A little disclosure before we get started: I have been using OmniFocus since the private alpha builds and prior to that used the kGTD system around which OmniFocus was built. I have a deep history with the program and have never been very open to change. When Cultured Code released Things task management, I was intrigued. After reading several stellar reviews, and realizing the lack of clarity that I was getting from OmniFocus, I made the switch to Things. Things stuck with me as my only task management software for 5 months before I ditched it and went back to OmniFocus.

Key Differences

Things

• Clear Structure: This is where Things really shines, there is very little flexibility in how you can structure your lists and projects, Things already has it laid out for you.
• Easy Usability: You are capable of getting things up and running in 5 minutes, even if you are not a GTD person. The program is very straightforward.
• Lack of Customization: Things is very inflexible in certain areas. Not only in how it looks, but how you use it can be limiting.
• Better Interface: Things is a much prettier interface to use and truly looks like a Mac program.

OmniFocus

• Lots of Power: This is where OmniFocus really excels, there are an immense amount of options and customizations available. This however, is also one of the drawbacks to the program from a usability standpoint as it can not be up and running as fast as Things.
• Old Looking Interface: This again was one of the main reasons I made the switch to Things, the interface on OmniFocus is very tired looking.
• Layout Views: There are many different views that you can use in OmniFocus so you can see different tasks and how they relate to your projects.

Why I Switched Back

The first reason I switched back to OmniFocus is the different ways that you can view the data and actions is really appealing. I am able to switch from seeing my actions in their projects, to actions in their contexts, and also by “due soon.” Things does have a similar feature, but it does not have dedicated views for these various sorting mechanisms, instead it is all done in a shared view.

When I was using Things I thought that it had a few features OmniFocus did not have, mainly scheduling tasks and making them repeat. As it turns out, I just never looked for that feature in OmniFocus. After looking for that feature (and finding it) I found a plethora of other features about which I did not know. Finding all these features made OmniFocus a much more powerful tool.

Remotely syncing with the iPhone is another huge plus. While Things will sync with the iPhone, it only does it when both devices are on the same WiFi network. OmniFocus on the other hand, does it the same way or through various other methods which allow you to be on a different network. I was constantly forgetting to sync my phone before I left home or the office. Now I can use MobileMe to sync remotely which is slower, but that is a trade off I am willing to make.

Conclusion

OmniFocus is the application that feels better to me. In the end it is not about one program being better than the other in a general sense, but about which application works best for you. If you pick one because of the features it has, even though you really don’t like it, then you will not be as inclined to use it. Therefore, you need to pick the application that you like best, making sure it also meets your needs, thus maximizing your usage.

Related posts:

• OmniFocus Criticisms
• OmniFocus for iPhone Tips
• iPhone & Productivity
• Shredding and Scanning Versus Filing
• OmniFocus, GTD, and You!