Organization Skill

Version: 1.2 Source: L1/L2/L3 Cognitive-Phase Framework

Folder structure should match how your brain navigates, not how a database stores records.

North Star

Goal: You always know where you are and what you're looking for.

Definition: Any person (or AI) should be able to find a file in 3 decisions or fewer, without guessing which folder it's in.

Smell: If you open a folder and feel lost, the structure has failed.

Quick Start

Already know what you need? Start here:

I want to... Go to

Organize my personal/home drive assets/home-drive-template.md — pick arenas, build L2, let L3 emerge

Organize a business/team drive assets/work-drive-template.md — Fulfill/Maintain/Grow framework

Reorganize a messy existing drive references/migration-guide.md — phase-by-phase migration

Name files and folders correctly references/naming-patterns.md — conventions by layer

Audit a drive for structural issues scripts/audit_structure.py <path> — automated health check

For the full framework explanation, read on.

The L1/L2/L3 Framework

Folder navigation is three cognitive phases. Each phase answers a different question, and folder names should match the type of thinking you're doing at that level.

L1: Context (Nouns / Arenas)

Question: "Where am I operating?"

Brain mode: Wayfinding. You're orienting yourself to a domain before doing any work.

Folder names are typically nouns — broad arenas of activity. Mindset-based verbs (e.g., Fulfill , Maintain , Grow ) are valid when they trigger the same wayfinding shift:

Drive/ ├── Finance/ ├── Marketing/ ├── Operations/ ├── Production/ ├── Legal/ └── Personal/

Test: You're still in L1 as long as you're narrowing the domain. You might click through multiple folders and still be in L1 if each click is answering "which world am I in?"

Success condition: Your brain naturally shifts from "where am I?" to "what am I trying to do?"

L2: Execution (Verbs / Outcomes / Subject Categories)

Question: "What am I trying to accomplish?" — or in creative/domain-heavy projects — "What type of thing am I working on?"

Brain mode: Targeting. You've picked an arena, now you're selecting an objective or subject focus.

Folder names are verbs, outcomes, or subject categories — what work gets done here:

Marketing/ # Business example — verbs/outcomes ├── Launch/ ├── Grow/ ├── Campaign/ ├── Brand/ └── Analyze/

Arctic/ # Creative example — subject categories ├── Locations/ # "I'm working on PLACES" ├── Residents/ # "I'm working on CHARACTERS" └── Lore/ # "I'm working on STORY"

L2 doesn't require verb names. In creative, world-building, or domain-heavy projects, subject-matter categories (Locations, Characters, Assets, Environments) function as L2 when they trigger the brain shift from wayfinding to intent. The test is whether your brain changes modes — not whether the folder name is a verb.

Test: You're in L2 as long as you're narrowing the objective, work mode, or subject focus. L2 completes when you start hunting for a specific artifact.

Success condition: Your brain shifts from "what am I doing?" to "which thing do I need?"

L3: Retrieval (Objects / Artifacts)

Question: "What exact thing do I need?"

Brain mode: Grabbing. You've picked an outcome, now you grab the thing.

Folder names are specific objects — the artifacts themselves:

Campaign/ ├── Q1-2025-Product-Launch/ │ ├── Brief.docx │ ├── Timeline.xlsx │ ├── Assets/ │ └── Results.pdf └── Q2-2025-Brand-Refresh/ └── ...

Test: You're in L3 when you're scanning for a specific file or artifact. You know what you want — you're just finding it.

Key Principle: Layers Are Cognitive Phases

The layers are NOT literal folder counts. They describe your mental state as you navigate.

Scenario Folders Clicked Actual Layer

Work > Clients > Acme Corp

3 folders Still L1 — you're still answering "which world?"

Finance > Accounts Payable

2 folders L1 → L2 transition — you shifted from domain to outcome

Campaign > Q1 Launch > Brief.docx

3 folders L1 → L2 → L3 — full cognitive progression

The test isn't "how many folders?" but "has my brain shifted modes?"

