Application Roadmap
We believe in transparency. This page outlines our current state and future vision, divided into Beta (Stabilization and Free Features) and Gamma (Premium Features) phases.
Beta 3.0
CompletedCore Infrastructure Redesign
- Complete re-design of backend infrastructure
- UI redesign with Tailwind CSS
- Implementation of the Golden Feedback Loop
- Enhanced user experience and performance
Beta 3.1
CompletedGeneral Polish
- UI/UX enhancements and refinements
- Power-user features and shortcuts
- Accessibility improvements (WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance)
- Quality-of-life improvements based on user feedback
Beta 3.2
CompletedRAG Phase 1: Neurodiversity and Empathy
- Integration of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
- Ground AI advice in factual, evidence-based knowledge base
- Expert documents on autism, ADHD, and the Double Empathy Problem
- Enhanced accuracy and reliability of translations
Beta 3.3
CompletedRAG Phase 2: Social Dynamics and Learning
- Expanded knowledge base with 10 new expert documents on social dynamics
- Growth mindset and psychological safety frameworks (Dweck, Edmondson)
- Generational communication patterns and Gen Z workplace dynamics
- Gender communication differences and rapport-building (Tannen)
- Cultural communication contexts and time systems (Hall)
- Impression management and social performance theory (Goffman)
- Interactional expertise and inclusive communication strategies
- Double empathy theory in expository contexts
Beta 3.4
CompletedClarity Coach Junior
- Audience selector for kid-friendly communication (Parent-to-Kid, Kid-to-Parent, Kid-to-Kid)
- Age-appropriate language and explanations tailored for children
- Integrated 8 new expert documents on child development and communication
- Emotion regulation strategies for children with autism (whole-brain integration)
- Comprehensive neurodiversity resources for families and educators
- Social Stories intervention framework for explaining social situations
- Parent-child communication strategies (How to Talk So Kids Will Listen)
- Understanding autism characteristics, strengths, and support needs
- Explaining ADHD to kids using relatable analogies and strengths-based language
- Parent-mediated early intervention evidence and best practices
- Enhanced support for family communication across all neurotypes
Beta 3.5
CompletedThe Safety Update
- Implemented comprehensive multi-layered safety system with content filtering and crisis intervention
- Added tiered access model: Anonymous (no age gate), Authenticated (13+), and Supervised (under 13 with consent)
- Trauma-informed content safety that supports sensitive conversations while providing appropriate resources
- Rate limiting using Upstash Redis to prevent abuse and ensure fair usage
- Output validation to catch potentially harmful AI responses before delivery
- User reporting system allowing users to flag concerning AI responses
- Comprehensive Terms of Service and Privacy Policy with COPPA compliance
- Crisis resources integration (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Crisis Text Line)
- Professional disclaimers clarifying tool limitations and encouraging professional help when needed
- Enhanced safety for Clarity Coach Junior with age-appropriate content filtering
Beta 3.6
CompletedThe UX Redesign
- Redesigned interface with progressive disclosure - core inputs immediately visible, context options collapsible
- Removed unreliable "Direct/Indirect" self-assessment selector - AI now auto-detects communication style from actual message
- Added meaningful communication profiles for neurotypes (Autism, ADHD, Neurotypical) with specific behavioral guidance
- Added generation-specific profiles (Boomer through Gen Alpha) with cultural and communication context
- Added relationship context selector (colleague, manager, friend, etc.) for situational guidance
- Implemented informative tooltips explaining what neurotypes mean and generation year ranges (e.g., "Gen Z: 1997-2012")
- Added AnalysisInfoCard showing detected communication style and selected context after translation/analysis
- Reduced cognitive load with clearer information hierarchy and "Add Context for Better Results"
- Added helpful intro text to Draft and Analyze pages with links to "How to Use" for detailed guidance
- Updated "How to Use" page to reflect new simplified interface and explain context options clearly
- Maintained all accessibility features with proper ARIA labels and semantic HTML
- All safety features remain fully intact (content filtering, crisis intervention, reporting)
Beta 3.7
CompletedRAG Phase 3: Advanced Frameworks - Power, Culture & Cognition
- Integrated 8 new expert documents covering advanced communication frameworks, cognitive biases, and social theory
- Added Foucault's Discipline and Punish - power dynamics, institutional communication, and the shift from body to soul in modern discourse
- Added Double Empathy Problem and Mutual Misunderstanding - Relevance Theory, mutual manifestness, and bidirectional communication failures
- Added Nonverbal Communication framework - channels (face, voice, gesture), functions (identification, relationship, emotion), and cultural variations
