Wayfinder: Epistemic Infrastructure for Journalism

image:[License,link="https://github.com/hyperpolymath/palimpsest-license"]

Status: Conceptual Design → Proof of Concept Development

Wayfinder is a heutagogic capability development pathway and interactive journalism framework designed to transform journalism from static truth-claims into navigable knowledge ecosystems.

The Problem

We haven’t moved from "Truth to Post-Truth" but from an era where knowledge systems were simpler to one where they’re overwhelmed by data velocity. Data is outpacing knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom.

Traditional journalism says: "Here’s what happened." Wayfinder says: "Here’s the evidence ecosystem. Navigate it. Understand how we know."

The Solution

Wayfinder creates boundary objects—interactive investigations that serve different communities while maintaining evidential coherence:

• Activists: Tool for mobilization

• Policymakers: Decision support system

• Academics: Research resource

• Skeptics: Challenge mechanism

• Affected Communities: Validation and voice

• Journalists: Living investigation

All use the SAME evidence but interpret it for their needs. This enables coordination without consensus.

Core Framework: PROMPT

Every claim is evaluated across six dimensions:

• *P*rovenance: Who said it? What’s their track record?

• *R*elevance: Does this actually address the claim?

• *O*bjectivity: What biases exist? Are they disclosed?

• *M*ethods: How was evidence gathered? Is it sound?

• *P*erspective: What viewpoints are represented? What’s missing?

• *T*imeliness: Is this current? Has it been superseded?

Knowledge Pipeline: Data → Knowledge → Intelligence → Wisdom

Traditional journalism conflates all four. Wayfinder separates and makes each navigable:

1. Data Layer: Raw evidence, fully accessible

2. Knowledge Layer: Structured claims with PROMPT analysis

3. Intelligence Layer: Pattern recognition, contradiction identification

4. Wisdom Layer: Practical reasoning for decision-making

For Demoralized Journalists

"You’re not obsolete. You’re needed more than ever—but as Wayfinders, not gatekeepers. People need guides who show them HOW to navigate complexity, not just WHAT to believe."

The Learning Pathway

Self-directed, result-focused capability development:

• Level 1 (4-8 hours): Evidence Mapper - Map one claim’s evidence using PROMPT

• Level 2A (8-12 hours): Process Documentarian - Show your methodology transparently

• Level 2B (6-10 hours): Uncertainty Communicator - Replace false certainty with honest uncertainty

• Level 3 (20-40 hours): Knowledge Architect - Create full interactive investigation

• Level 4 (Ongoing): Epistemic Infrastructure Builder - Build tools, teach others

Each level produces usable professional outputs, not just learning badges.

Quick Start

For Beta Testers (Journalists)

1. Read: [claude.md](./claude.md) for full context

2. Try: Level 1 Evidence Mapping (4 hours)

   • Choose one claim you’re currently reporting

   • Apply PROMPT framework to evaluate evidence

   • See immediate value in your work

3. Decide: Continue or not (no pressure)

For Academic Partners

• PhD Integration: This research can be dissertation work

• Curriculum Development: Level 1-3 as journalism course modules

• Research Questions: Measuring impact on comprehension, trust, behavior change

For Developers

• Phase 1 (NOW): Obsidian/TiddlyWiki/Notion prototypes

• Phase 2 (3-9 months): SvelteKit + PostgreSQL + graph database custom platform

• Phase 3 (9-18 months): Ecosystem building, community tools

Theoretical Foundations

Boundary Objects (Susan Leigh Star)

Objects that maintain coherence across communities while adapting to local needs, enabling coordination without consensus.

Cognitive Science Integration

• Progressive disclosure (avoid cognitive overload)

• Meta-cognitive prompts (make thinking visible)

• Empathy-first contradictory evidence (reduce defensiveness)

• Transparent navigation analytics (show exploration patterns)

Bio-Psycho-Social-Technical Systems

Designed considering biological attention limits, psychological identity protection, social collective sense-making, and technical accessibility requirements.

Project Status

Completed

• ✅ Conceptual framework (PROMPT, boundary objects, heutagogic design)

• ✅ Four-level capability pathway design

• ✅ Cognitive science integration

• ✅ SWOT analysis

• ✅ Technical architecture planning

In Progress

• 🔄 Level 1 materials development

• 🔄 Evidence mapping templates

• 🔄 First example investigation

Next Steps (Week 1-4)

• Week 1: Document Level 1 pathway, create evidence mapping template, build one example

• Week 2: Share with 3 journalist friends for feedback

• Week 3: Build simple website (GitLab Pages)

• Week 4: First 5-10 participants start Level 1

Key Documents

• [claude.md](./claude.md): Comprehensive project documentation for AI assistants

• [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md): How to contribute to Wayfinder

• [CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md](./CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md): Community standards

• [SECURITY.md](./SECURITY.md): Security and transparency policies

Contact & Collaboration

Looking For: - Beta-testing journalists (especially demoralized ones!) - Academic partners (journalism schools, media studies) - Funders (Knight Foundation, Omidyar Network, European Media & Information Fund) - Developers (SvelteKit, PostgreSQL, D3.js) - i-Docs practitioners - Cognitive scientists interested in epistemic interfaces

Philosophy: Build in public, open source from day one, collaborative not competitive.

License

This project is dual-licensed: - Palimpsest-MPL-1.0 License (for maximum compatibility and adoption) - Palimpsest License v0.8 (for values alignment and ethical use)

See [LICENSE.txt](./LICENSE.txt) for full details.

Acknowledgments

Intellectual Foundations

• Nico Carpentier: Participatory communication theory, PhD supervision

• Susan Leigh Star: Boundary objects theory

• i-Docs Research Network: Interactive documentary frameworks

• National Union of Journalists (NUJ): Professional journalism practice insights

Inspiration

• Interactive documentaries: Out My Window, Hollow, Welcome to Pine Point, Prison Valley

• Tools: Korsakow (non-linear documentary), Klynt, Obsidian, TiddlyWiki

• Cognitive science: Cowan, Schwartz, Kahan, Nickerson

• Epistemology: Wittgenstein (late work on language games), Dempster-Shafer theory

• Media theory: De Man, Derrida (irony), David Foster Wallace (New Sincerity)

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Version: 0.1.0-alpha Last Updated: 2025-11-23 Status: Pre-release conceptual design

For AI assistants: See [claude.md](./claude.md) for full context and implementation details.