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How we draw how the work happens.

Aura is Morna's design system. These are its figures: one visual language for explaining how Morna works, on this site first and, in time, inside the product.

Six rules.

  1. 1Monochrome ink. Emphasis is done in black and weight, not in colour.
  2. 2Colour only for meaning. Amber waits for you. Green is verified.
  3. 3Precise for mechanisms, sketched for ideas. A pen line says this is an argument, not a wiring diagram.
  4. 4Right angles, never diagonals. Connectors turn with rounded corners and never cross a box.
  5. 5One focal thing. If everything is emphasised, nothing is.
  6. 6Examples say so. Illustrative figures are labelled, and a projection is drawn as one: dashed and hollow.

Colour and type.

Colour
  • InkText, strokes, the focal node--ink-1
  • MutedSecondary text and default arrows--ink-2
  • SoftLabels, empty seats, asides--ink-3
  • RuleHairlines and axes--rule-strong
  • WaitStops for the owner's yes--wait
  • ProofVerified at the source--proof
Type
  • NewsreaderHeadlines and set figures

    €3,180 recovered

  • GeistNames and labels

    Maris · Finance

  • Geist MonoSources and times

    Stripe payout · 06:14

  • CaveatHuman asides only

    the only step that needs you

The parts.

Six kinds of node, one kind of connector, a seat, and the hand-drawn layer. Every figure below is built from these.

The parts of an Aura figure: six node kinds, a connector, a seat, and the hand-drawn layerSix nodes: step, focal (filled ink), wait (amber), proof (green), store (grey) and ghost (dashed). A connector labelled drafts runs at right angles from a message to a draft that waits for the owner. A filled seat for Maris, Finance, and a dashed empty seat. A sketched box with a hand-drawn arrow and a handwritten note.NodesStepWorkruns on its ownFocalLook hereonce per figureWaitYour yesstops for youProofVerifiedhas a sourceStoreThe recordkept, not acted onGhostNot yetdrawn, never hiddenConnectordraftsA messagearrives overnightA replywaits for your yesSeatMMarisFinanceIIvaan empty seatSketch and handAn ideadrawn by hand, on purposesketched, becauseit is an idea

The figures.

Twelve composed figures, each with the question it answers.

The operating loop<OperatingLoop />

The causal chain every department runs on. Use it when the question is how a piece of work moves.

The operating loop: goal, signal, move, your yes, receipt, outcome, learningA goal is watched for signals. A signal becomes a drafted move. Anything that leaves the company stops for the owner's yes. What runs leaves a receipt, the receipt is checked against a real outcome, and what worked re-ranks the next move. Company memory sits in the middle and records every step.Illustrativewatchesproposesasksrunscheckslearnsre-ranksreadswritesYou setA goalReach €20k a monthOvernightA signalInvoice 21 days lateMaris draftsA moveA polite reminderThe floorYour yesOne tap, exact wordsIt runsA receiptSent 07:42 · GmailObservedAn outcomePaid · Stripe payoutIt learnsWhat workedWhich nudges got paidThe recordCompany memoryEvery decision, keptthe only step that needs you

The floor<FloorGate />

What runs on its own and what stops for the owner. Use it wherever autonomy is discussed.

The floor: research and granted work run overnight; anything that leaves the company waits for your yesFive pieces of overnight work meet the floor. Researching tenders, and matching payouts once the owner has granted it, are internal and reversible, so they run and are recorded. A payment reminder, a public post and a refund cross the floor, so they wait for the owner. The owner's approval mints a single-use key bound to the exact approved words, and only then is anything sent, with a receipt kept.What the team prepared tonightThe floorrecordedyou approveMatch payouts to invoicesInternalResearch six open tendersInternalReminder to a late payerEmail outThursday's public postPublicRefund of €240MoneyOvernightRuns within your grantResearch, and work you allowedOn the recordDone, with a receiptIn your morning briefWaits for youYour yesApprove, edit or holdSingle-use keyBound to the exact wordsNothing else can fire itSent, receipt keptRuns within your grantStops for youedit it, and what goes outis exactly what you read

A receipt<ReceiptChain />

A figure peeled back to its evidence and its source. Use it next to any number that matters.

