The Ideaverse Methodology
Apply the ACE framework (Atlas/Calendar/Efforts), LYT (Linking Your Thinking) conventions, and the ARC workflow (Add/Relate/Communicate) to organize and connect knowledge.
Core Framework: ACE + Extras
ACE organizes all content by intention, not topic. The fourth folder, + Extras/, provides operational infrastructure:
| Folder | Purpose | Question It Answers | Orientation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas/ | Permanent, reusable knowledge | "What do I know?" | Space (relatedness) |
| Calendar/ | Temporal records, when things happened | "When did this happen?" | Time (reflection) |
| Efforts/ | Active work, goals, and projects | "What am I working on?" | Action (importance) |
| + Extras/ | Templates, attachments, system config | "What supports my vault?" | Infrastructure |
Separate project-specific material (Efforts/) from permanent knowledge (Atlas/). When a concept has reuse value beyond its originating project, extract it to Atlas/ and link back.
+ Extras/ — The Support Layer
The + Extras/ folder holds everything that supports the vault but isn't knowledge, calendar, or project content. The + prefix sorts it below ACE folders alphabetically in Obsidian's file explorer, keeping the three core folders visually prominent.
Typical contents:
| Subfolder | Purpose |
|---|---|
Templates/ | Note templates (daily log, MOC, person, etc.) |
Attachments/ | Images, PDFs, and media files |
Bases/ | Obsidian Base files (.base) |
Canvases/ | Canvas files (.canvas) |
Utilities/ | Utility notes, dataview queries, CSS snippet references |
Rule: Nothing in + Extras/ is a "note" in the knowledge sense. If you wouldn't link to it from an MOC or reference it as knowledge, it belongs in Extras.
The ARC Workflow
Follow the three phases:
1. ADD (Capture)
- Capture to daily logs, inboxes, or fleeting notes without friction
- Do not organize immediately; avoid decision fatigue
- Get ideas into the system first, then process
2. RELATE (Connect) - The Critical Phase
Before creating or filing any permanent note:
- Search first - Check if the concept already exists in your vault
- Read relevant MOCs - Understand existing structure before adding
- Extract atomic concepts - One idea per note
- Set relationship properties in frontmatter (up, related, created)
- Check for squeeze points - If you're linking to a term 10+ times without an MOC, create one
3. COMMUNICATE (Express)
- Use connected notes as sources for output
- Link and transclude from existing notes rather than duplicating
- Transform captured ideas into finished work
MOC-First Navigation
When exploring or searching the vault:
- Start with MOCs - They contain human-curated structure and signal
- Follow links from MOCs to atomic notes
- Prefer MOC paths over keyword search - MOCs guide; raw search returns noise
- Create MOCs when squeezed - When 10+ related notes exist without structure
Required Conventions
Use YAML frontmatter to express relationships and creation dates. Keep relationship links in frontmatter as arrays and use quoted wikilinks.
For the complete frontmatter specification and examples, read references/frontmatter.md.
Linking
- Use Wikilinks in Obsidian:
[[Page Name]]or[[Page Name|Alias]] - Avoid markdown links for internal references
- Link freely where relationships are meaningful
- Use aliases for clarity when helpful
Text Style
- Use hyphens with spaces (
-), not em-dashes (—) - Use
-for unordered lists - Keep notes atomic and focused
Key Workflows
Use the ARC workflow (Add → Relate → Communicate) as the core process. For detailed procedures, read references/workflows.md:
- Add (Capture) - Get information into the system without friction
- Relate (Connect) - Transform raw capture into connected knowledge
- Communicate (Express) - Use connected knowledge to produce output
Other essential workflows:
- Creating/evolving MOCs - When and how to build Maps of Content
- Daily log maintenance - Keeping temporal records updated and linked
- Work completion - Extracting knowledge before archiving completed projects
- Cross-reference discovery - Finding and adding back-references proactively
Extending Ideaverse
Allow vault-specific extensions (status, type, tags, area, rank) as needed. Use the vault’s implementation guide for those customizations.
Templates
Optional template for daily logs:
- assets/daily-log-template.md - Structured daily log format
Vault Maintenance Scripts
Use the maintenance skill for diagnostics and scripts: ../ideaverse-maintenance/SKILL.md.
Common Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Symptom | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Over-connecting | Links everywhere, none meaningful | Only link where genuine relationship exists. Ask: "Would a reader benefit from this connection?" |
| Premature organization | Complex folder structures before ideas stabilize | Wait for the mental squeeze point (10+ notes on a topic) before creating MOCs |
| Knowledge fragmentation | Same idea captured in multiple places | Search Atlas/ before creating new notes; consolidate duplicates |
| Under-linking | Notes feel isolated, no emergent connections | Link freely during Relate phase; follow the "squeeze point" principle for MOCs |
| Garden neglect | Orphaned notes, broken links, stale content | Schedule regular maintenance sweeps (weekly or monthly) using validation scripts |