Reference framework: Research-first workflow — 5 stages (Capture → Foundation → Synthesis → Article → Marketing page → Maintain)

The sequence IS the methodology. Skipping Stage 1 and starting at Stage 3 is what produces content that doesn't hold up.

Stage 0  CAPTURE
         Reading inbox + writing inbox (Matuschak)
         → transient notes, prompts, quotes, observations
         Tool: plain markdown, Obsidian daily note, memo app

Stage 1  FOUNDATION RESEARCH (INTERNAL)
         Atomic concept notes, one idea each, densely linked
         Every claim sourced; every source dated
         Confidence label inline: Verified / Industry-consensus /
                                  Single-source / Speculative
         Audience: future self + internal team + AI agents
         Output: a knowledge base, not a draft

Stage 2  SYNTHESIS / OUTLINE
         Cluster atomic notes around a public question
         Decide what stays internal (kill-your-darlings step)
         Identify the single argument the article will make
         Output: annotated outline that points at notes, not paragraphs

Stage 3  PUBLIC ARTICLE (DERIVED)
         Narrative draft for prospects/peers
         Shorter than the research; one argument; named sources
         Confidence still visible but smoothed into prose
         Links back into the public-facing portion of the KB
         Output: a versioned, dated article with a "last updated" stamp

Stage 4  MARKETING PAGE
         Brief; problem/outcome framing
         Two or three sentences of substantive claim
         Each claim linked to the article that defends it
         Each article linked to the underlying research
         Output: a short page whose credibility is one click deep

Stage 5  MAINTAIN (LIVING DOCUMENT)
         Quarterly review: which research has new sources?
         Which articles need a refreshed timestamp?
         Which marketing pages now point at stale defenses?
         Changelog visible to readers and crawlers.

The Candid KB itself is the operational realization of Stage 1. Each entry is an atomic concept note. The seeder lib ([[scripts/lib/kb-seed.js]]) is the infrastructure. Future public Candid articles get derived from this KB; the Candid marketing site links back into it.