Principlev1
Design capture and retrieval systems to minimize friction
Design capture and retrieval systems to minimize friction between having a thought and externalizing it, because even small increases in effort create selection bias toward capturing only high-activation thoughts.
Why This Is a Principle
This principle derives from axioms about decay (Exponential Information Decay), cognitive load from uncommitted thoughts (Open-Loop Cognitive Cost (Zeigarnik)), and path-of-least-resistance behavior (Behavior follows the path of least resistance due to the). It prescribes reducing friction in systems, which is actionable guidance that follows from these foundational constraints. The principle is general enough to apply across contexts but specific enough to guide design decisions.