Diagnostic Guard

Before diagnosing a structure as broken or a layer as missing, apply these checks:

Check If yes →

Can the user reach their file in 3 decisions without feeling lost? The structure works — don't restructure

Do the cognitive shifts happen, even if folder names don't match the framework's vocabulary? The layers are present — don't rename to force verb/noun compliance

Is the structure consistent and predictable across parallel branches? The pattern works — document it, don't flatten it

Is the domain inherently hierarchical (geography, physical spaces, taxonomies)? Extended L1 wayfinding is expected — don't mistake it for a missing L2

The framework serves navigation, not the other way around. If someone navigates smoothly, the structure is working regardless of whether folder names are verbs, nouns, or subject categories. Diagnose problems people actually experience, not theoretical label mismatches.

Scaffolding Evaluation

Empty folders aren't always clutter. Pre-built folder structures serve a real purpose in creative and content-heavy projects — they communicate "this is a slot for future content" and ensure consistency across parallel branches. Before flagging empty structure as a problem, determine whether it's intentional scaffolding or scattered clutter.

Intentional Scaffolding (Acknowledge It)

Scaffolding is working when it passes these checks:

Signal What It Looks Like

Consistent template The same structure repeats uniformly across parallel branches (e.g., every biome has Locations + Residents with the same subtypes)

Reflects a domain model The folder template maps to a real structure — a taxonomy, a physical space, a content pipeline — that will need filling

Progressive filling Some branches have real content while others are still placeholders. Work is happening within the template

Placeholder convention Generic names (numbered slots, "Idea 1/2/3") are obviously temporary markers meant to be renamed when content arrives

Bounded depth Scaffolding doesn't exceed 2-3 levels of empty folders before reaching the content layer

When you encounter scaffolding that passes these checks, acknowledge it as useful structure rather than flagging it for removal. Note where content has filled in and where it hasn't, but don't recommend tearing down the framework.

Example — good scaffolding in a world-building project:

VR World/ ├── Arctic/ │ ├── Locations/ │ │ ├── Commercial/ │ │ │ ├── _Ideas/ │ │ │ └── Winter Lodge Restaurant/ ← named, filling in │ │ ├── Natural/ │ │ │ └── _Ideas/ │ │ └── Residential/ │ │ └── Dream House/ ← built out with rooms │ └── Residents/ │ └── Alexander Borealis/ ← named character ├── Forest/ ← same template, different fill state │ └── Residents/ │ ├── Big Bear/ ← fully developed │ └── Zebra Fox/ └── Desert/ ← same template, less filled └── ...

The template is consistent, reflects the world-building domain (biomes × content types), and is progressively filling with real content. The empty slots are a content roadmap, not noise.

Example — good scaffolding in a content pipeline:

character-types/ ├── bears/images/ │ ├── head/ (31 files) ← filling in │ ├── body/ (15 files) │ └── tail/ (0 files) ← empty but expected ├── dogs/images/ │ ├── head/ (26 files) │ └── legs-and-feet/ (28 files) └── foxes/images/ ← mostly empty, work not started yet

Same body-part template across 25 species. Bears and dogs are well-populated; foxes haven't started yet. The empty folders are task slots in a production pipeline.

Scattered Clutter (Flag It)

Scaffolding has become clutter when:

Signal What It Looks Like

No repeating pattern Empty folders are one-offs, not part of a template

Asymmetric parallel branches Sibling branches have different structures with no domain reason for the difference

Zero content anywhere The entire tree is empty — no branch has real content

Stale with no plan Created months ago, never used, and no work is planned for it

Ambiguous purpose Folder names don't communicate what content belongs there (New Folder , Stuff , temp )

What To Do With Each

Finding Action

Consistent template, actively filling Keep. Acknowledge it as useful scaffolding

Consistent template, stale everywhere Flag as possibly abandoned. Ask if work is still planned

Partial pattern, inconsistent application Suggest completing the pattern — make it consistent or remove the outliers

One-off empties with no pattern Recommend removal. Create folders when content arrives

The Key Test

Would deleting this empty folder lose information? If the folder name + location tells you "this is a slot for [specific type of content]," it's scaffolding. If deleting it wouldn't confuse anyone about what goes where, it's clutter.

Progressive Disclosure

The framework uses progressive disclosure — each level reveals only what you need for your current decision:

Step 1: See 5-8 arenas (L1 — which world?) Step 2: See 3-6 outcomes (L2 — which goal?) Step 3: See the artifacts (L3 — grab the thing)

Ideal Counts per Level

Level Target Max Before Splitting

L1 arenas 5-8 12

L2 outcomes per arena 3-6 10

L3 artifacts per outcome Varies 30 (then subgroup)

If any level exceeds its max, it's a signal to split or restructure.

