Build Log

Known Lens Engine

June 28, 2026

Designed the substrate and built the furnace: one context object becomes six useful care surfaces.

KnownProduct DesignPrototype

seed context objects

retrieval lenses built

TypeScript files

design docs produced

Timeline

Start

Product dump — what Known is so far

Loaded all existing docs, research guide, ethics boundaries

Turn 1

Ideation reviewed — Known at Home reframe

Pre-placement home-care as first wedge. Person can still participate. Family knowledge scattered but reachable.

Turn 2

Design Brief v1 locked

Phase 0A (founding portrait) vs 0B (live validation) split. Validation scoreboard. Wedge strategy.

Turn 3

Research Guide v1 written

Five buckets. Every question maps to a final output. Source tagging system.

Correction

Art of the possible redirect

Research cannot gate progress. Build the furnace, feed it mock fire.

Turn 4

Substrate Design v1 written

Known Context Object schema. Six retrieval lenses. Capture modes. Consent model. Validation loop.

Build

Lens Engine v0 shipped

types.ts + data.ts + lenses.ts + page.tsx. All six lenses rendering at localhost:3000/known/prototype.

What shipped

Known Context Object — the atomic unit of personal context with source, confidence, privacy, tags, care moments, emotional tone, and guidance

Six lens functions: renderKnownCard, renderWhatHelpsCard, renderPortraitOutline, renderCirclePrompts, renderHandoffSheet, renderValidationView

20 seed context objects — emotionally realistic dementia home-care scenarios

Prototype page at /known/prototype — tabbed, printable, all six lenses live

Design Brief v1 — product thesis, phase plan, wedge strategy, validation scoreboard

Research Guide v1 — five-bucket conversation guide, source tagging, what not to ask

Substrate Design v1 — full Known Context Object schema and retrieval lens map

“The app should not be born until the paper artifact starts glowing. But the engine that would power that app? Build it now. Feed it mock fire. Watch what comes out.”
— Session synthesis — the posture that produced the lens engine