Improving Digital Organisation

Why reorganise? 

• I have difficulty finding what I am looking for on the computer and search doesn't always help find the file. 
• I have too many duplicated files. 
• I need to be able to go through everything systematically. 
• I need to improve my citations. 
• All the systems that I have tried in the past have failed.

Considerations
Why have the previous systems not worked? 

• Lack of consistency. 
• Too complicated. 
• Not set myself clear guide as to what goes where. 
• Merging before checking the content.

What guidelines do I need for the new system to work?

• The system needs to be simple. 
• Use shortcuts if possible for file names. 
• Ensure that the details are contained within the actual file rather than the name. 
• Use tags.
• File by provenance to help with citation. 
• Move everything not in the new system to a holding area. In this area create a folder called To Do for anything that requires more work. 
• Set realistic goals. Do the easy things first and get them right. It is not a race.

My new system

• Family folders
• Family Id Number as in my software program followed by ... then Last name and First name of the couple starting with husband. I will keep indexes. research logs and analysis documents here and anything which is specific to the family.
• Official Archives
• Personal Archives
• Documents
• Type of Document
• Photographs
• Folders labelled by author or if unknown who held them

I will discuss the system in more detail in another post as I am still finalising the details such as where I will put images that I have downloaded from places such as Ancestry and Find My Past.