Naming Conventions

L1 Names: Broad, Stable, Recognizable

Pattern Examples

Use nouns Finance , Marketing , Operations , Legal

Capitalize Title Case for top-level arenas

Keep stable These rarely change — they represent domains of your life/work

No dates Dates belong in L2 or L3, not L1

L2 Names: Action-Oriented, Scannable

Pattern Examples

Use verbs or outcomes Launch , Grow , Hire , Ship , Fulfill

Or use clear process names Onboarding , Reporting , Budgeting

Allow time-scoping 2025-Budget , Q1-Campaign when recurrence matters

L3 Names: Specific, Descriptive, Findable

Pattern Examples

Be specific Invoice-2025-03-Acme.pdf , not Invoice.pdf

Date-prefix for chronology 2025-03-15_Meeting-Notes.md

Type-suffix for scannability Logo-Primary.png , Logo-Dark.png

No ambiguity Every name should be unique enough to find via search

Universal Naming Rules

Rule Rationale

Consistent casing Pick Title-Case, kebab-case, or snake_case per level and stick with it

Front-load the distinguishing word Budget-2025 not 2025-Budget (unless sorting by date matters more)

No special characters Stick to A-Z , 0-9 , - , _ , and spaces (where appropriate)

Context-Sensitive Naming Rules

Context Spaces OK? Hyphens/underscores required? Why

Personal/creative drives Yes No — readability matters more Winter Lodge Restaurant is easier to read than Winter-Lodge-Restaurant . OS handles spaces natively

Code projects & websites No Yes — use hyphens or underscores Spaces break scripts, URLs, CLI commands, and version control

Shared/team drives Depends Match team convention Consistency within the team matters more than any single rule

Don't apply code conventions to personal drives, or personal conventions to codebases. Match the rules to the environment.

File Name Semantics

File names should communicate what the file contains at a glance. A good file name answers "what is this?" without opening it.

Non-Semantic Names (Flag These)

Pattern Example Problem

Hash / ID strings 50bacb7db3dbda5ba74ce3b7e51aa624.jpg

Tells you nothing

Generic defaults Untitled.png , download (1).jfif

Indistinguishable

Screenshot auto-names Screenshot (163).png

What's in the screenshot?

Bare timestamps photo_2021-03-15_09-25-00.jpg

When, not what

AI prompts as filenames alexandersthompson_UI_design_of_a_Forest...png

Too long, truncated hashes

Platform export names IMG_20200417_180854_994.jpg

Camera roll IDs

What Makes a Good File Name

Principle Example

Describes the content ice-cave-interior.jpg not 89381.jpg

Uses your vocabulary bear-head-front-view.png not head-01.jpg

Distinguishes from siblings moraine-lake-sunrise.jpg and crater-lake-aerial.jpg

Keeps reasonable length 3-6 words

Preserves useful metadata as a suffix desert-canyon-ref_antelope-canyon.jpg

When to Flag vs. When to Ignore

Situation Action

Files in a curated, final-destination folder Flag — these are artifacts you'll revisit

Files in _Ideas/ or reference folders Flag if 10+ files with hashes/timestamps

Files inside a transit folder (~ ) Ignore — transit content is WIP

Files in a scaffolding placeholder Ignore — will be renamed when content arrives

A handful of files with obvious visual context Low priority

Suggesting Better Names

When flagging non-semantic names, suggest replacements based on:

• The folder context — a file in Arctic/Locations/Natural/_Ideas/ is probably a nature/landscape reference

• The file's visible content — if you can read the image, describe what you see

• Sibling files — if named files exist alongside unnamed ones, match the pattern

• Don't require perfection — snowy-village.jpg is better than 241076.jpg , even if it's not a complete description

Decision Guide: Where Does This File Go?

