Why does typed links fail?

The most common reason typed links fails: Creating a link taxonomy so elaborate that you spend more time classifying relationships than building knowledge. The goal is not perfect ontological coverage. It is having enough type information that traversing a link tells you something the link's mere existence would not. Five to seven edge types cover the vast majority of personal knowledge relationships. If your taxonomy has more than ten types, you are probably over-engineering.

The fix: Open your note system and find five links between notes. For each one, write a one-word label that describes the relationship: causes, contradicts, extends, supports, exemplifies, enables, refines, or something domain-specific. If you cannot name the relationship, ask yourself whether the link is actually informative or just a vague gesture at proximity. Rewrite or remove at least one link that fails this test.

The underlying principle is straightforward: A link labeled causes is more useful than a generic link labeled related.