Principles of Actual

1. Put the Machine at the Origin

Automation belongs where truth begins — on the operator. Every system choice prioritizes capture at the locus of work, not after the fact.

2. Minimize Field Burden

Any added task, touch, or interpretation is friction. The operator’s loop stays clear; the machine handles the load.

3. Preserve Provenance End-to-End

Every record carries its lineage from person to outcome. No inference substitutes for origin. No transformation breaks the chain.

4. Let Flow Reveal Itself

Work patterns emerge when truth moves without obstruction. Design exposes sequence, rhythm, and constraint instead of reconstructing them.

5. Protect Operator Dignity

Automation must affirm authorship, not monitor behavior. Testimony over tracking. Consent over surveillance. Truth with agency.