Ask yourself... If yes →

Is this active work I'm producing right now? L2 outcome folder for that project/activity

Is this reference material I look up but don't edit? Reference/ within the relevant L1 arena

Is this a template I reuse across projects? _Templates/ (shared or per-arena)

Is this a finished deliverable? L3 artifact inside the outcome that produced it

Is this someone else's output I need to access? Shortcut/link to the owner's L2, not a copy

I genuinely don't know _Unsorted/ — sort it during your weekly review

Active vs Reference: The Intent Test

Folder type Purpose Brain mode Examples

Active (doing) Work in progress, projects, deliverables "I'm producing something" Launch/ , Ship/ , Hire/

Reference (knowing) Lookup material, policies, standards, guides "I'm finding an answer" Reference/ , Policies/ , Standards/

The test: "Am I opening this folder to do work or to look something up?"

• If both → split into two L2 folders. The active folder holds the work and links to the reference folder.

• Active folders archive when work is done. Reference folders persist.

Overlap Resolution

The active folder owns the work. The reference folder owns the knowledge. They link to each other — never duplicate.

Situation Resolution

File could live in two L1 arenas Pick the primary owner based on who produced it. Shortcut from the other arena

File is both active work AND reference Put it in the active folder now. Move to reference when the project completes

Two teams need the same file One team owns it. The other gets a shortcut. If neither owns it → _Shared/

Same data, different formats One source of truth. The canonical version lives in the owner's folder

Never duplicate. Two copies means one gets stale.

System Folders

Infrastructure folders that support the structure, not content. Use a leading underscore.

System Folder Purpose Scope

_Archive/

Completed work that's no longer active Within each L2 outcome

_Unsorted/

Temporary inbox for files without a clear home One per drive (top level)

_Templates/

Reusable document templates Per L1 arena or shared at top level

_Shared/

Cross-functional items with no single owner Top level only

Rules for System Folders

Rule Rationale

Always underscore-prefixed Sorts separately from content folders, visually distinct

Never nest system folders _Archive/_Archive/ is a red flag — flatten it

_Unsorted/ is temporary It's an inbox, not a permanent home. Review weekly

_Shared/ requires justification Every file there should have a reason it can't live in a single arena

Don't create system folders preemptively Add _Archive/ when you first need to archive, not before

Transit Folders

Folders holding content that is actively being moved to a known destination. Use a leading tilde (~ ). Distinct from _Unsorted/ (destination unknown).

Folder Purpose

~Transfer/

Staging area for content being moved into a project

~Import/

Incoming content from an external source

~Migrate/

Content moving between organizational structures

Key rules: always tilde-prefixed, include a date suffix (~Transfer 2026-02/ ), include _STATUS.md for multi-session transfers, delete when empty.

For full details (naming conventions, lifecycle, staleness signals, analysis scope), see references/transit-folders.md .

File Lifecycle

Created → Active → Completed → Archived → (Deleted)

Files move through stages based on project status. Archive at L2 level (_Archive/ within the outcome folder). Default to keeping — storage is cheap, regret is expensive.

For full lifecycle rules, archive strategy, and maintenance cadence (weekly/monthly/quarterly), see references/lifecycle.md .

Adapting by Scale

Scale L1 Maps To L2 Emphasis Key Consideration

Personal (one person) Life domains: Career , Finances , Home , Media , Personal

Lightweight — project names or simple outcomes L3 is where most files live

Team (small group) Mindsets: Fulfill , Maintain , Grow

Structured — processes, projects, time periods Decide who owns each L1 arena

Organization (company) Departments or business units Enforced naming conventions across teams Align access controls with L1 boundaries

Red Flags

Stop and reorganize when you see:

Smell Problem Fix

Catch-all folders Misc/ , Other/ , Stuff/ , New Folder/

Decide the real L1 arena or L2 outcome

Deep nesting (6+ levels) You're mixing cognitive phases in one branch Flatten by separating L1/L2/L3 concerns

Date-only folders at L1 2024/ , 2025/ at the top level Dates are L2 or L3 — put the domain first

Duplicate file names Same file in two places Pick the owner, link from elsewhere

Everything in one folder 100+ files in one directory Split into L2 outcomes or L3 artifact types

Ambiguous names Documents/ , Files/ , Data/

Replace with specific arena names

Mixing layers Finance/Invoice-2025-03.pdf (skipped L2) Add the outcome: Finance/Accounts-Payable/Invoice-2025-03.pdf

Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern What It Looks Like Why It Fails

The Filing Cabinet Rigid categories that don't match how you think Forces you to memorize arbitrary locations

The Chronological Dump Everything sorted by date first Dates don't help you find things by topic

The Mirror Folder structure mirrors org chart exactly Org charts change; your files don't reorganize themselves

The Perfectionist Scattered empty folders with no consistent template and no content anywhere Random empties create noise without communicating intent. (Note: consistent templates with progressive filling are scaffolding, not perfectionism — see Scaffolding Evaluation)

The Flat Earth Everything in one giant folder with search Works until search fails or context is lost

Exceptions: When to Break the Rules

Every rule in this framework has legitimate exceptions. The key: break rules consciously, not by accident.

