Field Note · Observation
Inquiry mode mismatch — the dragonfly test
“Before retrieving content, ask: what kind of inquiry is this?”
Context
Recorded: 2026-06-07
Observation from using Ask WAMA. The system consistently answers as if every question is a recovery / problem-solving inquiry. When the user asks 'Why do I see dragonflies?' the system returns Recovery, Regulation, Grounding. The content may be fine; the mode is wrong. The user is offering an observation; the system treats it as a symptom. Tentative types surfaced from real examples: - Recovery Inquiry: 'Why am I exhausted?' — seeks relief, orientation, action. - Observation Inquiry: 'Why do I see dragonflies?' — seeks exploration. - Meaning Inquiry: 'What does coherence mean?' — seeks synthesis. - Practice Inquiry: 'What should I do next?' — seeks action. Hypothesis: the system may not need to know the answer; it may need to know the mode. If the mode is wrong, the resources feel wrong even when they are individually sound. Status: observation. Not promoted to architecture. Test with real examples before formalizing. If the distinction keeps predicting user expectations, it becomes worth building. If it collapses under testing, discard it without ceremony.
Field Notes are observations, not scientific evidence. The original wording is preserved; later insights are appended below rather than edited into the body above.