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Behavior & Lifecycle⚓︎

This document defines how Topics and Decisions progress over time. It describes the path users follow from a simple question to a stored lesson.

The Decision Journey⚓︎

To work through a decision clearly, users move a Topic through these stages:

  1. Open — Create the Topic and define the question.
  2. Considering — Add choices and reasons.
  3. Chosen — Make one decision and record the expectation.
  4. Waiting — Wait until the real result becomes clear.
  5. Reviewing — Record the outcome and write the lesson.
  6. Closed — Finish the Topic and keep it for future reference.

These are the canonical Topic stages used throughout the docs.

If circumstances change, a Closed Topic can be re-opened to start a new round of thinking.

Topic Stages⚓︎

A Topic is always in one of these stages:

Status Meaning
Open The user is defining the question and context.
Considering The user is adding and comparing options and reasons.
Chosen The user has made a choice and recorded the expectation.
Waiting The user is waiting to see the actual result.
Reviewing The user is recording the result and extracting the lesson.
Closed The Topic is finished and saved as a memory.
Unresolved Closed because no decision was possible.

Lifecycle Diagrams⚓︎

Topic Lifecycle⚓︎

How a thought moves from a question to a permanent memory.

flowchart TD Open["Open<br/>Question and context recorded"] Considering["Considering<br/>Choices and Reasons added"] Chosen["Chosen<br/>Decision and Expectation recorded"] Waiting["Waiting<br/>Real-world result still unfolding"] Reviewing["Reviewing<br/>Outcome and Review recorded"] Closed["Closed<br/>Lesson preserved in the record"] Unresolved["Unresolved<br/>Closed without a Decision"] Open --> Considering --> Chosen --> Waiting --> Reviewing --> Closed Considering -.-> Unresolved Chosen -.-> Unresolved Closed -.->|reopen if context changes| Open classDef active fill:#E3F2FD,stroke:#90CAF9,color:#123,stroke-width:1px; classDef progress fill:#E8F5E9,stroke:#81C784,color:#333,stroke-width:1px; classDef endstate fill:#F3E5F5,stroke:#BA68C8,color:#333,stroke-width:1px; classDef alt fill:#F5F5F5,stroke:#BDBDBD,color:#444,stroke-dasharray: 4 4; class Open,Considering active; class Chosen,Waiting,Reviewing progress; class Closed endstate; class Unresolved alt;

Choice Lifecycle⚓︎

How an option changes during consideration.

flowchart LR Proposed["Proposed<br/>A Choice is added"] Supported["Supported<br/>Reasons are added"] Selected["Selected<br/>Referenced by the Decision"] Deferred["Deferred<br/>Kept for later review"] NotSelected["Not Selected<br/>Left in history but not chosen"] Proposed --> Supported Supported --> Selected Supported --> Deferred Supported --> NotSelected Deferred --> Supported classDef neutral fill:#FFF9C4,stroke:#FBC02D,color:#333,stroke-width:1px; classDef chosen fill:#E8F5E9,stroke:#81C784,color:#333,stroke-width:1px; classDef paused fill:#ECEFF1,stroke:#90A4AE,color:#333,stroke-width:1px; classDef notchosen fill:#FFEBEE,stroke:#E57373,color:#333,stroke-width:1px; class Proposed,Supported neutral; class Selected chosen; class Deferred paused; class NotSelected notchosen;

Core Actions⚓︎

1. Considering⚓︎

During the Considering stage, users add Choices (options) and Reasons (pros and cons).
* Rule: You must have at least one Choice before you can make a Decision.
* Rule: Once a Decision is made, Choices and Reasons become "Locked" (Immutable).

2. Chosen⚓︎

The shift into Chosen is the most important transition in the lifecycle.
* Action: Pick exactly one Choice.
* Confidence: Record how sure you feel (e.g., "70% sure this will work").
* Expectation: Describe what you think will happen in the next 3-6 months.

3. Reviewing⚓︎

Once the real-world Outcome is clear, the user moves the Topic to Reviewing.
* Review: "We expected X, but Y happened instead."
* Lesson: A short, portable tip for your future self.
* Example: "Always test the backup before deleting the original."

The Rules of the System⚓︎

The system depends on four non-negotiable rules:

  • History is never rewritten: You cannot change what you were thinking after the outcome is known.
  • No skipping steps: You cannot write a Lesson without first recording an Outcome and a Review.
  • One Pick: A Decision must refer to exactly one Choice.
  • Attributed: Every action is signed by the person who did it.

Disputed is not a normal lifecycle state. It is a flag that can be applied to an active Topic when Owners disagree and the conflict has not yet been resolved.