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Created September 13, 2012 04:30
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Catalogue of the different kinds of lists we compose in our day-to-day lives.

Types of lists

Catalogue of the different kinds of lists we compose in our day-to-day lives

  • Bucket list

    Such as "Things to do before you die". Typically aspirational, completeable. Manual sorting (usually importance or desired completion order).

  • TODO list

    Such as "Weekend tasks to complete" or "Things to buy". Typically driven by necessary chores, completeable, and discarded upon completion. Sorted by urgency.

  • Best-of list

    Such as "Top 10 movies of all time". Similar to bucket lists but retrospective. Sorted by quality.

  • Inventory list

    Such as "Items for sale". Completeable. Various sorting (sometimes alphabetical, chronological, or some value metric like price).

    Content of each item stays the same but the list shrinks when items are completed or grows when items are added or uncompleted.

  • Brainstorming list

    Such as this list. Fleshed out over time, occasionally deeply nested. Often used as an outline before composing a narrative document. Manual sorting (usually follows a narrative).

  • Index list

    A list of lists. One to rule them all. Sorted alphabetically or chronologically.

  • Check list

    Such as "Server deployment checklist". Similar to the TODO list but recurring in usage. Completeable and resettable. Manual sorting (usually follows a narrative).

    Another variation of this list is the Diagnostic list, such as the "Purity Quiz" passed around in chain letters. Similar to the Bucket list but used to categorize and classify conditions.

  • Timeline list

    Such as "Books I've read". Sorted chronologically, and is append-only. Often used for keeping a log about some theme. Completed items from other lists form this kind of list.

What other kinds of lists are there?

What is a good way to distinguish different kinds of lists? Perhaps by the kind of engagement they require? For example, are they sorted/prioritized, completable, collaborative/personal/curated, time-sensitive/evergreen?

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