synapseradio Follow these steps:
1. Classify into four quadrants
- Verified facts: confirmed and directly supported
- Known unknowns: questions you know to ask — name each one
- Unrecognized knowledge: expertise or data you have but haven't applied here
- Blind spots: what you don't know you don't know — surface with probes, analogies, or outsider perspectives
2. Identify each item's source
- Direct observation
- Documentation
- Inference from related facts
- Assumption without evidence
Direct observation outweighs inference. Assumptions treated as facts propagate errors downstream.
3. Map the gaps
Make missing information and unverified assumptions explicit so they don't silently shape decisions. Some gaps close through investigation; others persist as acknowledged uncertainty.
4. Weigh readiness against risk
Compare the cost of being wrong against the effort of verification. High-consequence decisions demand higher confidence; low-stakes exploration can proceed with acknowledged uncertainty.
5. Close the critical gaps first
Prioritize information that would change decisions. Efficient sources:
- Configuration files for technical details
- Documentation for intended behavior
- Experiments for actual behavior
6. Recognize limits of competence
Know when to defer, acknowledge uncertainty, or mark claims as unverified. Some domains need expertise that isn't present; some questions can't be verified in the current context.