MN4 - Note-Space in Study Set Overview

[Paulszerda (Paul Szerdahelyi)]

Hey there, this is a feature request.

I belive it is a good idea to be able to take notes in the study set overview in mn4.

So far there are three tabs (Documents, MindMaps, Review). How about a 4th tab named “NoteSpace”? When the tab is selected it shows a simple whiteboard. On the iPad you can draw notes there with the apple pencil. On the mac you could fancy the option to create text-boxes like it is possible in the document view already. This way it is possible to organize notes and information associated with a bigger context that are not tied directly to what is organized inside the study set.

For example: I organize my university lessons wirh MN4. Every module is a study-set. Inside the study-set I organize the materials from the lectures. Information from the syllabus, or general information about the module dont really fit inside the mindmap, as their purpose is not educational but organisational. They would be more helpful when they are fast at hand in the study set overview.

I would love to throw some notes in the NoteSpace-tab. Things to keep in mind, or to think about later. Things to watch out for. In a sense it would be like a short term memory designed for quick notetaking between and during classes, that can be processed later. I hope the developers consider this idea.

Best regards
Paul

[Adeline]

Dear Paul,

Thank you for elaborating on your “NoteSpace” proposal. To ensure we align the feature with your workflow, could you clarify if this concept is similar to a “Card Box” – a space to collect fragmented notes or documents that don’t yet form a complete study set?
Should notes in NoteSpace remain "ephemeral"or be convertible into study materials (e.g., moved to mind maps or cards)?

[Paulszerda (Paul Szerdahelyi)]

Hello Adeline,

thank You for reaching out to me.
The way I imagine the feature is not like a “Card Box”. It is similar from looks but the systems are different in their function. A Card Box would function as a “draft” for later processing of those same informations. I imagine a space just for fragmented notes. They are not an incomplete study set, but refer to a single study set. They are like study set “Metadata”. They could include study set specifics such as when the professor says or mentions sth. about the timetable or the lesson.
But also personal instructions by myself could be part of the note-space-tab. Those Notes then do not serve as a draft, but as an orientation and short-term structuring of my workflow, regarding this specific study set. The notes would then remain “ephemeral” - like You put it. They do not (and in my imagination should not) be convertible to study materials as they hold no information to “study”.
A good metaphor might be a random access memory. Information/notes during work/studying are stored as an orientation and the information/notes will be discarded after work/studying is finished.
For example I frequently leave some hints for next-days study session (e.g. on which page I left a pdf or should start reading again the next day) when I can not finish everything in the current day.

If You want I can provide You with a screenshot of Prodrafts, the app that I currently use for this. Basically, I imagine the note-space-tab to be sort of like the unlimited document in the Prodrafts app.

I hope this helps You understand what I envision.

Best regards
Paul Szerdahelyi

[Adeline]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for suggesting the “metadata-like” concept! We’re excited to explore this idea further. To ensure we align with your vision, could you share additional details? If possible, provide screenshots of how Prodraft implements those features
Best regards,
MarginNote Support Team

[Paulszerda (Paul Szerdahelyi)]

Hey Adeline,

thank You for Your interest in my idea.
Here are some screenshots from prodrafts (on mac):

1. This is what the interface looks like on mac:
   

   
   
   The language is german. This stems partly from my last exam phase and showcases my usecase.
   the canvas / background is unlimited so the user is able to zoom in and out almost indefinetly (note the zoom bar in the down left corner).
   I arranged some squares (green, yellow, transparent) and put some text-boxes inside them.
   You can see my modules (fat font) and their attributed information in a bullet-point style.The bullet points include ideas, instructions and informaiton about the module.
   The green square shows a study material overview. This way I can see what type of materials (script, exercises, books,…) I have to work with.
   The yellow square includes study tipps such as opinions about the module from other students or things the professor said.
   The transparent square includes the instructions to myself. It shows what activities I need to process the materials from the green square together with the information from the yellow square.
   On the right You can see when I plan to do those activites.
   This example is for every module in one tab, and I would love that for every module seperately.

2. This screenshot shows just the GUI of the app. This is how I would envision the prototype of the note-space-tab to look like - sort of:
   

   

3. This shows how I can edit the squares and textboxes:
   

   
   
   
   

Overall it is a really simple app with minimalistic funcitonality, which I like.

Edit: I just noticed that the notebook in the document tab (MN4) could fulfill the same purpose with some added functionalities. Maybe a new tab is not even neccessary.

Best regards

Paul

[Adeline]

Dear Paul,

We sincerely appreciate your meticulous elaboration of the requirements. Your insights are of inestimable value to our team. Subsequent to your communication, an in - depth discussion regarding the relevant requirements was conducted during our meeting.

Notably, we have observed your edited response, wherein you indicated that equivalent objectives can be attained via certain functions on MN. We would be most grateful if you could provide a detailed account of this approach. Such information will prove instrumental in our efforts to comprehensively expand and refine these functions.