Tap any number: a figure peels back to its evidence, and the evidence to its sourceA recovered-this-month figure opens to the three paid invoices it adds up, and each invoice to the Stripe payout that recorded the payment. A figure with no source cannot be shown as proof.Illustrativetaptraces toYour morning€3,180recovered this monthSourcedThe evidenceInvoice #1043€1,200paid 14 SepInvoice #1051€1,480paid 16 SepInvoice #1057€500paid 19 SepThe sourceStripe payoutspo_1Q8xL2 · 14 Sep 06:12po_1Q9aK7 · 16 Sep 06:09po_1QAb3R · 19 Sep 06:14A figure with no sourceNever shown as proofMarked as a projection, or left outone invented euro is a failure,not a rounding error

Lanes<Lanes />

Who did what, when, and what was left for the owner. Use it for a night, a week, or a pilot.

One night at a small company: the work each specialist did, and the three things left for the ownerBetween 22:00 and 07:00, Maris matched 14 payouts and drafted a reminder for a late invoice. Sofi researched six open tenders and drafted a follow-up on a quote. Lia read rival posts and drafted Thursday's post. Noor sorted eleven messages and checked three late orders. Rena checked stock and built next week's rota. At 07:00 the owner's brief lists the three drafts waiting for a yes.Illustrative · one night at a small company22:0000:0002:0004:0006:0007:00MMarisFinanceMatched 14 payouts to invoicesReminder for invoice #1043SfSofiSalesResearched 6 open tendersFollow-up on the Oakline quoteLLiaMarketingRead 40 rival postsThursday's post draftedNNoorCustomer CareSorted 11 messagesChecked 3 late ordersRRenaOperationsStock checked for 9 jobsNext week's rota built07:00 · Your briefGood morning.Reminder, #1043Oakline follow-upThursday's post14 things doneReview 3 decisionsyou were asleep for all of it

The cabinet<Cabinet />

The team composed to one company, with empty seats drawn, not hidden.

The cabinet: the owner decides, Sol keeps the desk, and specialists fill seats as the work calls for themFilled seats: Maris (Finance), Sofi (Sales), Lia (Marketing), Noor (Customer Care). Empty seats are shown dashed.briefyesThe ownerYouThe only one who decidesChief of staffSolKeeps the desk, writes your briefMMarisFinanceSfSofiSalesLLiaMarketingNNoorCustomer CareRRenaOperationsIIvaLegalVVeraStrategya seat fills when thereis real work for it

Seats<RoleMap />

Which specialists hold which executive seat, and the work each one owns.

The executive seats at An example company and the specialists who hold themCEO, Chief executive: Sol. Weekly priorities; The morning brief. CMO, Marketing: Lia. Posts in your voice; Review requests. COO, Operations: Rena. The week's plan; Supplier orders, drafted. CFO, Finance: Maris. Cash, sourced; Receivables.An example company: who holds each seatCEOChief executiveSSolWeekly prioritiesThe morning briefCMOMarketingLLiaPosts in your voiceReview requestsCOOOperationsRRenaThe week's planSupplier orders, draftedCFOFinanceMMarisCash, sourcedReceivables

The bottleneck<Bottleneck />

An idea, drawn by hand: every job waiting on one person, then only the decisions.

Before and after: every job waits on the owner, then only the decisions doLeft: invoices, quotes, reviews, posts, the inbox, suppliers and the books all point at the owner, who is the bottleneck. Right: the same jobs point at a team, and only three decisions travel up to the owner.TodayyouInvoicesQuotesReviewsPostsInboxSuppliersBookseverything waits on one personWith Mornayouonly decisionstravel upYour teamSol · Maris · Sofi · Lia · Noor · RenaInvoicesQuotesReviewsPostsInboxSuppliersBooksthe rest is done before you wake

A journey<Journey />

Steps in order with one focal step. Use it for onboarding or any first experience.

