Behind the Scenes of My Obsidian Vault

A Knowledge Management Tour

Introduction

Managing knowledge effectively is essential in today’s information-rich world. Over the years, I’ve experimented with various tools and systems, but Obsidian has emerged as my primary knowledge management platform. In this post, I’ll take you on a tour of my Obsidian vault, showcasing how I’ve structured it to optimize learning, creativity, and productivity. Keep in mind that this is a work in progress—my vault evolves as my needs and ideas do.

Philosophy: Process Over Product

Before diving into the details, let me share my guiding principle: the process is more important than the platform or product. While Obsidian is my tool of choice, the system’s value lies in the workflows it supports. My setup is tailored to my specific needs as an educator and researcher in literacy, technology, and education. I encourage you to adapt and evolve your system to fit your goals.

Overview of My Vault

My vault is divided into four main directories: Consume, Curate, Create, and Meta. Each serves a distinct purpose, guiding content from initial intake to polished output. Let’s break these down:

1. Consume: Where Content Enters

The Consume folder is where I save and process incoming information, including:

Articles: Web pages I bookmark for later reading.
Books: Notes and reviews for books I’ve read.
Papers: Academic papers annotated using Zotero and other tools.
Podcasts: Notes and takeaways from podcasts I’ve listened to.
People: Profiles of authors, researchers, and creators I want to follow.

This folder acts as a collection point, ensuring nothing important gets lost. The goal is to process and move items to their next phase.

2. Curate: Connecting the Dots

In the Curate directory, I transform raw inputs into actionable insights and ideas. This is where I:

Create notes that distill key concepts and link related ideas.
Develop maps of content (MOCs), which organize information by theme or topic.

For example, if I read a book on atomic design, I’ll create a note summarizing its key ideas and link it to related articles, podcasts, and other notes. This stage is about synthesis and meaning-making.

The Create folder houses my outputs, including:

Blog posts: Drafts and final versions of posts like this one.
Newsletters: Archived issues, ready to be shared or referenced.
Courses: Materials and outlines for classes I teach or plan to teach.

By the time content reaches this stage, it’s been processed, refined, and connected to other ideas in my vault. This ensures my output is well-informed and deeply rooted in my broader knowledge base.

4. Meta: The System Backbone

The Meta folder contains the tools and resources that keep my vault running smoothly, such as:

Templates: Standardized formats for book notes, blog drafts, and more.
Changelogs: Records of adjustments to my system over time.
Guides: Instructions for maintaining and using the vault.

This folder ensures my workflows are consistent and scalable.

Tools and Plugins

While Obsidian’s core functionality is powerful, I’ve enhanced my workflow with plugins like:

Dataview: To query and display data dynamically.
Excalidraw: For creating visual diagrams.
Templater: To streamline repetitive tasks.

These tools allow me to customize Obsidian to my needs, making it both flexible and robust.

Closing Thoughts

My Obsidian vault is more than a collection of notes—it’s a living system that evolves with me. It’s a place to capture ideas, explore connections, and create meaningful output. Whether you’re just starting with Obsidian or looking for inspiration to refine your setup, I hope this tour sparks new ideas for your knowledge management journey.

Remember: there’s no one-size-fits-all system. The best knowledge management approach is the one that works for you. Happy organizing!

Watch the Full Tour

Want to see my vault in action? Check out the video tour where I walk through my setup in detail: [Insert Video Link Here].