# Design Evolution Log

A chronological record of why significant design decisions were made. This is NOT a changelog. It records the product's evolution of thinking.

---

## Phase 1
Simple conversational investigation

Question → Answer interaction.

Purpose:
Prove the reasoning loop.

Learning:
Conversation alone does not provide sufficient context during longer investigations.

---

## Phase 2
Persistent investigation notebook

Added:

- current understanding
- original situation
- investigation history

Learning:
Users need persistent context rather than remembering previous answers.

---

## Phase 3
Document workspace

Created a coherent workspace with:

- investigation status
- current investigation
- response
- understanding
- investigation map placeholder
- situation
- history

Learning:
The interface became usable but still behaved like a document rather than a workspace.

---

## Phase 4 (Current Exploration)
Facilitated Investigation Workshop

Status:
Experimental.

Hypothesis:

The Confidence Engine is not:

- a chatbot
- a dashboard
- a form

It is a facilitated investigation workspace.

The interface should resemble the environment in which structured thinking happens.

Record discoveries rather than conclusions.

Leave room for future phases.

---

## Phase 4 — Guiding Principles

The Confidence Engine is a workspace, not a document.

People think in multiple directions simultaneously.

Useful context should be visible together.

The interface should favour thinking over scrolling.

The workspace should feel like a large desk or workshop rather than a narrow report.

The engine facilitates thinking.

The user contributes evidence.

The workspace captures shared understanding.