Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.canthus.org/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Purpose
Insights in Canthus exist to support pacing and self-awareness. They do not exist to optimise productivity, create accountability, or measure performance. This document defines what is allowed, what is banned, and how insights must be phrased.Allowed insight types
All allowed insights are:- Descriptive (what happened), not prescriptive (what you should do)
- Comparative to the user’s own history, never to other users
- Optional to view - no insight is surfaced unless the user navigates to Insights
Current allowed insights
| Insight | Description |
|---|---|
| Daily pool vs used | Bar chart showing mana allocated vs mana spent per day - last 7 days |
| Pool allocation trend | Line chart of daily pool size across the week |
| Check-in scores | Line chart of body/mind self-ratings from check-ins |
| Physical vs cognitive effort split | Bar chart of how effort was distributed across task types |
| Pool engagement rate | Percentage of pool used each day |
Criteria for new insights
A new insight type is permitted only if:- It is descriptive - it shows what happened, not what the user should do
- It carries no implicit expectation of improvement or consistency
- A low value is not presented as a failure (rest is valid data)
- It does not compare the user to any external benchmark or other users
- It can be explained in plain, non-judgemental language
Banned patterns
The following patterns are explicitly prohibited. This list is enforced at design review and must be checked before any new insight is shipped.| Pattern | Reason |
|---|---|
| Streaks | Create shame and anxiety on break days; imply consistency is required |
| Productivity scores | Reduce capacity management to a number that invites comparison |
| Leaderboards | Comparative by design; irrelevant and harmful in a health context |
| Completion rate targets | Imply there is a correct rate; penalise rest days |
| ”You haven’t…” prompts | Shame-adjacent framing; paternalistic |
| Red/amber/green status on capacity | Implies green is the goal; pathologises low-capacity days |
| Trend arrows with valence | Up arrows implying improvement; down arrows implying regression |
| Notifications about insight milestones | ”You’ve used your pool 5 days in a row” - streak by another name |
Phrasing rules
Do
- Use neutral, descriptive language: “Your pool was 40 mana on Tuesday”
- Acknowledge rest as valid: “Rest days appear as low usage - that’s expected”
- Use “this week” framing, not “your trend” framing
- Include disclaimers on evidence blocks when strength is moderate or below
Do not
- Use the words: “goal”, “target”, “achieve”, “improve”, “better”, “worse”, “should”
- Frame low usage as underperformance
- Use conditional phrasing that implies a correct outcome (“when you hit your pool…”)
- Add exclamation marks to positive outcomes
Examples
Acceptable“You used about 60% of your pool most days this week.”
“Your pool has been lower this week than last. That may reflect your check-ins.”Not acceptable
“Great job hitting your pool 4 days this week!”
“You’re only using 30% of your pool - try to do more.”
“Your productivity dropped this week.”
Review checklist
Before shipping any insight, a design reviewer confirms:- No banned patterns are present
- No prescriptive language in titles, subtitles, or tooltips
- A zero or low value is not presented negatively
- An explainer is available (via info icon) for each chart
- The insight has been added to the allowed list above