ToDos

Todos, or to-do lists, are organized compilations of tasks that an individual or team intends to complete. They help manage work, track progress, and prioritize actions. A typical to-do item includes a description, a status, and often a due date or priority. In practice, lists range from simple handwritten notes to complex software systems that support subtasks, reminders, assignments, and collaboration.

Origin and evolution: To-do lists have long been used in administrative work; in modern productivity they gained formal treatment through methods such as Getting Things Done (GTD) introduced by David Allen in the early 2000s, which emphasizes capturing tasks and regularly reviewing them. Digital tools began to proliferate in the 2000s and 2010s, with applications offering synchronization across devices, offline access, and integrations with calendars and email. Kanban-style boards and agile workflows also adopt to-do or backlog items to visualize work in progress.

Characteristics and features: Common features include due dates, priorities, categories or projects, subtasks, notes, reminders, and the ability to mark items as completed. Collaboration features allow sharing lists, assigning items to team members, and tracking contributions.

Variants and usage: Personal task management uses simple lists, while project management uses structured backlogs or kanban boards. Some systems support recurring tasks, templates, and automation. The term 'todo' is also used in software development to denote a tracked item in a backlog.

Impact and representation: To-do lists are a pervasive tool in modern productivity, present in paper planners, integrated software suites, and mobile apps, reflecting the demand for externalizing commitments and improving time management.