- Added Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow - System 1/System 2 thinking, cognitive biases, heuristics, and decision-making under uncertainty
- Added Neurodiverse Relationships research - facilitators, challenges, and successful strategies in neurodiverse intimate partnerships
- Added Missing Responses analysis - communication disruptions, adjacency pairs, and neurotype-specific coping strategies
- Added Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions - Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Femininity, Long-term Orientation
- Added Accepting Boundaries framework - reciprocity, barrier-free communication, and mutual adaptation in neurodiverse interactions
- Enhanced AI responses with deeper understanding of power structures, cultural mental programs, cognitive shortcuts, and cross-neurotype communication dynamics
Beta 3.8
CompletedPolitalk: Cross-Political Communication
- Added political identity context selectors (Conservative, Moderate, Progressive) to Draft and Analyze modes
- Integrated 5 expert documents on political discourse, polarization, and cross-ideological communication
- Grounded AI advice in research on moral foundations, political psychology, and epistemic differences across the political spectrum
- Enhanced translations to bridge political divides with empathy, shared values discovery, and de-escalation strategies
- Added foundational research on Moral Foundations Theory (care, fairness, loyalty, authority, sanctity)
- Integrated Political Discourse Analysis frameworks for detecting framing, presuppositions, and rhetorical strategies
- Added psychological research on political identity, motivated reasoning, and in-group/out-group dynamics
- Included epistemic frameworks explaining how conservatives and progressives prioritize different sources of knowledge
- Added practical de-polarization strategies: shared values discovery, affective empathy, perspective-taking, and collaborative problem-solving
- Extended Double Empathy Problem framework to cross-political communication challenges and mutual misunderstanding
Beta 3.9
CompletedPositionality & Lived Experience (Part 1)
- Integrated 3 foundational documents on socioeconomic class, trauma, and lived experience
- Added Ruby Payne's Framework for Understanding Poverty - understanding "hidden rules" of economic classes, language registers (casual vs. formal), and resource inequalities
- Added critical analysis of class-based deficit perspectives - recognizing systemic classism, structural barriers in education, and the harm of stereotyping people in poverty
- Added The Body Keeps the Score framework - understanding how trauma is stored in the body, fragmented memory systems, and the neurobiology of PTSD
- Enhanced AI responses with awareness of socioeconomic communication differences, trauma-informed approaches, and class-based power dynamics
- Improved sensitivity to how poverty, class background, and trauma history shape communication patterns and expectations
- Part 2 will add Global & Non-Western communication frameworks
Beta 3.10
CompletedQuality of Life Improvements
- Fixed critical loading errors and type safety issues in political identity system
- Added comprehensive error boundaries for graceful error recovery
- Removed debug console logs and improved production error handling
- Implemented admin authentication for secure admin API routes (temporary until Beta 4.0 role system)
- Added privacy consent banner and age verification for COPPA compliance
- Created reusable EmptyState and LoadingState components for consistent UX
- Enhanced security, performance, and user experience across the application
- Prepared codebase for Beta 4.0 accounts and role-based permissions system
Beta 4.0
PlanningAccounts and Subscriptions
- User authentication system (sign up, login, logout)
- User profiles and preferences
- Conversation history and saved drafts
- Subscription management (Free and Premium tiers)
- Cross-platform access for all Hearthside Works apps and games
Gamma Phase (Premium Features)
The Gamma phase introduces premium features and monetization, enabling sustainable growth while maintaining our commitment to universal access through the Elder Program.
Gamma 1.0
PlanningMonetization / Personalization
- User profiles and authentication
- Conversation history and saved drafts
- Premium tier launch
- Elder Program implementation
Gamma 1.1
PlanningGenerational & Professionalism Analysis
- The Professionalism Lens: Analyze perceived professionalism
- Enhanced generational context awareness
- Hierarchical communication patterns analysis
Gamma 1.2
PlanningAdvanced Cross-Cultural Analysis
- International & Cultural Translation
- Multiple language support
- Cultural context awareness
Gamma 1.3
PlanningSkill Building
- Practice Conversation Simulator
- Real-time conversation with AI personas
- Skill development and practice scenarios
Gamma 1.4
PlanningWorkflow Integration
- Browser & App Extension
- Integration with email clients
- Direct integration into web browsers and applications
Gamma 1.5
PlanningWorkflow Integration
- Browser & App Extension
- Integration with email clients
- Direct integration into web browsers and applications