What matters most when choosing a note-taking app

Three years ago, it definitely felt like we reached the peak of note-taking and personal knowledge management software. We are getting flooded with new apps and software constantly, however, back then it seemed like loads of people and companies are only focusing on building the next big thing when it comes to note-taking. Suddenly, everyone was writing, journaling, taking notes, and creating loads of bi-directional links. People created systems to manage knowledge, courses to master apps popped up everywhere, but ultimately we experienced a hype, as the whole topic of note-taking and personal knowledge management saw only a temporary surge in popularity and interest. Apparently, people thought something magical will happen if they just connect their notes and link between them. However, to get the most out of your notes, additional work is obviously needed.

The buzz around note-taking apps flattened. People stuck with apps, others abandoned them, and some are still looking for the perfect solution. While the latter is subjective to everyones' needs, the question what matters most when choosing a note-taking app can be answered in a more general way.

During the hype of note-taking software, people were always looking for the next app that will perfect their system. In reality, that was often just procrastination from doing the actual creative and challenging work of writing, note-taking, and journaling. People were chasing apps and systems, rather than focusing on the things that matter. I have been there too, and pretty much tried out every single shiny new note-taking app that launched over the course of last couple of years. And instead of doing the actually work, which is taking notes, journaling, and writing, I found myself tinkering around with systems that looked cool, but ultimately they did not help me with the above, as I got stuck building and evolving the system. That process repeated itself, whenever I moved my notes from one app to another. I do not even want to think about how much notes I lost while doing that multiple times.

It was time to stop doing that and settle with one app for writing, note-taking, and journaling. Easier said then done, since there were so many options available, it is hard to settle with one. When I got confronted with that decision, I wanted to think through it, so I do not choose one app, just to realize a couple months later, another one would have been the better choice. And to do that, I asked myself what matters most to me when choosing a note-taking app?

Design, Look, and Feel

Since I am a designer, I appreciate apps that feature an intuitive design, uncluttered interfaces, and dedicated structures and hierarchies. At that time, that factor alone ruled out so many apps already, which is mind-boggling, since you could expect that people who build apps in which you spend a lot of time doing creative work would put design first. It is not just that I prefer apps that simply look good. When speaking about design, look, and feel in note-taking apps, I truly believe that those factors directly impact how I am thinking and processing information.

Whenever I am taking notes and journal, I need to be able to capture thoughts quickly before they slip away. In such situations, good design can make a major difference, as it minimizes friction, since every extra click or confusing moment because of an unexpected behavior of the app can lead to the potential lost of the thoughts and ideas you wanted to capture quickly. Besides that, how information is structured with an app shapes how we organize our thoughts. To make that happen, a well-designed hierarchy is needed.

Writing is a creative process. Any poor design, cluttered interfaces, or jarring elements break the focus, while you try to engage deeply with your thoughts and ideas. What is also worth mentioning is that there is a certain emotional connection to apps we find visually pleasing and intuitive. Chances are high that we are using such apps more consistently compared to ones that do not weigh design that much.

Search, Performance and Stability

The app should be fast and stable, as I do not want to experience any lag or stuttering while working within it. Additionally, the performance also matters when it comes to syncing my notes across different devices, since no matter which device I am on, I need quick access to my notes. Native mobile apps are preferred, however a mobile-optimized web app is fine too.

There are different scenarios in which performance as well as stability directly impacts the way we are interacting with an app. When it comes to the instant capturing of thoughts and ideas, the launch time has some serious impact on that specific workflow. A reliable sync between devices is the deciding factor whether you are able to continue quickly on one device after leaving another one. Stability matters too, since a sudden app crash can lead to hours of work getting lost, but it also impairs the trust in the system.

Search is also directly related to performance. If you put loads of notes in an app, which then struggles to resurface them fast and easy, it can have a major impact onto your workflows. Modern and powerful searching standards matter in a note-taking app, since they give you the possibility to stay on top of all your notes, resurface them with ease, and continue working on them without experience any lag or disruption.

Versatility

To me, writing does not only mean taking notes, while taking notes does not mean only taking notes. Sounds a bit confusing, yeah I know. What I am trying to say is, that a note-taking app should give me the possibility to take daily notes and perform journaling, it should handle basic note-taking either in outline or prose format, and it should support long-from writing as well. In my case, everything starts with daily notes or journaling. This is the springboard for any blog posts, projects, ideas, or thoughts. Instead of jumping to different apps for each of those workflows, I prefer a single space for all my writing practices.

There is an ongoing discussion whether using apps dedicated to specific purposes, compared to using the ones that give access to multiple workflows. When it comes to writing, note-taking, journaling, and gathering my ideas and thoughts, I prefer quickly navigating between those things without leaving the app.

Linking

This might be a controversial one. Probably the main reason for the rising popularity of note-taking and personal knowledge management back in 2020, were apps that made bi-directional linking, backlinks, or connecting your notes mainstream. The concept of that exists since years, however tools like Roam Research, Obsidian, or Logseq introduced it to the masses. Suddenly, everyone wanted to build a second brain. However, people were disappointed when the sometimes tedious task of linking every note they took did not deliver what they expected from it, which was an increased creativity, more ideas, increased productivity. You can achieve that with linking your notes, but it needs maintaining, it does not happen on its own.

Connecting your notes is one step, but you also need to revisit them regularly. You need to set time aside and explore the connections you have made, use search to resurface ideas and thoughts, and explore the backlinks of those. The possibility to link my notes is for me a crucial aspect of note-taking software. As I take notes on the blog posts and books I read, the podcasts I listen to, and the videos I watch, the links between them is exactly what leads to new posts and projects of mine. And those are the two main reasons I am taking notes and journal every single day, since what I expect from my system is that it fuels my process of creating and working on new projects, as well as writing new posts.

Import and Export of Notes

Ultimately, when I settle with a note-taking app, I want to stick with it. There are certain scenarios which could lead to the consideration of switching to another app – lack of constant updates, development suddenly changing its focus, exit to a bigger corporation which then abandons it, or the founder becomes a maniac. If I am getting forced like that to move to a different app, I want to be sure to simply export all my notes in various formats, so I can then take them with me regardless of the app I am using.

Conclusion

There are loads of apps that deliver on those criteria, and some of them do even more. In that case, it matters whether that more is obtrusive, or if I can use the app in a way without touching any of the additional features, creating a calm and cozy environment for writing, thinking, and journaling. Besides the criteria mentioned above, there are more advanced factors that also matter when choosing a note-taking app, however you could also label them a nice-to-haves.

New note-taking apps are always exciting, I get that, but instead of switching over and over again, we should ask ourselves what we expect from writing, note-taking, and journaling, why we are building a note-taking system, and why we are managing our knowledge. Once you set your goals clear, it will become easier to decide what app will help you achieving them.

Till next time! 👋‌‌‌‌

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