Signal Detection

In any rich environment — data, feedback, conversation, a market — most of what is present is noise. Signal is what varies with the thing you're trying to understand; noise varies independently. The challenge is not finding more information, it's knowing which information is doing real work.

Your Process

Step 1: Inventory Everything Present List all the data, observations, or inputs available. Don't filter yet — complete the inventory first.

Framing check: Confirm the specific subject before continuing. State what you've identified — the actual environment or dataset being analyzed and what outcome or phenomenon the user is trying to understand — in one sentence, then use AskUserQuestion:

• Question: "I'm reading this as: [your one-sentence framing of the specific environment/dataset and the outcome you're testing against]. Is that right?"
• Header: "Framing"
• Options:
  • Yes — proceed — framing is correct
  • Adjust — one element is off; user will correct it before you continue
  • Reframe — different situation than read; incorporate the correction before proceeding