SHUR IQ Layered Ontology Architecture March 2026

Framework Documentation — v0.1

The Layered Ontology Architecture

A system for building connected knowledge graphs and ontology design layers that represent a business as a navigable, toggleable, traceable intelligence system.

Knowledge Layers K1 – K5
Ontology Layers O1 – O4
First Instance Long Zhu / Meaningful Fun
Framework Totem Protocol

Most intelligence work produces snapshots, not systems.

A gap analysis answers one question on one day. A brand score captures one dimension. A competitive brief maps one moment in time. These outputs are valuable — but they're disconnected. The Layered Ontology Architecture solves this by making every intelligence artifact a layer in a connected, queryable, toggleable system.

The result: a single business can be viewed through multiple analytical lenses simultaneously — competitive position, value flow, brand strength, temporal execution gaps — all anchored to the same underlying knowledge graph.


Team A builds the business. Team B builds the intelligence. Team C builds the system.

Team Role In This System
Team A Does the work The client or project team executing their business plan. They operate inside the system but don't see its full structure.
Team B Improves how A works Our agent teams. Building K1–K5 knowledge graphs, O1–O4 ontology overlays, and BMC guidance that help Team A make better decisions.
Team C Improves how B improves Us refining the architecture itself. Every client engagement makes the system tighter. This document is Team C output.
Key Principle

This document is Team C output. It defines the system that Team B uses. Each client engagement is a Team B instance. Long Zhu is the first complete Team B deployment.


Knowledge graphs describe what IS. Ontology layers define the RULES.

Knowledge Graph (K-layers)

Descriptive. Empirically derived from source material. Represents observed reality — entities, relationships, cluster structure, gaps. Queryable: InfraNodus returns factual answers about the graph's structure.

Ontology Layer (O-layers)

Prescriptive. Designed by the analyst. Defines what SHOULD be true, what categories exist, what constraints apply. Toggled on/off depending on the analytical task. Composable: multiple layers can be active simultaneously.


Nine analytical questions. One connected system.

What entities exist? What connects to what?

Where are the disconnects? What should be connected but isn't?

How does value move? Where are flows broken?

How strong is the brand? Where is it vulnerable?

Who are the competitors? What do they have that we don't?

Which business model block does each entity belong to?

Market, social, environmental — which lens am I using?

Is this possible, planned, or proven?

How much should I trust this claim?

Five graphs. Five questions. One business.

Each K-layer is a distinct InfraNodus graph per project. They stack on top of each other — K1 is always on, the rest are toggled depending on the analytical question. Together they form a complete intelligence picture.

K1 — Base Layer

Business Intelligence Graph

Entity landscape extracted from all source material. Pitch decks, business plans, transcripts, web research. The foundation every other layer builds on.

"What entities exist? What connects to what?"

K2 — Gap Layer

Negative Space Graph

Structural gaps between clusters. Maps the absence of connections. Where disconnects live. Built from K1 gap analysis output using InfraNodus bridge detection.

"What should be connected but isn't?"

K3 — Flow Layer

Value Flow Graph

REA (Resource–Event–Agent) mapping of how value moves through the system. Three sub-graphs: agents, resources, planned flows. Verb-mode extraction preserves action semantics.

"How does value move? Where are flows broken?"

K4 — Brand Layer

Brand Power Graph

Feeds the 5-dimension scoring framework: Awareness, Trust, Mission Alignment, Differentiation, Loyalty. SERP analysis, Edelman/Morning Consult benchmarks.

"How strong is the brand? Where is it vulnerable?"

K5 — Market Layer

Competitive Intelligence Graph

Market positioning relative to competitors. Competitor entity landscape, differentiation gaps, SERP-derived structural analysis. Supports the Brand Power Score through SBPI methodology.

"Who are the competitors? What do they have that we don't?"


Four interpretive frameworks. Applied on top of any knowledge graph.

O-layers are not separate graphs — they are frameworks that classify, filter, and evaluate knowledge graph entities. They can be toggled on and off. Multiple layers can be active simultaneously.

