Diagnostic Friction
🧭Friction that reveals where assumptions break—slows you down but teaches you something.
• Same operation produces different results• Tools work differently in different contexts• Pattern doesn't fit expected container• Every session different idea of where things go
Protocol
Don't optimize away—investigate what it's revealing. This friction contains information about system behavior.
Example: Supabase migration behaves differently in dev vs Docker: uncovered env-coupling and fixed via explicit URL + schema search_path.
Impedance Friction
🧱Friction that slows you down without learning—pure resistance without signal.
• Repeated actions with no variation• Context switches that lose state• Unnecessary confirmation dialogs• Rigid boundaries that don't flex with context
Protocol
Optimize aggressively. Build bendy-flexy-fences that guide without constraining.
Too Early Intervention
⏳Premature optimization before understanding the problem space.
• Building complex infrastructure for simple need• Creating abstractions before patterns emerge• Solving problems you don't have yet• Over-engineering first implementation
Protocol
Wait. Let the pattern repeat 2-3 times before abstracting. Resist the urge to build the perfect system upfront.
Just Right Intervention
✅Responsive adaptation at the moment of actual need.
• Pattern has repeated enough to be real• Solution can be built quickly• Benefits immediate and concrete• Doesn't require major refactoring
Protocol
Act now. Just-in-time tweaks that solve actual problems without over-engineering.
Too Late Intervention
🧹Technical debt has accumulated, harder to fix than to have addressed earlier.
• Workarounds piling up• Avoiding certain operations due to friction• Code/structure has calcified around problem• Multiple people hit same issue
Protocol
Schedule dedicated time for refactoring. Can't just-in-time this anymore—needs focused effort.
Brick Walls
🧱Rigid boundaries that block when context shifts.
• Must follow exact sequence or fails• No adaptation to different use cases• Context switch loses all state• Can't work across boundaries
Protocol
Identify and replace with bendy-flexy-fences. Add flexibility points where context naturally varies.
No Boundaries
🌪️Chaos without structure—no pattern recognition possible.
• Everything mixed together• Can't find related work• No consistent organization• Pattern recognition fails
Protocol
Add minimum viable structure. Create lightweight containers that group related work without rigid rules.
Bendy-Flexy-Fences
🧬Boundaries that guide without constraining—flex with context while maintaining structure.
• Easy to work within guidelines• Adapts to different contexts• Preserves state across transitions• Patterns emerge naturally
Protocol
Maintain and iterate. Watch for friction signals that indicate fence needs adjustment.
Work Produces Tools
🛠️Infrastructure emerges as byproduct of actual work—not separate meta-work.
• Tool built to solve immediate problem• Tested under real cognitive load• Iteration based on actual friction• No speculation about future needs
Protocol
Continue. This is healthy tool development—infrastructure serves work, not vice versa.
Meta-Work Spiral
♻️Building tools becomes the work—actual objectives recede.
• More time on infrastructure than work• Tools for hypothetical future needs• Recursive improvement loops• Original task forgotten
Protocol
Break immediately. Return to concrete work objective. Note tool ideas in dispatch bay for later.
Safety Check
🧯Periodic verification that tools still serve work.
• Ask: 'Does this help current task?'• Infrastructure discussion > 15min• Building tools to build tools• Lost sight of original objective
Protocol
Pause tool work. Complete current work task first. Capture tool ideas for deferred follow-up.
Capture Without Action
📌Log intent for future expansion without disrupting current work.
• Interesting tangent emerges• Infrastructure improvement idea• Pattern worth exploring later• Connection to future work
Protocol
Use connectTo:: or dispatch::future_expansion markers. Preserve context for future self without context switch.
Bridge Creation Trigger
🌉Workstate transitions worthy of permanent capture.
• Token budget < 100k remaining• Major topic shift detected• Break/meeting/mode change• Multi-turn deep dive (>5 exchanges)
Protocol
Auto-create bridge without asking. Capture thread state, active work, restoration context. Route to float_bridges.
Context Stream Marker
📡Ephemeral context capture for short-term continuity.
• Mode transition (focus/explore/debug)• Project context shift• Meeting notes or updates• Time-bounded work session
Protocol
Use ctx:: with 36h TTL → active_context_stream. Semantic search alone ignores recency; include timestamp filters.
Assumption vs Reality Gap
🪞System behaves differently than you assume—friction reveals actual behavior.
• Query returns unexpected old results• TTL exists but data persists• Semantic search surfaces wrong time period• Collection behavior differs from expectations
Protocol
Don't fight it—document actual behavior. Update collection metadata + changelog.
Temporal vs Semantic Query
🧭Different query strategies for different information needs.
• Need recent activity → temporal filtering• Need related concepts → semantic search• Specific time window → metadata where clause• TTL collection returning old data → add timestamp filter
Protocol
For active_context_stream: always filter timestamp_unix >= recent_now. Combine with semantic results.
Infrastructure Teaching Infrastructure
📓Systems reveal their own behavior through use—meta-learning in action.
• Tool fails in interesting way• Query behavior teaches you about storage• Error messages reveal architecture• Usage exposes design decisions
Protocol
Capture the lesson immediately. Update metadata, add changelog, consider field guide addition.