ODD + Canon + Evidence

Orientation Map

by Klappy2 min

Description

This orientation map provides a single-page mental model of how Intent flows through ODD Manifesto to Canon to Decisions to Evidence to Outcomes. ODD is organized as a three-tier conceptual hierarchy: ODD contains universal principles (timeless), Canon contains program-level constraints (shared rules), and Docs contains implementation details (how this instance works). Maturity moves from Exploration through Validation to Commitment. The map explicitly rejects "if it compiles, it's done" and "governance replaces judgment."

Content

This is not a workflow. It is a mental model.

🎯 The Core Idea

        Intent
          |
          v
      ODD Manifesto
          |
          v
        Canon

(Constraints & Rules)
|
v
Decisions
|
v
Evidence
        |
        v
      Outcomes

📖 How to Read This Map

• ODD explains why and what we care about
• Canon explains how decisions tend to be shaped
• Decisions are local, contextual, and human
• Evidence grounds claims in reality
• Outcomes are the only thing that matters long-term

Nothing here enforces anything.
Everything here informs something.

Canon may reference Docs. Docs must never redefine Canon.

🏗️ The Three-Tier Hierarchy

ODD is a conceptual hierarchy, not a monolithic philosophy:

Tier	Contains	Decay Rate
ODD	Universal principles (timeless, product-agnostic)	Almost never
Canon	Program-level constraints (shared rules across products)	Carefully
Docs	Implementation details (how this instance works)	Freely

The litmus test:

Would this still be true in 10 years? → ODD
Should all products in this program obey it? → Canon
Is this about how we do it here? → Docs

This separation allows ODD to outgrow any single repository.

See D0001: Three-Tier Conceptual Hierarchy.

📊 Where Maturity Lives (Not Gates)

Exploration ──────→ Validation ──────→ Commitment
   (PoC)            (Pilot)         (Production)

Rigor increases →
Evidence expectations increase →
Governance tightens →

•	Early: bias toward learning
•	Middle: bias toward validation
•	Later: bias toward trust and durability

No sharp lines. No ceremony required.

🚫 What This Map Explicitly Rejects

• “If it compiles, it’s done.”
• “Trust the explanation.”
• “One true workflow.”
• “Governance replaces judgment.”

💡 Why This Map Exists

• To explain the system in under 60 seconds
• To anchor conversations without debate
• To keep humans oriented while tools change

✅ Why These Two Artifacts Are Enough for Now

• They surface risk without prescribing control
• They encode wisdom without freezing behavior
• They respect maturity without formalizing it

This keeps you aligned with:
• KISS
• Antifragility
• Prompt over code
• Convention over configuration

And most importantly:

They make misuse discussable instead of shameful.