{
  "brand": "Northline Research",
  "title": "Make the first page less blank.",
  "subtitle": "A decision file for a fictional shared notebook. Signals, uncertainty, and one reversible next step.",
  "date": "October 2026",
  "synthetic": true,
  "scope": "Decide which onboarding prototype to evaluate next. This synthetic packet cannot support a production roadmap commitment.",
  "evidence": [
    {
      "id": "U-01",
      "type": "usability",
      "segment": "New collaborator",
      "signal": "The first empty page leaves the next action unclear.",
      "quote": "Synthetic observation: a participant in the scenario pauses before creating a page.",
      "strength": "medium",
      "limitations": "Fictional single-session observation; no measured prevalence."
    },
    {
      "id": "S-02",
      "type": "support",
      "segment": "Small team",
      "signal": "People ask where examples live.",
      "quote": "Synthetic ticket: Where can I see a finished notebook?",
      "strength": "weak",
      "limitations": "An invented teaching example, not an actual support ticket."
    },
    {
      "id": "I-03",
      "type": "interview",
      "segment": "Experienced writer",
      "signal": "A prescribed template can interrupt an established practice.",
      "quote": "Synthetic quote: I already know how I want to start.",
      "strength": "weak",
      "limitations": "No real interview or sample size."
    },
    {
      "id": "O-04",
      "type": "stakeholder",
      "segment": "Product team",
      "signal": "The team prefers a small reversible experiment.",
      "quote": "Not provided",
      "strength": "weak",
      "limitations": "Stakeholder preference is not user evidence."
    }
  ],
  "themes": [
    {
      "title": "Show a possibility, then get out of the way.",
      "body": "An example could offer a beginning without enforcing a workflow.",
      "evidence": [
        "U-01",
        "S-02"
      ],
      "confidence": "low",
      "tension": "I-03 prefers an unrestricted blank page."
    },
    {
      "title": "Keep the empty canvas available.",
      "body": "A visible skip path protects existing writing habits.",
      "evidence": [
        "I-03"
      ],
      "confidence": "low",
      "tension": "The option could distract users who need stronger direction."
    }
  ],
  "opportunities": [
    {
      "title": "Optional example notebook",
      "evidence": [
        "U-01",
        "S-02"
      ],
      "scores": [
        2,
        3,
        3,
        5
      ],
      "tradeoff": "Scores are synthetic discussion aids, not measured impact."
    },
    {
      "title": "Mandatory setup wizard",
      "evidence": [
        "U-01",
        "I-03"
      ],
      "scores": [
        1,
        3,
        2,
        2
      ],
      "tradeoff": "Adds structure, but risks imposing work before the first page."
    }
  ],
  "memo": {
    "recommendation": "Prototype an optional example beside the blank page.",
    "whyNow": "The decision is narrow enough to test without shipping a mandatory flow.",
    "couldBeWrong": "The underlying obstacle may be unclear collaboration roles rather than the blank page.",
    "measureNext": "Observe whether the next action is understood and whether experienced writers can skip.",
    "nextStep": "Test two paper prototypes with consenting participants; record actual findings separately.",
    "evidence": [
      "U-01",
      "S-02",
      "I-03"
    ]
  },
  "experiments": [
    {
      "title": "Blank page vs. optional example",
      "owner": "Research lead (fictional)",
      "metric": "Observed ability to identify the next action",
      "threshold": "Not provided — agree before running the study",
      "learning": "Whether examples orient participants without forcing a workflow."
    }
  ],
  "assumptions": [
    "All evidence in this sample is synthetic.",
    "No participant count, conversion uplift, or statistical confidence has been measured."
  ]
}