The StandIn Principles
We do not build magic. We build infrastructure.
These five rules define how we design, what we build, and what we refuse to build.
Declared, not observed
We only know what you explicitly tell us. We act on "Wraps" (user declarations) and "Commits" (system records). We never infer state by watching behavior.
Why it exists
Observation is surveillance. Surveillance creates anxiety. Anxiety destroys culture. We want you to feel safe closing your laptop.
What it prevents
Green-dot tracking, mouse-jiggling, and the feeling that "Big Brother" is calculating your productivity score.
Continuity over presence
The context must move, even if the worker stops. StandIn is designed to decouple information from the person who holds it, allowing the team to function asynchronously.
Why it exists
Real-time collaboration is expensive and brittle across time zones. Relying on presence means someone is always working late.
What it prevents
The "8 PM Ping," the expectation of immediate response, and burnout caused by extended hours.
Silence is valid
If the answer is not in the declared record, StandIn stays silent. We do not guess. We do not hallucinate to be "helpful."
Why it exists
In professional operations, a wrong answer is worse than no answer. False confidence leads to errors.
What it prevents
AI hallucinations, assumptions about project status, and the erosion of trust in the system.
Refusal builds trust
We explicitly reject queries that cross boundaries (e.g., "What did they say in DM?", "Are they working hard?").
Why it exists
Users must know where the edge is to feel safe standing near it. Hard boundaries create psychological safety.
What it prevents
Managerial creep, privacy violations, and the weaponization of the tool against employees.
Humans remain authors of record
StandIn retrieves and transports context, but a human must sign it. The "Wrap" is an explicit act of authorship.
Why it exists
Accountability cannot be delegated to software. When a decision is communicated, a human must own it.
What it prevents
"The AI said so" excuses, loss of ownership, and lazy documentation practices.