From 29c300b3a57fd697572d6ee06d66c734be58649a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Nick Beckley <nick@spotorno.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:33:30 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Added phase 18 sene dashboard refinement doc

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 ...ector-Phase18-SceneDashboard-Refinement.md | 440 ++++++++++++++++++
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 create mode 100644 PlotLine/Docs/Features/PlotDirector-Phase18-SceneDashboard-Refinement.md

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+# PlotDirector Phase 18 - Scene Dashboard Refinement
+
+## Overview
+
+Phase 17 successfully replaced the legacy Scene Inspector with Scene Inspector V2.
+
+The architecture is now considered stable and feature complete.
+
+Phase 18 focuses on transforming Scene Inspector V2 from a functional editor into a polished **Scene Dashboard**.
+
+The primary design goal is:
+
+> Allow an author to understand the state of a scene in less than 30 seconds.
+
+This phase is entirely concerned with presentation, information density, usability and discoverability.
+
+No major new functionality should be introduced unless explicitly stated.
+
+---
+
+# Core Design Principles
+
+## 1. Summary First
+
+The dashboard should answer:
+
+- What happens in this scene?
+- Who is present?
+- What changed?
+- What problems exist?
+- What still needs work?
+
+before presenting editing controls.
+
+---
+
+## 2. Information Over Counts
+
+Avoid displaying raw counts where meaningful information can be shown.
+
+Prefer:
+
+- names
+- summaries
+- previews
+- warnings
+- visual indicators
+
+instead of:
+
+- "6 characters"
+- "3 notes"
+- "2 changes"
+
+---
+
+## 3. Reduce Clicks
+
+The dashboard should minimise unnecessary navigation.
+
+Users should rarely need to open an editor simply to understand scene state.
+
+---
+
+## 4. Compact Density
+
+Reduce excessive whitespace.
+
+The dashboard should remain comfortable to read while showing substantially more useful information.
+
+---
+
+# Dashboard Areas
+
+## Overview Card
+
+Purpose:
+
+Provide immediate scene identity.
+
+Recommended content:
+
+- Scene title
+- Revision status badge
+- POV character
+- Date/time
+- Primary location
+- Chapter/Scene position
+- Scene type
+- Synopsis preview
+
+Remove redundant KPI-style counters.
+
+The Overview card should become the primary source of scene identity.
+
+---
+
+# Remove KPI Strip
+
+The current KPI strip:
+
+- Status
+- POV
+- Words
+- Characters
+- Assets
+- Locations
+- Warnings
+
+adds little value.
+
+Consider removing it entirely.
+
+Any genuinely important information should be integrated into the relevant dashboard card.
+
+Examples:
+
+Status -> Overview
+
+POV -> Overview
+
+Warnings -> Continuity
+
+Characters -> People
+
+Locations -> World
+
+---
+
+# Story Card
+
+Purpose:
+
+Communicate story structure.
+
+Retain:
+
+- Purpose
+- Outcome
+- Plot thread summary
+- Dependency summary
+
+Enhancements:
+
+## Metrics Visualisation
+
+Replace numeric-only metrics with visual indicators.
+
+Examples:
+
+- horizontal progress bars
+- compact vertical bars
+- mini chart visualisations
+
+Metrics should be understandable at a glance.
+
+Numeric values may still be shown.
+
+---
+
+# People Card
+
+Purpose:
+
+Show who appears and what changed.
+
+Enhancements:
+
+## Character Presentation
+
+Use avatars wherever available.
+
+Display:
+
+Avatar + Name + Role
+
+Highlight POV character.
+
+Examples:
+
+- POV badge
+- accent border
+- icon
+
+## Expandable Change Sections
+
+Replace count-only boxes with collapsible summary sections.
+
+Examples:
+
+### Knowledge Changes
+
+Collapsed when empty.
+
+Expanded content:
+
+- character
+- knowledge item
+- resulting state
+
+### Relationship Changes
+
+Show:
+
+Character A ↔ Character B
+
+Change summary.
+
+### Attribute Changes
+
+Show:
+
+Character
+
+Old value -> New value
+
+Only display sections containing information.
+
+---
+
+# World Card
+
+Purpose:
+
+Show where the scene occurs and which objects matter.
+
+Enhancements:
+
+Display:
+
+- primary location
+- additional locations
+- important assets
+
+Use compact summaries rather than counts.
+
+Avoid:
+
+"Asset Events: 0"
+
+Prefer:
+
+"No important assets in this scene."
+
+or
+
+display actual asset names.
+
+---
+
+# Writer Card
+
+Purpose:
+
+Support active drafting.
+
+## Notes
+
+Show recent note titles.
+
+Display first one or two notes directly.
+
+Example:
+
+- Research Gareth timeline
+- Expand Beth reaction
+
+## Checklist
+
+Display incomplete items.
+
+Hide completed items by default.
+
+Example:
+
+□ Add sensory detail
+
+□ Expand dialogue
+
+## Attachments
+
+Display attachment dropdown or list.
+
+Allow direct opening.
+
+Example:
+
+Attachments ▼
+
+- police-report.pdf
+- family-tree.png
+- newspaper-clipping.url
+
+---
+
+# Continuity Card
+
+Purpose:
+
+Become the dashboard health centre.
+
+Healthy state:
+
+✓ Scene continuity verified
+
+No continuity concerns detected.
+
+Display:
+
+Last validated timestamp.
+
+Problem state:
+
+⚠ 2 continuity concerns
+
+List top warnings.
+
+Example:
+
+- Beth knowledge regression
+- Rosie location conflict
+
+Provide:
+
+Review warnings action.
+
+Avoid:
+
+Warnings: 2
+
+Dependencies: 0
+
+without explanation.
+
+---
+
+# Edit Actions
+
+Current:
+
+Multiple "Manage..." buttons create noise.
+
+Goal:
+
+One primary action per card.
+
+Examples:
+
+Edit Story ▼
+
+Edit People ▼
+
+Edit World ▼
+
+Edit Writer ▼
+
+Review Continuity ▼
+
+Use split-button or dropdown actions.
+
+Default action should open the most common editor.
+
+Dropdown exposes secondary editors.
+
+Example:
+
+Edit People ▼
+
+- Characters
+- Knowledge
+- Relationships
+- Attributes
+- Suggestions
+
+---
+
+# Layout
+
+## Scene Edit Width
+
+The Scene Edit page should use the full available width similar to Timeline.
+
+Use:
+
+container-fluid
+
+or equivalent full-width layout.
+
+The split editor layout requires additional horizontal space.
+
+---
+
+# Density Improvements
+
+Review:
+
+- card padding
+- heading spacing
+- button spacing
+- empty whitespace
+
+Target:
+
+20-25% reduction in vertical height without harming readability.
+
+---
+
+# Accessibility
+
+Ensure:
+
+- keyboard navigation remains functional
+- dropdown actions accessible
+- avatars include alt text
+- progress indicators expose values
+- colour is not sole indicator
+
+---
+
+# Success Criteria
+
+Authors should be able to answer:
+
+- What is this scene about?
+- Who is involved?
+- What changed?
+- What still needs work?
+- Are there continuity problems?
+
+within thirty seconds of opening the dashboard.
+
+The Scene Dashboard should feel:
+
+- informative
+- calm
+- visual
+- approachable
+- writer-focused
+
+rather than database-oriented.