Organizational Behavior

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To begin with the practical, the most important lesson is not to buy any of these programs based solely on a description -- no, not even Agenda itself. You can get used to any of today's major spreadsheets or word processors, but the differences in look, feel, and operating philosophy among the PIMs are so great that it is crucial to actually try a program before making an investment. Some PIMs rely heavily on mouse clicks, while others provide keyboard alternatives for virtually all commands. Know your tastes -- I avoid using a mouse when at all possible -- and try each program to be sure it matches them. In practice this means either trying a friend's version or buying only those PIMs that offer a full money-back guarantee. Commence is relatively mouse-dependent; askSam, comparatively mouse-free -- but don't take my word for it without trying them yourself.

A second important nuts-and-bolts tip is to make sure you choose a PIM that allows you to enter crucial information only once. When you type in an associate's address and phone number, for example, the program should provide internal links that allow it to process that information for every dealing: using the phone number in an autodialer, listing it alongside appointments in your schedule book, or addressing E-mail. This may seem elementary, but it is beyond the capacity of some otherwise appealing PIMs.

Third, be sure to test your PIM's data-recovery system. The more you enjoy working with a program, the sooner it will become the repository of your most important business information, from phone contacts and schedules to long-term strategic plans. Losing such data is far more alarming than the normal computer glitch. Weak damage-prevention systems were an Achilles' heel of the original Agenda. Even more than with word processors or spreadsheets, lean toward PIMs that offer ways to extract data from corrupted files.

Fourth, as part of your trial, see how hard or easy it is to move data from on-line sources into your PIM. With each passing month a larger share of important information arrives on-line. PIMs that make a transfer clumsy, with fixed-length data files or awkward "paste" protocols, will become less and less attractive.

On a more abstract plane, you need to ask yourself the "cake mix versus cookbook" question. Some PIMs come custom-made for quite specific applications. Sharkware, for example, is a world built around the business card. The phone calls you've made, the meetings you've held, the birthday cards you're supposed to send -- all are tied to the business cards of your associates. Ecco presents you with a screen that looks like a legal pad, yellow background and all. Commence, askSam, and Info Select, on the other hand, start out more or less with blank screens. The structure you want to create is up to you. The "cake mix" approach, epitomized by Sharkware, is obviously easier to start with. Before deciding, ask whether you're more likely to welcome its simplicity or chafe at its inflexibility in the long run.

You can also ask whether, given the limits of today's PIM programs, you're likely to even try to use them for the long-range planning and strategic overview that Agenda's designers were reaching for. If so, look for PIMs with as little built-in structure as possible. After all, it's unlikely that a software engineer who has never seen your business will have thought of the exact strategic thought-plan that makes the most sense to you. You might even consider Inspiration, a quasi-PIM (by Inspiration Software) that lets you convert normal outlines into flow charts. I find it gimmicky, but that may reflect the peculiarity of my mind and work. Friends who are managers say they value it highly. If you're not interested in testing the limits of PIMs in this way -- if, in other words, you know you do your best planning with a pen in your hand or while out for a run or a swim -- then you can save yourself heartache by selecting a PIM with a straightforward purpose, like coordinating group schedules.

What I use for now is a little of everything: doughty Agenda for my scheduling and journalistic plans and research; the equally orphaned and antique GrandView, by Symantec, for making outlines; Info Select to retrieve addresses and phone numbers; and askSam for large data dumps. It may be messy and inelegant, but that is the nature of life among the PIMs of the day. Like other users, I'm making do until the millennium.

James Fallows (fallows@aol.com) is Washington editor of The Atlantic Monthly. His latest book is Breaking the News: How the Media Undermine American Democracy (Pantheon, 1996).

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PIM

Because PIMs vary so much in look, feel, and operating philosophy, it's important to try out any program before purchasing it to make sure that it not only has the features you want but also suits your tastes. Once you have the PIM in hand, consider the following checklist:

Decide whether you want a program that defines how information will be organized or one that enables you to set up the structure yourself. If you plan to use the PIM for long-range planning and strategic overviews, look for programs with as little built-in structure as possible.

Choose a PIM that allows you to enter information only once.

Test the PIM's data-recovery system, and lean toward models that provide ways to extract data from corrupted files.

Check how hard or easy it is to move data from on-line sources into your PIM.

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