docs: Add Working Model and Local Guidance Convention

.gitignore

@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ Thumbs.db
 
 # Claude Code
 tmpclaude-*
-.claude/
+# Local guidance directories (at any level per Local Guidance Convention in CLAUDE.md)
+**/.claude/
 
 # Design working files
 designs/tmp/

CLAUDE.md

@@ -195,3 +195,79 @@ docker-compose -f instances/instance-b/docker-compose.yml down
 - Each instance has isolated data (changes in A don't appear in B)
 - Authentication works independently on each instance
 - API calls to each instance return independent results
+
+## Working Model
+
+This section captures the evolving conceptual model of polycentric knowledge processing as refined through experimentation. It supplements the Project Overview with operational insights.
+
+### Core Concepts
+
+#### Polycentricity vs Distribution
+- **Polycentric:** Orchestration over heterogeneous instances, each maintaining its own "center" (autonomy, authority, perspective)
+- **Distributed:** Orchestration over homogeneous instances with merged/blurred centers
+- The system must accommodate genuinely heterogeneous infrastructure (cloud + local, different auth mechanisms, different operators)
+
+#### The Seam
+A *seam* is a set of shared referent IRIs that allow join across perspectives without collapsing them:
+- **Common referents** (e.g., actant IRIs) are shared across instances unchanged
+- **Divergent readings** live in *perspective-scoped* structures (e.g., characterizations grouped by `ant:withinNetwork`)
+- No `owl:sameAs`, no alignment predicates, no new terms required — the existing data patterns support "common referents, distinct readings"
+
+When designing polycentric scenarios, ask: *"What are the common referents (the seam) and what are the perspective-scoped structures that carry the divergent readings?"*
+
+#### Sharing as Projection
+Sharing is a *projection mechanism* operating over any RDF vocabulary, not a transfer of complete graphs:
+- **4-field projection model:** `include_types`, `stub_types`, `edge_predicates`, `exclude_nodes`
+- **Named profiles** (e.g., `DISCOURSE_EVIDENCE_PROFILE`, `ANT_COMPARISON_PROFILE`) are configurations of this mechanism
+- **Stub types** enable "identity without payload" — share that something exists and what it's called, without leaking prose/detail
+
+#### Non-Collapse Invariant
+When two perspectives share referent IRIs, they must remain distinct after merge/comparison:
+- Exactly N perspectives, N networks (no unintended merged entity)
+- Shared referents may be characterized in multiple perspectives (distinguishable by scope)
+- Comparisons are *views*, not new canonical artifacts — no merged perspective is written back
+
+### Operational Principles
+
+1. **Ontology/data as immutable input:** The system adapts to existing data patterns rather than requiring data to be reshaped. Observations about data shape are recorded as *findings*, not patches.
+
+2. **Experiments as reproducible artifacts:** Each experiment includes a README (repro guide), captured run logs, and findings (including operational issues). This supports knowledge accumulation.
+
+3. **Heterogeneous deployment is first-class:** Configuration must accommodate diverse auth mechanisms (bearer token, LDAP), multi-tenant services (`FLEXO_ORG_NAME`), and mixed local/cloud topologies.
+
+4. **"Just enough" sharing:** Policies express minimal sufficient projection — full export, stub (identity only), or excluded — enabling trust boundaries between collaborating centers.
+
+### Model Evolution
+
+This working model is refined through experimentation. Key sources:
+- **Experiments 1-3** (PR #1, `polycentric-experiments` branch): Validated ontology-agnostic sharing, the seam pattern, and non-collapse verification
+- **Design specs:** `docs/superpowers/specs/` contains detailed reasoning behind model decisions
+
+## Local Guidance Convention
+
+This project uses a two-tier guidance system for Claude Code:
+
+### Version-Controlled Guidance
+- `CLAUDE.md` — Authoritative, team-shared guidance
+- Applies to the file's directory and all descendants
+- Takes precedence on conflict with local guidance
+
+### Local Guidance
+- `.claude/CLAUDE.md` — Local working notes, not version-controlled
+- `.claude/` directories are gitignored
+- Supplements (does not override) version-controlled guidance
+- May exist at any directory level for scope-specific notes
+
+### Semantics
+- **Scope:** Guidance applies to the directory containing the file and all subdirectories
+- **Inheritance:** Nested guidance accumulates (child adds to parent)
+- **Precedence:** On conflict, version-controlled wins; within tier, more specific (closer to leaf) wins
+
+### Coherence Checks
+Local guidance should be checked for coherence with team guidance:
+- **On commit:** Review local guidance against changed scope for incompatibilities
+- **On PR:** Review for drift between local and team-wide guidance
+- **Promotion:** When local insights prove coherent and valuable, promote to version-controlled `CLAUDE.md`
+
+### Purpose
+Local guidance provides engineering room for working models before they're ready for team consumption. Knowledge processing is inherently lossy — local guidance stays local until it demonstrates coherence, avoiding noise in the team view.