving a mind map branch
You can’t drag and drop a mind map branch in organic view, you have to cut and paste it. Why break the drag and drop function again?
### Can't use inline links
Currently, links pasted into notes show up as their full length
![[paste-a-an-inline-link-url-in-ayoa-notes.png]]
It would be great to be able to represent URLs with inline links so that you have a nice succinct title, much more important with extremely long URLs.
![[use-inline-links-in-ayoa.png]]
### Move a category left or right on Android
It would be nice to be able to move a category left or right on Android
### Can’t import OPML
This might be more important to me than to Ayoa developers. They might see other mind mapping software as competition, but they could hasten the take-up by allowing users to import all their old mind maps, most of which can be exported to [OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPML#:~:text=OPML%20(Outline%20Processor%20Markup%20Language,attributes%20with%20string%20values%22).)) [format](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPML#:~:text=OPML%20(Outline%20Processor%20Markup%20Language,attributes%20with%20string%20values%22).).
I use many mind mapping tools. I have a whole library of Simplemind mind maps that I can’t import into Ayoa. You can only import imind maps (launched by Tony Buzan).
### Drag and drop notifications
If you send an email to Ayoa or from an Evernote integration, a notification appears at the top of the screen.
![[ayoa notifications window.png]]
You can move the notification onto a task workflow board by clicking move task below. But it would be nice to be able to **drag and drop** **the notification** straight onto (and in position) on a workflow board.
![[ayoa drag and drop notifications.png]]
## Overall evaluation of Ayoa
My use of Ayoa seems to be limited to project definition and work breakdown structure (defining tasks from a mind map). The follow-up on Android is likely to be an obstacle due to slow app speed.
![[summary-comments-on-ayoa.png]]
### Ayoa for mind mapping
The link between mind maps and tasks in Ayoa enables you both to break down a subject into next actions, or to build up a mind map from the nodes of a kanban grid.
Creating relationships between ideas generates more ideas, and is the heart of creativity. Mind map links to create new ideas.
The mind functions through association. Brain structures are neural connections. Creativity comes from creating links between different areas, by the association of ideas.
Mapping systems like creativity neural processes generate new links leading to new creative visions of previously obvious data.
### Ayoa visual project environment
Use [Ayoa](http://ayoa.com/) to manage projects. It provides multiple views of a work schedule, the visual view, the work breakdown view and can synchronize Evernotes with tasks.
![[droptask-project-model.png]]
Ayoa allows you to create links between tasks and visualize the dependencies between them. This relationship between items provides perspective and allows you to stand back from the tasks in hand.
### Project Planner or Task Manager?
One possible conclusion is that Ayoa just cannot be used as an operational task manager – due to the speed issue. Perhaps then it could find a place as a project designer: mind map, create a workflow (WBS), play around with it and then use something else to manage everyday tasks.
This would, of course, entail copying tasks from one place to another. Ultimately this won’t work – it would be more problems trying to synchronize the two tools and create problems knowing what has been done and not, that the benefits of the mind mapping to task process would be lost.
I wonder whether its mission is as a task manager. The problem is that Ayoa is not so fast to open and quick to sync. I think this is a real requirement for a task manager. I want an extremely responsive app – when I think of a task to do, I want to get in there quickly, modify it, update it and then invariably bounce onto updating and rearranging other tasks.
Ayoa has its place, it just lacks that little something to make it the long term one tool choice. The concept is attractive: create a mind map and create or associate tasks with nodes on the mind map.
#Ayoa