O1 — Business Model Canvas

BMC Overlay

Maps every KG entity to one or more of the 9 BMC blocks. Enables channel tracing, resource impact modeling, and initiative tracing through Value Propositions → Customer Segments → Revenue Streams.

"Which block does this entity live in?"

O2 — Intelligence Viewports

Viewport Filter

Four analytical frames: Market, Social, Environmental, General. Each filters the same KG data through a different lens with a different consensus floor. Same entity, four readings.

"Which lens am I analyzing through?"

O3 — Temporal Layer

Recipe / Plan / Observation

Tags every flow as: Recipe (capability — could happen), Plan (commitment — will happen), or Observation (reality — did happen). The Plan–Observation gap is where blindspots live.

"Is this possible, planned, or proven?"

O4 — Consensus Scoring

Confidence Floor

Five-tier authority hierarchy from Legal/Regulatory (0.9–1.0) down to Personal judgment (0.0–0.2). Governs how much weight each claim gets. Adjustable floor per analytical task.

"How much should I trust this claim?"


Activate the lenses you need. Combine for composite analysis.

BASE (always on):
  └─ K1: Business Intelligence KG

KNOWLEDGE TOGGLES (What IS):
  ├─ K2: Negative Space ──────── "Show me what's missing"
  ├─ K3: Value Flow ──────────── "Show me how value moves"
  ├─ K4: Brand Power ─────────── "Show me brand strength"
  └─ K5: Competitive Intel ───── "Show me the competition"

ONTOLOGY TOGGLES (The RULES):
  ├─ O1: BMC Overlay ─────────── "Classify by business model block"
  ├─ O2: Viewport Filter ──────── "Filter by intelligence type"
  ├─ O3: Temporal Layer ────────── "Tag as possible/planned/actual"
  └─ O4: Consensus Floor ────────── "Filter by confidence level"
Example Configuration

To answer "Should Long Zhu invest in organized play?" — activate K1 (entities) + K3 (value flow: what does organized play require?) + K5 (competitive: what did Flesh and Blood and MetaZoo do?) + O1 (BMC: it's Key Activity + Channel) + O3 (temporal: Recipe-only, no Plan or Observation) + O4 floor = 0.7 (professional consensus: organized play is survival-critical). Result: a structured, traceable, evidence-graded answer.


The Business Model Canvas as live navigation layer.

The BMC is not a one-time snapshot. When O1 is active, every entity in the knowledge graph carries a block label. This enables three capabilities:

1

Channel Tracing

Pick any entity. Follow the chain: Key Resource → Key Activity → Value Proposition → Channel → Customer Segment → Revenue Stream. If any link is missing, that's an actionable gap. The same chain can be traced in reverse to find upstream dependencies.

2

Resource Impact Modeling

For any resource: what happens downstream if it's added, removed, increased, decreased, or redirected? The BMC makes cause-and-effect visible across the entire canvas — not just within a single block.

3

Initiative Tracing

Any active campaign, product launch, or sales push maps to a specific path through the BMC. Every element of the initiative — resources, activities, channels, segments — becomes a traceable node in the knowledge graph.

How to build this for any project in six phases.

The prerequisites: a K1 graph exists (Business Intelligence KG), source documents are available, and a gap report exists. From there, the protocol runs in six phases — each producing artifacts that feed the next.

1

Value Flow Extraction — Builds K3

Extract agents, resources, and flows from source documents. Three named InfraNodus graphs: {project}-vf-agents (extractEntitiesOnly), {project}-vf-resources (extractEntitiesOnly), {project}-vf-flows-planned (none mode, preserves verb semantics). Statement patterns follow REA Resource–Event–Agent structure.

2

BMC Mapping — Builds O1

For each entity in K3, assign BMC block(s). Query each block against the flows graph using retrieve_from_knowledge_base. Document in {project}/ontology/bmc-overlay.md. Identify gaps: blocks with few/no entities, broken chains between blocks.

