Many task managers base their information architectures on hierarchical structures. To navigate to a task, a user must first select which folder to check. Folders are often referred to as areas in to-do list apps, so that is the term that will be used in lieu of folders for the purposes of this discussion.

At face value, this approach to task organization makes sense. Users are likely to have different areas of their lives. Enabling users to organize the tasks on their to-do lists by these areas should make them easier to find. For instance, if I was a student and was in search of a particular homework assignment task, I would probably check the "School" area of my to-do list app for that task first. Except I wouldn't.

When I open a to-do list app, the first question on my mind is "What should I do next," not "Where is the task that I should do next." Folder-based organizational structures are great in situations where you know exactly what you want and need a straightforward way to navigate to the object you desire. However, in instances where you don't know what you want, a system that presents you with what you are likely to want is preferable.

Most of the times that I use a to-do list app, I seek guidance, which conflicts with an organizational system that requires you to guide yourself using the folders as location markers, such as a hierarchical one.

You might be wondering how an area-less to-do list app would prevent its task list from becoming cluttered. The solution is a sorting algorithm. If an algorithm consistently sorted tasks in a helpful order, then folders would be unnecessary to maintain order. Even if folders were rendered obsolete, some might still desire folders because they believe they can only increase their productivity. Contrary to this commonly held belief, folders are a detriment to productivity in the context of to-do list apps.

Folders encourage users to cling to what's contained within them for indefinite periods of time. This encouraged behavior makes sense for files, which are typically kept for indefinite periods of time. However, this is the opposite of the kind of behavior that should be encouraged in a to-do list app. By minimizing the places where tasks are allowed to reside and suggesting the order in which tasks should be completed via an algorithm, a to-do list app can better address the user's primary goal, which is to complete tasks.

Original Date: November 9, 2022