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There are any number of ways to search and organize your materials in IdeaMason using categories, projects and activities (see our blog posting on “The Matrix“). But one area that may not be immediately obvious is that the Saved Searches feature goes way beyond just searching or even saving searches.

You might already know that the Search folder tab on the homepage provides you with the opportunity to perform either a simple or advanced search of a portfolio. And, so that you can rerun the search at a later date, you can also click on the Save Search button. However, the Saved Searches feature goes beyond a basic search tool. When you setup the parameters of a search and save it you are essentially setting up a customized folder view. When you think about it this will give you a whole new perspective on the information stored in a portfolio. No longer do you have to use the standardized portfolio folders to view your materials and sources. You can utilize the saved search feature to setup your own customized folder views.

For example, while working on a particular activity you find yourself working with a select number of categories. For an easy way to view the union of materials in those categories, just click on the search folder tab, layout the parameters of the search and select the categories you want to view, then save and name the search. This saved search then becomes like a customized folder view of the portfolio contents. Each time you rerun the saved search (from the Saved Searches tab) it will automatically update the results of the search.

Naturally, you can set up your custom folders to view materials from any perspective using any of the search fields available. The great thing is that you can update and edit the parameters of a search anytime you want, or duplicate the search and create a new search by changing a couple of the search parameters. To quickly view the parameters of your customized folder/search see the Search Summary Description at the bottom of the Saved Searches window.

The relationship between projects-activities and categories in IdeaMason is what we like to call the Matrix. This is a great way of thinking about the overall information management techniques in IdeaMason.

You can think of IdeaMason’s grouping mechanisms as a three-dimensional matrix, with one dimension being projects-activities, the second being categories, and the third being material type. The relationship between content in IdeaMason is defined by its location in this three-dimensional matrix. In other words, each point in this matrix defines a set of materials which are grouped together physically and conceptually. Tunneling through this structure in all dimensions is links, which establish direct relationships between content that transcend their location in the matrix.

As a practical matter, it is helpful to think of projects-activities and categories as defining particular types of constraints on content. Projects-activities can be narrowed or expanded in any view by refining the Working Activity or the View Filter in any folder view tab. Because of this capability, it makes sense to think of projects-activities as physical groupings of content–such as a particular writing project like a book and its chapters, for instance. So even if you are starting a new portfolio with a single task in mind, create a project and file the assignment at hand as an activity under the project. As you move forward file any related assignments as new activities under this project.

Categories can be used however one sees fit. There is no right or wrong way to use them. I have actually used categories as preliminary chapter topics in a particular portfolio that was primarily centered around one large project. But if you want to make the best use of materials over time try to think of categories as subject-area topics. You can start a portfolio with a few categories and then build on them over time. You can also create many levels of subcategories, establishing a complex dynamic within a particular subject/keyword area. As you create each material or source, assign it to one or more categories.

Later, when you want to see related items, you’ll see them grouped by category in the categories tab, with only the items in the selected project-activity visible. By using the project-activity filter on each individual folder view (top of the left hand side of the window) you can select either a specific activity or the project itself. This allows you to show the contents of an entire project (all of its activities) if this is helpful.

Using these techniques, you will have established for each material one or more points in the three-dimensional physical-conceptual matrix. These points define sets of content which inhabit the same physical-conceptual location. By pinpointing the desired matrix location using category folders, filters, content type, (even full-text search, which defines an alternative subject-area constraint), you can instantly see all the other contents which inhabit that same physical-conceptual location.

As the amount of content you have grows over time, you’ll start to understand the remarkable power this gives you to explore relationships between content that you didn’t necessarily know existed, simply because the materials inhabit the same space in the matrix.