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ConceptsLifecycle Management

Lifecycle Management

Ideas in Humanet follow a structured lifecycle with clear states and validation at each stage. This ensures quality and prevents the platform from becoming cluttered with vague or abandoned ideas.

Implementation Note

The lifecycle system and AI-powered validation are currently under development. The documentation describes the planned workflow. For now, you can use the CLI and template to structure ideas following these guidelines manually.

The Lifecycle Flow

Provisional (30 day window)
         ↓
    [Submit for Evaluation]
         ↓
    AI Evaluation
         ↓
    ┌────┴────┐
    ↓         ↓
Vague    Validated
    ↓         ↓
[Refine]     Active Development
    ↓         ↓
[Re-evaluate]  ┌──────┼──────┐
    ↓         ↓      ↓      ↓
    └────→  Dormant  Archived  Deprecated

Lifecycle States

Provisional

Duration: 30 days maximum
Purpose: Initial development and documentation phase

When you create a new idea, it enters the Provisional state. This gives you time to:

  • Draft required documentation
  • Gather initial research
  • Invite early collaborators
  • Refine the problem and solution

Requirements:

  • Must have all required files (problem_statement.md, idea.md, scope.md, README.md)
  • Files must contain meaningful content (not placeholders)
  • Must submit for evaluation before the 30-day window expires

Actions Available:

  • Edit all documentation
  • Invite collaborators
  • Add research and artifacts
  • Submit for evaluation (when ready)

What Happens if You Don’t Submit?

  • After 30 days, the idea automatically enters Draft limbo
  • You receive notifications at days 20, 25, and 28
  • You can request an extension (one-time, 15 additional days)
  • After limbo, the idea is archived but can be revived

Vague

Purpose: Indicates documentation needs improvement

If the AI evaluator determines your idea lacks clarity or completeness, it will be marked Vague with specific feedback.

Common Reasons:

  • Problem statement is too broad or unclear
  • Solution doesn’t address the stated problem
  • Missing critical information
  • Success criteria are not measurable
  • Inconsistencies between documents

What to Do:

  1. Review the AI evaluation feedback
  2. Address the specific concerns raised
  3. Refine your documentation
  4. Re-submit for evaluation

Re-evaluation:

  • Unlimited re-submissions during Provisional period
  • Each evaluation provides actionable feedback
  • Can request human review if you disagree with AI assessment

Validated

Purpose: Idea has passed quality gates and is ready for development

Congratulations! Your idea has been validated. This means:

  • Documentation is clear and complete
  • Problem and solution are well-defined
  • Idea is sufficiently differentiated from existing ideas
  • Success criteria are measurable

Benefits:

  • Appears in public idea directory
  • Eligible for domain matching and expert recommendations
  • Can receive karma points
  • Can be forked, branched, or merged
  • Full access to collaboration features

Actions Available:

  • Move to Active Development
  • Allow forks and branches
  • Domain-based collaboration matching
  • Knowledge graph integration

Active Development

Purpose: Idea is being actively worked on

Once validated, you can begin active development. This state indicates:

  • Work is ongoing
  • Collaborators are making regular contributions
  • Milestones are being tracked
  • Progress is documented

Expectations:

  • Regular activity (commits, updates, discussions)
  • Milestone tracking in scope.md
  • Decision documentation
  • Response to contributor questions

Indicators of Activity:

  • Commits/updates in the last 30 days
  • Open discussions or pull requests
  • Meeting notes or decision logs
  • Prototype or code development

If Inactive for 60 Days:

  • Automatic notification to maintainers
  • Community can request status update
  • Option to mark as Dormant or open for adoption

Dormant

Purpose: Temporarily paused, but may resume

Sometimes ideas need to be put on hold:

  • Maintainer is unavailable
  • Waiting for external dependencies
  • Strategic pause for planning
  • Resource constraints

Requirements:

  • Must provide a reason and expected duration
  • Maintain minimal documentation
  • Respond to major questions/forks

Benefits:

  • Won’t be flagged as inactive
  • Reserved in knowledge graph
  • Can resume at any time
  • Original maintainer retains ownership

Open for Adoption:

  • Maintainer can mark as “Open for New Maintainer”
  • Others can request to adopt the idea
  • Original maintainer retains credit in family tree

Archived (Complete)

Purpose: Idea has reached a natural conclusion

Mark an idea as Archived when:

  • Goals have been achieved
  • Project has been completed
  • Implementation is successful
  • No further development needed

Characteristics:

  • Documentation becomes read-only
  • Still visible in knowledge graph
  • Can be forked or referenced
  • Serves as a reference for future ideas

Karma Bonus:

  • Successfully archived ideas receive completion karma
  • All contributors receive attribution
  • Featured in success stories

Deprecated (Superseded)

Purpose: Idea has been replaced by a better approach

Mark as Deprecated when:

  • A better solution has emerged
  • The approach is no longer viable
  • Superseded by a fork or merge
  • Assumptions were proven wrong

Requirements:

  • Must link to the superseding idea (if applicable)
  • Explain why it was deprecated
  • Document lessons learned

Value:

  • Prevents others from pursuing dead ends
  • Shows evolutionary path in family tree
  • Lessons learned inform future ideas
  • Maintains historical context

Transitions Between States

Provisional → Vague

  • Trigger: Failed AI evaluation
  • Action: Review feedback and refine

Provisional → Validated

  • Trigger: Passed AI evaluation
  • Action: Idea becomes publicly visible

Validated → Active

  • Trigger: Manual transition by maintainer
  • Action: Work begins, collaboration opens

Active → Dormant

  • Trigger: Manual pause or 60 days inactivity
  • Action: Provide reason and timeline

Active → Archived

  • Trigger: Goals achieved
  • Action: Document outcomes and lessons

Active → Deprecated

  • Trigger: Better solution found
  • Action: Link to replacement, document reasoning

Dormant → Active

  • Trigger: Work resumes
  • Action: Update status and roadmap

Best Practices

During Provisional

  • Take time to research and draft thoroughly
  • Get early feedback from trusted collaborators
  • Use the full 30 days if needed
  • Don’t rush to submit incomplete documentation

After Validation

  • Regularly update progress
  • Document decisions as you go
  • Respond to collaborator questions
  • Don’t go silent for extended periods

When Pausing

  • Be transparent about timeline
  • Consider marking “Open for Adoption”
  • Respond to major questions
  • Don’t ghost the community

When Completing

  • Document lessons learned
  • Celebrate achievements
  • Link to implementations or results
  • Thank contributors

FAQ

Q: Can I extend the 30-day Provisional window?
A: Yes, once. You can request a 15-day extension.

Q: What if I disagree with the AI evaluation?
A: You can request a human review through the community oversight process.

Q: Can I resurrect an archived idea?
A: Yes, you can fork it and start fresh with updated context.

Q: What happens to forks if an idea is deprecated?
A: Forks remain independent and can continue development.

Next Steps

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