# Topic Maps — Attention Management

Topic maps organize notes by topic. They are not folders — they are navigation hubs that reduce context-switching cost.

## Why Topic Maps

A flat collection of notes becomes unnavigable as it grows. At 20 notes, you can load everything into context. At 100, you cannot. Topic maps provide curated entry points with context about WHY each note matters — not just a list of titles, but a map with reasoning about relationships.

## Topic Map Structure

```markdown
# topic-name

Brief orientation — 2-3 sentences explaining what this topic covers.

## Core Ideas
- [[note]] — context explaining why this matters here
- [[note]] — what this adds to the topic

## Tensions
Unresolved conflicts — what questions remain open? Where do ideas clash?

## Open Questions
What is unexplored. Research directions, gaps in understanding.
```

**The critical rule:** Core Ideas entries MUST have context phrases. A bare link list is an address book, not a map.

## Lifecycle

**Create** when:
- 5+ related notes accumulate without navigation structure
- You can not navigate a topic without loading everything into context

**Do NOT create** when fewer than 5 related notes exist or the topic fits as a section in an existing topic map.

**Split** when:
- A topic map exceeds 40 notes and distinct sub-communities form
- Navigation friction emerges — you can not quickly find what you need

**Archive** when: fewer than 5 notes remain and the topic has been stagnant for 6+ months.

## Health Metrics

| Metric | Healthy | Warning |
|--------|---------|---------|
| Notes per topic map | 10-40 | >50 |
| Orphan notes | 0 | Any |
| Dangling links | 0 | Any |
| Last updated | Recent | >90 days |

## Anti-Patterns

**Bare link lists** — Always explain WHY each note belongs.

**Topic maps as content** — Developed thinking belongs in notes, not topic maps.

**Too many topic maps** — If you can not decide which to update, merge small ones.

**Stale navigation** — Creating notes without updating topic maps.