experiment: improve investigation rhythm

.claude/ux-guidelines.md

@@ -393,3 +393,19 @@ Every investigation answer is a single observation.
 Response controls should communicate concise input unless the engine explicitly requests otherwise.
 
 Consistency reduces cognitive load.
+
+## Investigation Rhythm
+
+Principles:
+
+Every interaction should feel like the next natural step.
+
+The interface should never appear to stop thinking.
+
+Users should always know what just happened.
+
+Users should always know what happens next.
+
+The investigation should feel continuous rather than page-based.
+
+The conversation should flow naturally.

components/reasoning-workspace.jsx

@@ -317,8 +317,8 @@ function CurrentUnderstandingCard({ currentSummary, plainLanguage }) {
   if (!summary) return null;
 
   return (
-    <div className="rounded-lg border border-gray-200/60 bg-white/80 px-6 pt-5 pb-6">
-      <h2 className="mb-4 text-base font-semibold tracking-tight text-gray-400">
+    <div className="rounded-lg border border-gray-100/80 bg-transparent px-6 pt-5 pb-6">
+      <h2 className="mb-3 text-[11px] font-medium tracking-widest uppercase text-gray-300">
         Understanding
       </h2>
       <p className="text-sm leading-relaxed text-gray-600">{summary}</p>
@@ -331,8 +331,8 @@ function PlainLanguageCard({ summary }) {
   if (!summary) return null;
 
   return (
-    <div className="rounded-lg border border-gray-200/60 bg-white/80 px-6 pt-5 pb-6">
-      <h2 className="mb-4 text-base font-semibold tracking-tight text-gray-400">
+    <div className="rounded-lg border border-gray-100/80 bg-transparent px-6 pt-5 pb-6">
+      <h2 className="mb-3 text-[11px] font-medium tracking-widest uppercase text-gray-300">
         Understanding
       </h2>
       <p className="text-sm leading-relaxed text-gray-600">{summary}</p>
@@ -711,12 +711,12 @@ export default function ReasoningWorkspace({
                 </>
               )}
 
-            </div>
-          )}
+              {/* History — the conversation that has just happened */}
+              {investigationHistory.length > 0 && (
+                <InvestigationHistory turns={investigationHistory} />
+              )}
 
-          {/* History — growing naturally from Response */}
-          {investigationHistory.length > 0 && (
-            <InvestigationHistory turns={investigationHistory} />
+            </div>
           )}
 
           {/* ═══════════════ WORKSPACE — supporting context ═══════════════ */}
@@ -724,7 +724,9 @@ export default function ReasoningWorkspace({
             <div className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-6 lg:grid-cols-3">
               <div className="space-y-6 lg:col-span-2">
                 <CurrentUnderstandingCard currentSummary={graph?.currentSummary || result?.updatedSituationGraph?.currentSummary} plainLanguage={propUnderstanding || null} />
-                <InvestigationSummaryPanel graph={graph} selectedQuestion={selectedQ} result={result} updateStatus={updateStatus} />
+                <div className="opacity-75">
+                  <InvestigationSummaryPanel graph={graph} selectedQuestion={selectedQ} result={result} updateStatus={updateStatus} />
+                </div>
               </div>
 
               <div className="space-y-6 lg:col-span-1">

docs/design-evolution-log.md

@@ -409,11 +409,42 @@ The response component should therefore communicate the same expected effort as
 - Does the workspace become visually calmer?
 - Does the current investigation remain the dominant focus?
 
-#### Status
+#### Result
 
-Experimental.
+Confirmed.
 
-No conclusions yet.
+Consistent interaction patterns reduce cognitive effort.
+
+Users should not have to learn different behaviours between the landing page and investigation.
+
+Smaller response areas reinforce concise observations.
+
+The engine appears more conversational when each answer feels lightweight.
+
+Consistency is becoming a stronger design tool than decoration.
+
+#### Decision
+
+Retain consistent input sizing across both contexts.
+
+---
+
+## Emerging Direction
+
+The first UX experiments focused on workspace structure.
+
+The next series will focus on investigation rhythm.
+
+Future experiments should explore:
+
+- how conversations unfold
+- how understanding evolves
+- how transitions feel
+- how confidence is gradually built
+
+The objective is no longer to arrange cards.
+
+The objective is to make the investigation feel like a natural facilitated conversation.
 
 ---