R1 — Design the tool's opening question for the curiosity inverted-U: ANSWERABLE-but-UNKNOWN; do not go too vague (backfire) or too obvious (no gap)

Rule: Frame the tool's opening question so it feels answerable-but-unknown to the user. Aim above the "I have no idea" floor and below the "I already know" ceiling.

Why: Curiosity follows an inverted-U over prior knowledge (Curiosity follows an INVERTED-U over prior knowledge/confidence — peaks at MODERATE knowing, falls when one knows nearly nothing or nearly everything (Kang 2009, Dubey-Griffiths 2020, Lee 2024)) — peaks at moderate confidence, falls at both ends. Too-vague teasers can backfire and produce frustration (Curiosity gaps can BACKFIRE when teasers are too vague/abstract — information-seeking drops (Scientific Reports 2024; OBHDP 2023 frustration finding)). Loewenstein 1994 (Loewenstein (1994), Psychological Bulletin 116(1) — information-gap theory: curiosity is cognitively induced deprivation from a perceived gap in knowledge or understanding) is the foundational frame.

How to apply:

• Tool titles / headers should name the specific question the user is here to answer ("What's the cost of a new roof for a 2,000 sq ft home?"), not abstract teasers ("Discover your savings").
• For SMB clients whose audience is mid-knowledge, lean into the gap (assume they've started researching).
• For very-novice audiences, lower the implied prior knowledge before the question (a short framing paragraph).
• Avoid "you won't believe what you'll save" — too-vague-curiosity is documented to backfire.