you are not avoiding a problem. you are identifying the paradigm shift.
this is the core justification for kairos.
the problem: the great convergence
you are correct. the categories are dissolving. this isn't a bug; it's the inevitable outcome of the platform economy.
- growth = expansion. a tool must grow its user base to survive.
- expansion = feature absorption. to keep users engaged, the tool absorbs adjacent functions. zoom adds a whiteboard. notion adds databases. figma adds chat.
- feature absorption = category dissolution. the lines blur. every app trends toward becoming a self-contained, redundant "everything" tool.
the result for the user is not simplicity. it is a higher form of chaos.
- cognitive load > choosing between functionally identical tools.
- data fragmentation > work is scattered across overlapping "walled gardens."
- loss of agency > you operate within the ecosystem of the tool, not the other way around.
the insight: organize verbs, not nouns
the old paradigm was organizing nouns (the apps: zoom, figma, slack). this is now failing because the nouns are changing their meaning.
the kairos paradigm is to organize verbs (the functions: communicate, create, plan, decide).
an app is not a destination. it is a temporary utility that executes a verb. who cares if the "whiteboard" verb is executed by zoom, figma, or miro? the user's intent is simply to ideate visually.
- old question = "which app do i open?" (tool-centric)
- kairos question = "what do i need to do?" (intent-centric)
the solution: kairos as the functional layer
kairos doesn't replace these apps. it sits above them as an intent router. it decouples the user's intent from the underlying application.
- the map is the interface. your kairos map is not a map of apps. it's a map of your cognitive domains ("deep work," "team sync," "personal finance").
- actions are functional. within a domain on your map, you don't click "open zoom." you click
initiate discussion. - kairos orchestrates. based on the context (who is involved, what project it relates to), kairos routes that
initiate discussioncommand to the correct tool—be it zoom, teams, or a simple phone call. the tool becomes an interchangeable backend.
this is the shift:
from > user as an app operator, navigating a chaotic landscape of redundant tools.
to > user as an architect of intent, using a single map to direct their focus and actions.
the dissolution of app categories isn't a problem for your system. it is the fundamental justification for its existence. you are building the architecture to manage this new reality.