Date-First at L1

Exception Example Why It's OK

Tax/legal compliance 2024-Tax-Returns/ , 2025-Tax-Returns/

Legal requirements are inherently annual. The year IS the domain

Academic semesters Fall-2025/ , Spring-2026/

Each semester is a self-contained world

Test: Is the time period genuinely the primary organizing principle, not just a habit?

More Than 12 L1 Arenas

Exception Example Why It's OK

Client-based businesses One L1 per major client Each client is a genuinely separate world

Multi-property management One L1 per property Physical locations are natural arenas

Test: Would merging any two arenas force you to constantly context-switch within a single folder?

Flat L3 With Many Files

Exception Example Why It's OK

Photo libraries 200+ photos in a dated event folder You're browsing visually, not reading names

Log files Chronological logs in a single folder Sorted by date, accessed by recency

Test: Can you still find what you need without subgrouping? If search or date-sorting is sufficient, don't force artificial categories.

General Rule for Exceptions

If you're breaking a rule, write down why in a _README.md at that level. If you can't articulate the reason, you shouldn't break the rule.

Quality Checks

Before considering a drive "organized," verify these rules hold.

Structure Checks

Check Pass Condition

Every L1 arena has at least one active L2 outcome No empty arenas cluttering the top level

No L2 folder tries to be both active work AND reference lookup Split into separate doing/knowing folders

Every active L2 folder has artifacts, subfolders, or is part of a consistent template scaffold No scattered one-off empty folders

No L3 artifact is duplicated across arenas One owner, shortcuts from elsewhere

_Unsorted/ has fewer than 20 items You're keeping up with weekly sorting

Naming Checks

Check Pass Condition

L1 names are nouns (arenas) No verbs, dates, or abbreviations at the top level

L2 names signal intent (verbs, outcomes, or subject categories) Reading the name tells you what happens here

L3 names are specific enough to find via search No Document.pdf or Notes.txt

Consistent casing within each level Not mixing Title-Case and lowercase at the same depth

Naming matches context Spaces OK on personal drives; hyphens/underscores required in code projects

Boundary Checks

Check Pass Condition

Active folders contain work, not reference material Reference has its own folder

Reference folders contain lookup material, not active projects Work has its own folder

_Shared/ contains only genuinely cross-functional items Not a dumping ground

Archive folders live within their L1 arena Not a top-level Archive/ that loses context

Applying the Framework

Step 1: Audit Current State

List your top-level folders. For each one, ask:

• Is this clearly an L1 arena (a domain of activity)?

• Or is it something else? (date, project, catch-all)

Step 2: Design L1 Arenas

Write down the 5-8 major domains of your life or work. These become your L1 folders. They should feel natural and stable.

Step 3: Design L2 Outcomes Per Arena

For each arena, list the 3-6 things you actually do there. These are your L2 folders.

Step 4: Let L3 Emerge

Don't pre-create L3 structure. Let it emerge as you actually produce artifacts. Structure follows work.

Step 5: Migrate Gradually

Move files in batches. Start with the arena you use most. Don't try to reorganize everything at once. For detailed migration steps, see references/migration-guide.md .

References

• references/naming-patterns.md — Detailed naming examples and conventions for each layer

• references/migration-guide.md — Step-by-step guide for reorganizing existing messy drives

• references/transit-folders.md — Transit folder conventions, lifecycle, and staleness signals

• references/lifecycle.md — File lifecycle rules, archive strategy, and maintenance cadence

Assets

• assets/home-drive-template.md — Starter structure for a personal home drive

• assets/work-drive-template.md — Starter structure for a professional work drive

Scripts

• scripts/audit_structure.py — Scan a folder tree and report L1/L2/L3 issues (catch-alls, depth, naming)