Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Summary
People have used paper notebooks as thinking tools for over a thousand years. As a result, many popular digital note-taking tools have adapted familiar metaphors and structures from paper notebooks. But digital notes can do much more than paper. This seminar by Duly Noted author Jorge Arango shows you how to unlock your cognitive potential using connected note-taking apps. Watch Part 1 Watch Part 3
Key Insights
-
•
Hypertext note-taking breaks free from linear, hierarchical structures by linking individual idea-focused notes, enabling emergent knowledge networks.
-
•
There is a critical distinction between notes taken for memory (mnemonic aids) and notes aimed at creation and knowledge generation.
-
•
Evergreen notes, intended for long-term revisiting and growth, benefit most from hypertext environments.
-
•
Legacy note apps mimic physical folders and binders, introducing friction in linking and discoverability.
-
•
New hypertext-native tools like Obsidian make linking notes fast and native, encouraging deeper knowledge connections.
-
•
Three core mental models for effective hypertext note-taking are: isolating key ideas in their own notes, treating links as first-class elements, and nurturing notes over time.
-
•
Knowledge gardening—regularly revisiting, pruning, and expanding notes—is essential for evolving understanding.
-
•
Markdown is a critical skill for efficient hypertext note-taking and aligns well with text-based AI models like GPT-4.
-
•
Over-tagging notes can create friction; a minimal, purposeful tag system (e.g., project, state, kind) works best.
-
•
Hypertext note systems prepare users to leverage large language models for discovering latent connections between ideas.
Notable Quotes
"Many people assume notes are just for memory, but notes can do much more, like evolving your thinking over time."
"Linear notes have fixed hierarchical structures; hypertext notes have flexible, emergent networks."
"Obsidian and Notion bring decades-old hypertext concepts into accessible, modern note-taking apps."
"Links should be treated as first-class citizens in your note system to build meaningful connections."
"Knowledge gardening means tending to your notes like a garden—with planting, pruning, and watering over time."
"The real value is the thinking that happens while creating and linking notes, not just the final product of notes."
"Markdown lets you capture notes faster and stay in flow without hunting for formatting commands."
"Most people have anxiety about losing strict hierarchical folders, but hypertext notes work better when linked as peers."
"Over-tagging notes can slow you down with little benefit; keep tags minimal and purposeful."
"These tools don’t think for you, but they make it easier to think differently and more effectively."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Scale isn’t just about quantity, it’s about the quality and impact you have on the outcomes of the organization."
Standardizing Product Merits for Leaders, Designers, and Everyone
June 15, 2018
"The Red Queen effect means if others adapt, you must adapt or lose."
Simon WardleyMaps and Topographical Intelligence (Videoconference)
January 31, 2019
"The Reflexive Compass helps us discern bias patterns early, take accountability, and measure impact."
Sandra CamachoCreating More Bias-Proof Designs
January 22, 2025
"I felt on edge around Jeff and physically depleted after our interactions."
Darian DavisLessons from a Toxic Work Relationship
January 8, 2024
"Stakeholder communication is crucial to professional strategy because without it, we run the risk of activity without impact."
Fisayo Osilaja[Demo] The AI edge: From researcher to strategist
June 4, 2024
"Craft cultivates customer satisfaction, loyalty, and even forgiveness when functional issues arise."
Uday GajendarThe Wicked Craft of Enterprise UX
May 13, 2015
"Experience vision is a powerful tool because it gives everyone a tangible goal to work towards."
Davis Neable Guy SegalHow to Drive a Design Project When you Don’t Have a Design Team
June 10, 2021
"TripAdvisor is really nine major business units each thinking like sub companies instead of one end-to-end user experience."
Eniola OluwoleLessons From the DesignOps Journey of the World's Largest Travel Site
October 24, 2019
"Design Ops people want to standardize processes and reuse organizational knowledge for clarity and confidence."
Aurobinda Pradhan Shashank DeshpandeIntroduction to Collaborative DesignOps using Cubyts
September 9, 2022