1. HOLY
Calendars
An exploration by @emzosmizo
Sunday, March 25, 12

2. Calendars
Schedule Based
Event Based
Project Based
Sunday, March 25, 12

3. iCal
Schedule Based
Made by Apple, and therefore looks very nice
on your Apple devices.
Pro
Desktop syncs with mobile
Many alert time options
Easy to invite individuals
Good view options: Day, Week, Month, Year, List
Relatively clean design
Option to create reoccurring events
Easy to see other attendees
Can attach URL
Can attach notes
Can share calendars
Can subscribe to fun public calendars like moon
phases
Can create groups (but its confusing)
Can import from Entourage
Smooth animations
Con
Not web based, can’t access anywhere
No alert style options
Cannot attach files
Mobile functionality is very limited compared to
desktop functionality
Not compatible with most other calendars
Sunday, March 25, 12

4. gCal
Schedule Based
Made by Google, and therefore is all over the
place, all the time, and you need it.
Pro
Web based, can access from anywhere
Desktop syncs with mobile (if you have android
or download the appropriate app)
Many alert time options
Easy to invite individuals
Good view options: Day, Week, Month, Agenda
Relatively clean design
Option to create reoccurring events
Easy to see other attendees
Can attach a location
Can attach notes
Can share calendars
Can attach files
Con
No alert style options
Not compatible with most other calendars
No desktop client (if that’s a con)
Sunday, March 25, 12

5. Lotus Notes
Schedule Based
Get a new job or kill yourself.
Pro
Everyone at work uses it
You are able to do everything you need to (If
you can find it)
Con
Web version is limited
Constant technical fails
Sunday, March 25, 12

6. Entourage
Schedule Based
Consider getting a new job or killing yourself,
but hesitate - at least it’s compatible with iCal.
Pro
Everyone at work uses it
You are able to do everything you need to (If
you can find it)
Compatible with iCal
Better than Lotus Notes
Con
Uninspired design
Uninspired interactions
Sunday, March 25, 12

7. Basecamp
Schedule Based
Clean. Very well developed. Almost usable, if
everyone used it.
Pro
Clean design
Clean interactions
You can do almost everything you need to do
You can discuss the event
Integrated within a project management
platform
Friendly & organized tone
Con
No notifications / alerts
No native date & time selection
Doesn’t sync to any other calendars
Sunday, March 25, 12

8. facebook
Event Based
Good reference - all the details are where you
are! Attendees & RSVPs mean nothing.
Pro
Clean design
Clean interactions
Super easy to share with anyone and everyone
Easy to access details like time and location of
events
Con
It’s too sharable, no exclusivity around events
Sunday, March 25, 12

9. EventBrite
Event Based
Tickets delivered and accessed via web.
Finally!!!
Pro
Amazingly seamless sign up and ticketing
process for ticketed events
Con
Not for anything besides ticketed events
Sunday, March 25, 12

10. Pivotal Tracker
Project Based
OMG we have so much work to do!
But it’s digestible.
Pro
Best project management tool for agile process
Con
Not for anything besides agile process
Sunday, March 25, 12

11. Trello
Project Based
Tasks are as actionable in this new system that
everyone has to learn in order to use.
Pro
The most collaborative to-do list tool available
Clean design
Clean interactions (drag & drop!)
You can easily: assign, archive, set deadlines,
label and move things
Can add comments
Can attach files
Con
Not for anything besides shared to-do lists
Everyone has to adopt it in order for it to work
It is another channel to check
Notifications are only via email
Sunday, March 25, 12

12. Basecamp
Project Based
Clean. Less usable than Text Edit.
Pro
It’s a shared to do list where there once was no
such thing.
Can assign things
Can set deadlines
Clean design
Clean interactions
Sortable by assignment and deadline
Con
Cannot comment
Cannot attach files
Inflexible layout - all you can do is check items
off
The assignments and deadlines aren’t visible in
the shared space
Sunday, March 25, 12

13. Behance: Action Method
Project Based
Software that works exactly like your brain, if
you are a producer.
Pro
It was made by cognitive scientists
Clean design, but not too clean
It’s a cult
It’s really good for organize chaotic projects like
building a website
Syncs across devices
Con
It’s the ipad of to-do lists - a really nice to have
but you can live without it
Everyone has to buy into the system in order
for it to work
You have to learn how to use it; Low barrier, but
nonetheless
Sunday, March 25, 12

14. CONCLUSIONS
The Calendar Approach
Traditional calendar clients need to adopt cutting edge interactions
Too many options causes information glaze
Compatibility & syncing is a primary consideration
Task oriented calendars have the opportunity to overtake traditional schedulers
Surface contextual information - maps, files, links
Get sharable, get social
We will always need to know when everyone’s birthdays are
Sunday, March 25, 12