There are formal methods where the underlying model is mathematically sound. There are semi-formal methods where the underlying model is structured but not proven to be sound.
For example, in your case ("organizes knowledge") a formal method is ologs from category theory. That method assures that the concepts and their relationship in your knowledge base are mathematically correct.
When you want to transfer that knowledge base into a documentation system you might want look for a mathematically sound model, but I'm afraid there is no such model, so what's left is a semi-formal method / a likely-correct model.
Right now I'm building such a likely-correct model for writing, contact me for more info.
Thank you for introducing me to ologs - they're fascinating. I'm intrigued by the distinction you make between formal methods and semi-formal approaches.
I'd love to explore how your "likely-correct model for writing" might complement the MECE-based documentation system I've been developing. Since you're building a model focused on writing correctness, perhaps there's an opportunity to collaborate?
My approach addresses the organizational structure of documentation, while your work seems to focus on ensuring correctness at the content level. Together, these could potentially create a more comprehensive solution that combines hierarchical organization with formal correctness principles.
Would you be interested in discussing further? I'm curious to learn more about your model.
Perhaps there is no such thing like absolute truth.
In category theory / ologs, a formal method for knowledge representation, the result is always mathematically sound, yet ologs are prefixed with "According to the author's world view ..."
On the other way truth, even if it's not absolute, it's very expensive.
Lately AWS advocates a middle ground, the lightweight formal methods, which are much cheaper than formal methods yet deliver good enough correctness for their business case.
In the same way MIT CSAIL's Daniel Jackson advocates a semi-formal approach to design likely-correct apps (Concept design)
It seems there is a push for better correctness in software, without the aim of perfectionism.
The structure (ontology, taxonomy) is created with ologs, a formal method from category theory. The behavior (choreography) is created with a semi-formal implementation (XState) of a formal method (Finite State Machines)
The user-facing aspect of the software is designed with Concept Design, a semi-formal method from MIT CSAIL.
Creating software with these methods is refreshing and fun. Maybe one day we can reach Tonsky's "Diagrams are code" vision.
"Diagrams are code" exists as ladder diagrams for PLC, from which Structured Text can be derived, which typically are used by PICs for simple to estimate time behavior in very time-sensitive/critical (real-time) control applications.
Stack + dynamic memory and other system resource modeling would need proper models with especially memory life-time visualization being an open research problem, let alone resource tracking being unsolved (Valgrind offers no flexible API, license restrictions, incomplete and other platforms than Linux are less complete etc).
Reads and writes conditioned on arithmetic have all the issues related to complex arithmetic and I am unaware of (time) models for speculation or instruction re-ordering, let alone applied compiler optimizations.
Fascinating approach with ologs and FSMs I've been working on PAELLADOC (https://github.com/jlcases/paelladoc) which applies MECE principles to documentation structure. Similar philosophy but focused on knowledge representation correctness rather than software behavior.
The results align with your experience - structured conceptual foundations make development more intuitive and documentation more valuable for both humans and AI tools.
A Senior / Lead React Front-end Developer, Design Engineer, Software Architect is looking for a job.
I have dual skills: a degree in Computer Science and UI/UX design works featured in online galleries.
In the last 15 years I've been designing and developing websites and applications. From back-end to front-end, from architecture design to UI/UX design, on different stacks. I've built and managed front-end teams, shaped products.
Currently, I specialize in React and TypeScript, offering expertise in:
- Team Leadership: Building and guiding React teams, producing high-quality code even with junior developers.
- Design Engineering: Developing robust design systems, enabling rapid prototyping, shaping product design, and bridging developer-designer communication gaps.
Mathematics, Computer Science and UI/UX design specialist with 25+ years of experience.
I solve two of the most challenging software engineering problems: code architecture and state management, using formal methods (Applied category theory, Finite state machines) to bring academic rigor to the full stack: https://www.osequi.com/studies/list/list.html
I also facilitate product design by bridging design and development, leveraging my deep understanding of both visual design and its technical implementation.
Achievements:
- Built and led engineering teams (30+ engineers)
- Co-founded startups (1 successful exit)
- International consulting (Silicon Valley, UK, EU, Singapore)
- Featured in UI/UX design galleries
- Recently completed two-year R&D sabbatical focused on software correctness and rapid iteration methodologies
Seeking:
- Senior / Principal architect or technical leadership roles at companies valuing correctness, maintainability, and design excellence
- Joining teams building better software, faster
- Particularly interested in fintech, health-tech, and developer tools
A Senior / Lead React Front-end Developer, Design Engineer, Software Architect is looking for a part time, fractional job.
I have dual skills: a degree in Computer Science and UI/UX design works featured in online galleries.
In the last 15 years I've been designing and developing websites and applications. From back-end to front-end, from architecture design to UI/UX design, on different stacks. I've built and managed front-end teams, shaped products.
Currently, I specialize in React and TypeScript, offering expertise in:
- Team Leadership: Building and guiding React teams, producing high-quality code even with junior developers.
- Design Engineering: Developing robust design systems, enabling rapid prototyping, shaping product design, and bridging developer-designer communication gaps.
I have dual skills: a degree in Computer Science and UI/UX design works featured in online galleries.
In the last 15 years I've been designing and developing websites and applications. From back-end to front-end, from architecture design to UI/UX design, on different stacks. I've built and managed front-end teams, shaped products.
Currently, I specialize in React and TypeScript, offering expertise in:
- Team Leadership: Building and guiding React teams, producing high-quality code even with junior developers.
- Design Engineering: Developing robust design systems, enabling rapid prototyping, shaping product design, and bridging developer-designer communication gaps.
A Senior / Lead React Front-end Developer, Design Engineer, Software Architect is looking for a part time, fractional job.
I have dual skills: a degree in Computer Science and UI/UX design works featured in online galleries.
In the last 15 years I've been designing and developing websites and applications. From back-end to front-end, from architecture design to UI/UX design, on different stacks. I've built and managed front-end teams, shaped products.
Right now I focus on React and I can be helpful in a couple of ways:
- Building, guiding, leading React teams to produce high quality code even with junior developers
- Design Engineering: Building robust design systems, rapid prototyping new ideas or features, shaping product design, developer - designer communication
There are formal methods where the underlying model is mathematically sound. There are semi-formal methods where the underlying model is structured but not proven to be sound.
For example, in your case ("organizes knowledge") a formal method is ologs from category theory. That method assures that the concepts and their relationship in your knowledge base are mathematically correct.
When you want to transfer that knowledge base into a documentation system you might want look for a mathematically sound model, but I'm afraid there is no such model, so what's left is a semi-formal method / a likely-correct model.
Right now I'm building such a likely-correct model for writing, contact me for more info.
[1] https://www.osequi.com/slides/formalism-correctness-cost/for...