Inner Loop
The factory's control system. These projects make the factory work — they are not the product, they are the machine that builds the product.
CONDUCTOR (Autoresearch) runs the loop
→ PUMP (Agent Platform) executes each step
→ GAUGE (Decision Tracer) records the why
→ CONTROLLER (Auto Commissioning) verifies what shipped
→ loop feeds back to CONDUCTOR
The System
| PRD | P&ID Role | What It Does | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Management System | SYSTEM | Things-table PM across cadences — the umbrella | L2-partial |
| Agent Platform | PUMP | Identity, memory, comms, dispatch — moves the work | L2 |
| Automated Commissioning | CONTROLLER | Test results compute feature states — closes the loop | L0 |
| Decision Tracer | GAUGE | Durable traces of the "why" behind every change | L0 |
| Autoresearch Loop | CONDUCTOR | Chains skills into overnight autonomous loops | L0 |
Why This Exists
Every project management tool tracks tasks. None track the state of things. We built a plan CLI with 40+ commands and a planning database with 114 plans. The CLI tells the truth — 74% completion rate, 1.1 day average cycle time. The UI showed 1%.
The gap between what's real and what's visible is where projects fail. These five projects close that gap.
Build Sequence
| Sprint | What Ships | Feeds |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | Plans UI — math, clickable rows, project grouping | Done |
| N2 | Plan detail page — phases, tasks, progress, evidence | In progress |
| N3 | Project dashboard — things by state across all projects | Next |
| N4 | Cadence views — daily/weekly/monthly planning surfaces | Connects to Time+Mind |
| N5 | Computed states — test results update feature matrix | Auto Commissioning |
| N6 | Decision traces — "why" persisted alongside "what" | Decision Tracer |
The Origin
Whareroa, New Zealand. Thousands of items — valves, pumps, instruments — each at a different state. The boss asks "are we on track?" Count the things. Count them by state. The gap between where they are and where they need to be IS the answer.
The full story.
Context
- Navigation System — Value, Belief, Control
- Control System — PID mechanics, pit of success
- Progress — Things by state, not tasks by done
- Planning — Cadences: daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly
- Development Journeys — The pipeline these projects track
Questions
If the factory can't measure its own output, how does it know what to build next?
- When does the Plans UI replace the priorities markdown page as the primary decision surface?
- What's the minimum viable things table that answers "are we on track?" without fabricating confidence?
- If the conductor (Autoresearch) ran overnight, what would you find by morning?