The first day with Morna, from one sentence to a morning briefWhat you sell: Your site, one line. Discovery: Site, reviews, rivals. The Mirror: Your business, back. Your team: Seats for real work. First shift: Work runs, drafts wait. First brief: What moved, what waitsYouWhat you sellYour site, one lineMorna readsDiscoverySite, reviews, rivalsMorna showsThe MirrorYour business, backMorna composesYour teamSeats for real workOvernightFirst shiftWork runs, drafts waitNext morningFirst briefWhat moved, what waitswhere you see your business back

A follow-up loop<FollowUpFlow />

A process that repeats until something happens, with every send waiting for the owner.

From inquiry to won: a reply drafted within the hour, then follow-ups until there is an answerA new inquiry arrives by email. Sofi drafts a reply, the owner approves it, the quote goes out. If there is no answer, Sofi drafts a follow-up, which again waits for the owner. The loop repeats until the deal is won or lost, and the result is recorded.minutessentno answeruntil answeredanswerGmail · 06:12New inquiryA bathroom refit, FridaySofiReply draftedYour prices, your voiceWaits for youYour yesOne tap from your briefReceiptQuote sentLogged to the dealSofi watchesAny answer?Checked every morningDraftedA gentle follow-upNever pushy, never auto-sentWon or lost, recordedmost deals aren't lost.they just go quiet.

A week<WeekPlan />

Planned work laid across days, public items marked as waiting.

A week of marketing, drafted in your voice; everything public waits for your yesMonday: research on rival posts runs on its own, and a post about a recent job is drafted. Tuesday: a review request to three happy clients. Wednesday: replies to two reviews. Thursday: a newsletter, and a check of what landed. Friday: new photos for the business profile. Sunday: next week is planned. Every public or outgoing item waits for the owner.MonTueWedThuFriSatSunResearchRead 40 rival postsRan on its ownPublicPost: the Kessler jobWaits for your yesEmailReview ask to 3 clientsWaits for your yesPublicReplies to 2 reviewsWaits for your yesEmailNewsletter: autumnWaits for your yesMeasureChecked what landedRan on its ownPublicProfile: new photosWaits for your yesPlanNext week, plannedRan on its ownin your voice.nothing posts without you.Lia · Marketing

Triage<ReplyTriage />

One input sorted three ways, with the path that must reach a person made obvious.

Every message read and sorted; sensitive ones go straight to youMessages arrive in one inbox. Noor reads each one. Routine questions get a drafted reply that waits for the owner. Happy customers get a drafted review request that waits for the owner. Complaints, legal matters and press go straight to the owner with the context gathered, and no reply is drafted for sending.RoutineA questionReply draftedYour yesHappyA thank-youReview ask draftedYour yesSensitiveComplaint, legal, pressContext gatheredStraight to youGmail · Pages · ReviewsEvery messageOne inbox, read overnightNoorReads and sortsTone, history, urgencysome replies should onlyever come from you

A sketched chart<CashSketch />

A series where sourced points and projections must never be confused.

Cash across eight weeks: sourced weeks drawn solid, the forecast drawn dashedWeekly cash in k€. W1 18.4, W2 21.2, W3 19.6, W4 12.1, W5 15.8, W6 20.9, W7 17.5 (projected), W8 22.4 (projected). The lowest sourced week is W4.Illustrative · weekly cash, k€01530W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8two invoices late,the dip is hereSourcedEach solid point opens tothe Stripe lines it adds up.ProjectedDashed and hollow. A forecastis never drawn as a fact.Maris: chase #1043 andthe dip is gone by W5

The hand-drawn layer uses rough.js, the stroke engine behind Excalidraw.

Hand over the work. Keep the decisions.

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