Building a Second Brain: Version Notes

This post summarizes the major changes made to each successive version of our Building a Second Brain online course. The links lead directly to each resource, but will only be accessible by people enrolled in the course.

 

Version 7.0 (Jan. 2019)

One-time live bootcamp version for current and past participants (to replace monthly group calls)
New advanced tutorial: Creating Note Templates with Evernote (with Stacey Harmon)
Access to Anti-Book Club book summary archives (in-depth progressive summaries of 59 books related to BASB)
New and improved  RandomNote app version 2.0 and walkthrough tutorial
Fixed broken links and clarified instructions and wording
Updated BASB Media page with links to free interviews, case studies, and articles
New page on the Praxis blog showing only BASB-related posts (free and members-only)

Version 6.0 (August 2018)

New in-depth case study #4: Business Development with PKM
Moved P.A.R.A. walkthrough videos from main curriculum to Media Library
Other improvements to the curriculum and online forum

Version 5.1 (March 2018)

Added in-depth case study #3: Long-Form Writing Using PKM
Added 1-page document summarizing BASB takeaways: 20 Commandments of BASB
Added customizable Table of Contents and schedule for self-paced learning
Added PKM Self-Assessment for measuring improvement after the course ends

Version 5.0 (Feb. 2018)

Added 21-part screenshare walkthrough of P.A.R.A. Setup Checklist (downloading and installing Evernote, importing common media types, and organizing into PARA notebooks and stacks)
Created course orientation video showing how to use 3 main course platforms and the online forum categories
Added in-video callouts and timestamped links for key resources mentioned in videos (found in a text box below each video)
Scheduled ongoing, monthly group calls for all current and past participants
Added a  coaching program  for implementing BASB techniques
Edited BrainyBot to include tips and advice for completing the course successfully, and inspirational testimonials from previous participants
Created new Slack channel for all current and past participants
Transitioned course from live to self-paced format

Version 4.0 (Dec. 2017)

“Flipped” the classroom, assigning pre-recorded lectures as homework, and dedicating live sessions to deep dives, examples, discussion, and exercises
Created a v1 of PKM Self-Assessment, to determine what level of PKM someone currently operates at
Added coaching edition, including 1-on-1 coaching and weekly group coaching
Created v1 of Nerve Bundle, a set of pre-formatted templates designed to enable workflow strategies
Added new versions of RandomNote for Windows and browser, including new features
Reconfigured forum category for Dev Group to identify different versions and collect feedback on them
Added new content on compression principles of Progressive Summarization
Redesigned takeaway emails to be clearer and more actionable
Modified course curriculum to call out action steps explicitly and make modules shorter
Created and tested new P.A.R.A. Migration Checklist
Adapted and tested new Project List Mindsweep exercise to clearly identify all projects
Added new exercises 10-Year Countdown and Inspiration Everywhere
Launched and tested v1 of BrainyBot, to provide automated reminders and facilitate engagement
Added new project ideas to Post-BASB Next Steps thread

Version 3.0 (Sept. 2017)

Worked with Ben Mosior as Course Manager, who took on many backend logistical responsibilities and provided feedback on the forum, among other things
Created RandomNote app to randomly surface Evernote notes based on search criteria, and wrote post explaining how and why it works
Created  Media Library  as a central repository of latest version of lecture videos, as well as guest lectures/interviews
Started Dev Group, a group of current and past participants interested in designing or developing software around PKM
Clarified difference between Get Stuff Done Like a Boss and Building a Second Brain
Added implementation sessions, for people to share their screen and get targeted guidance on their PKM setup
Created personalized diagnostic reports, highlighting areas for improvement, for each participant based on their survey and exercise responses
New in-depth case study, showcasing informal project planning using PKM tools and methods
Redesigned online forum to be easier to navigate, added highlighting feature, and made top resources list
Completely changed Unit 8: The Big Picture to incorporate Eras of Productivity, Container vs. Stream Thinking, Curation, Scarcity vs. Abundance
Added slides to final debrief, summarizing the next steps on the PKM journey and some parting thoughts

Version 2.0 (May 2017)

All 8 units were recorded and uploaded separately as shorter, more condensed videos
Added new slides to all units, and made edits to existing slides to make the explanations and examples more clear
Renamed Unit 7: Making It All Work to P.A.R.A.: Organizing for Insight, and moved it to unit 2 to form the foundation on which everything else is built
Switched Unit 3: Maximizing Return on Attention and Unit 4: Progressive Summarization, to give the practical method first, followed by the underlying principles and theory
Combined Unit 5: The Design of Discoverability and Unit 6: Workflow & Retrieval into a new Unit 6: Just-In-Time Project Management
Added more workflow strategies to the new unit 6, and organized them according to a “diagnosis”of the problem or situation in which they are most useful
Introduced new final project: completing a PKM Workflow Canvas to summarize what you’ve learned in the course, as a springboard for further improvement
Added a new Unit 7: PKM Workflow Canvas, introducing and explaining how the canvas works
Added a PKM Case Study showing how the new techniques are used in a real project
New Unit 8: The Big Picture

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