Furthermore, your workflow represents an invaluable repository of user experience. We intend to systematically organize and document this experience with the aim of promoting it among a broader user base. By doing so, we aspire to maximize the benefits derived from your innovative practices across the user community.

Thank you again for your cooperation and contributions.

Best regards,
MN Support Team

[Paulszerda (Paul Szerdahelyi)]

Dear Adeline,

I am pleasantly surprised that our conversation made it to Your meetings!

With the edit I strayed away from my original idea that was based on my real life usecase. The “notebook-edit” was a spontanious idea, so there is no real life example behind it. The following thoughts will be theoretical only, for that reason.
I try to explain what I imagine as precisely as possible but I want You to know that it is not backed by experience from this point on.

Bevor I dive into the “notebook-approach” like You asked, let me share some thoughts about Prodraft first. Your team might have already thought about these things but let me share them - just in case.

My Prodrafts workflow serves two major goals:

1. Management of a single study set and the materials inside it.
   Metaphor: "operative level":
   • developing my chores / to-do's
   • meta information regarding the study set (descriptive, structual, administrative, reference)
   • Decision making: When will I do my to-do's?
2. Management of a single and the surrounding (all) study sets (broader context):
   Metaphor: "strategic level":
   • Do I reach my long term goals? Am I doing the right things? (Am I on the right track?)
   • For example:
     Identifying in which module I lack behind, Surveying my study progress, Things to watch out for, ...
   • This mainly gives me an overview and a "knowing" that I remain effective in my studying.

In the screenshots You can see how Prodrafts brings together the strategic and operative level in one interface.

How is Prodrafts doing that? I believe this is how:

• unlimited (mind-) map
• easy & intuitive
• The user can add different forms (serving as a background for pencil drawings or text boxes -> squares, circles, ...)
• The user can style ALL different elements added to the map

This means Prodrafts invites one to explore creative ideas. This opens up creative possibilities for users because it enables the user to "markup" information (like a markup language does) in their preferred way (-> more creativity -> efficient studying).

These thoughts translate to the “notebook-approach”:
I think the notebook in MN4 can serve the “operative level” described earlier. But regarding the “strategic level” I am sure that the notebook will not do. Even the note-space-tab will not do in this case.

In this paragraph I am going to dive into how the notebook could serve the “operative level”:
Right now I experience the notebook as sort of HTML-like:
It is a plain notebook with some possibilities to change the text color etc. But eventually it will look like an unorganized word document with some drawings (a perfect notebook). The user takes notes and is able to indicate a priority through symbols, structure and text-color (much like early HTML).

Prodrafts in comparison is like HTML with CSS but without the need to learn it first. Users can freely design their notes in many different ways.

Following these thoughts, the following features would help the notebook serve the “operative-level”:

• big or at least bigger page space (maybe in form of an "unlimited notebook" besides the regular notebook)
• more, and easier coloring possibilities (background color & border of elements...)
• possibility to add froms (squares, circles, triangels) to the page-canvas

This would open up new possibilities for users to get creative inside the notebook which would (I belive) make the notebook serve the "operative level".

In this Paragraph I am going to dive into the “strategic-level”. I have only vague ideas here. This is also what I used the random access memory metaphor for, in my first reply to You.
I imagine a little note peeking into the viewport from the bottom left side or something like that. When needed I could click it and a note-space-tab appears fast. There I could do what I do on the “strategic-level”. This note-space-tab would then be present inside the study set in form of a shortcut. I could also see the shortcut be present all the time in every “window-corner” of MN4. This way I could note down ideas/information fast, even right after I open up MN4 and/or could see the “strategic level” to orient myself no matter in what study set I am. As the stratgic level adds context to the operative level, the shortcut would put that context in reach for the user (inside every study set).

These are my thoughts. I want to point out, that many thoughts involving the “strategic-level” are only relevant for users with many study sets that have a relationship of some kind with each other.
I did not intend to write such a long text but I hope this can help You and Your team.

Best regards
Paul

[Adeline]

Dear Paul：
Thank you so much for your meticulous sharing! I have also shared them with the developers of MN. We discussed the relevant issues. During the discussion, I remembered that I had a similar experience as well. In order to prepare for an exam, I created a new study set. I assigned tasks from different subjects to different branches of the mind map. I wrote the SOPs and study methods in the main text of the cards, and used colors to indicate whether they had been completed or not.
As shown in the picture, after reviewing them once, a gray card behind the card would turn green — just like a progress bar.

In addition, I created cards representing time, and linked the time cards and task cards in the form of links. This made it convenient for me to add timestamps in batches and to view the tasks for a certain period of time from the time cards. I hope my experience can be of help to you.

[Paulszerda (Paul Szerdahelyi)]

Dear Adeline

it is great to hear your feedback.
I have also discovered this way of organizing tasks but found that it was to rigid for me. However, the idea to link time cards to task cards is new and sounds promising. I will give it a try and see how I can put your tip to use. Thank you.

Greetings to the development team as well. They are doing great work.

Best Regards
Paul