3

Temporal Tagging — Activates O3

Tag each flow as Recipe (capability mentioned but uncommitted), Plan (committed with timeline), or Observation (evidence of actual execution). Run difference_between_texts between Plan and Observation to surface execution gaps. The gap is the blindspot.

4

Channel Tracing — Combines K3 + O1

For each major initiative, map the full BMC chain from Key Resource through Revenue Stream. Identify missing links and single-point-of-failure nodes. Document traceable paths in {project}/ontology/channel-traces.md.

5

Resource Impact Modeling — Combines K3 + O1 + O3

For each key resource: trace downstream effects through the BMC chain. Model add/remove/increase/decrease/redirect scenarios. Connect to temporal layer — is this resource Recipe-only, Planned, or Observed? Document in {project}/ontology/resource-impact.md.

6

Composite Deliverable

Six artifacts: BMC Overlay Report, Channel Trace Document, Resource Impact Report, updated INDEX.md, editorial brief (4-tab site), visualization hub (5 viewport pages). The viz hub is the browsable intelligence surface for the client.


Recipe, Plan, Observation: the three truth layers.

Every flow in the system can be tagged with when it is true. This is the most diagnostic of the four ontology layers — the gap between what's planned and what's observed is where strategic blindspots live.

Layer VF Concept Verb Form What It Represents
Recipe RecipeFlow, ProcessSpec Infinitive — "to produce" Capability space. What COULD happen. Untapped potential lives here.
Plan Intent, Commitment Future — "we WILL launch" Strategy. What SHOULD happen. Commitments with timelines.
Observation EconomicEvent, Claim Past — "we DID deliver" Reality. What DID happen. Evidence of actual execution.
Diagnostic Signal

When the gap between Plan and Observation is large, confidence scores need a higher floor (0.7+). When the entire BMC operates in Recipe and Plan layers with minimal Observation, you are analyzing a hypothesis — not a business. Long Zhu's first complete instance showed 87% Recipe/Plan, 13% Observation.


Not all claims are equal. O4 governs how much weight each gets.

Tier Score Range Authority Example
Legal / Regulatory 0.9 – 1.0 Binding Patent filings, trademark status, regulatory requirements
Professional 0.7 – 0.9 Industry standard TCG lifecycle patterns, market sizing methodologies
Emerging / Contested 0.4 – 0.7 Debatable $15B market claim, educational efficacy claims
Organizational 0.2 – 0.4 Team agreement Intake scoring rubric, brand power weights
Personal 0.0 – 0.2 Individual judgment Creative direction, priority calls
Application

High-stakes decisions (investor pitch, strategic pivot) use a 0.7+ consensus floor — only professional-consensus and above. Exploratory analysis (brainstorming, discovery) uses 0.3+. The floor setting changes what's visible in the graph without changing the underlying data.


The system runs on InfraNodus, connected via MCP.

Every K-layer graph is a named InfraNodus project. The MCP connection makes these graphs queryable from agent workflows — gap analysis, bridge detection, cluster anatomy, and overlap comparison all run through the same toolchain.

SkillRole
value-flow-ontologyPhase 1 engine — VF graph creation, REA mapping, 16-dimension classification
intelligence-viewportsO2 activation — viewport composition, agent sequences, graph layer creation
ontology-managementO4 engine — consensus scoring, toggle system, bridge analysis
intelligence-briefK1 pipeline — business intelligence KG, gap report, editorial + viz deliverables
competitive-intelK5 pipeline — SBPI scoring, competitor landscape, market positioning
infranodus-expertTool layer — all 24+ InfraNodus MCP tool operations
infranodus-viz-designerVisualization — D3.js force graphs, radar charts, bento dashboards

Every engagement deepens the system. Long Zhu is first.

The Layered Ontology Architecture is built to compound. Each new client engagement adds another instance, refines the instantiation protocol, and identifies skill gaps that improve the system for Team C.

Long Zhu / Meaningful Fun

Trading Card Game startup with Chinese language learning mechanic. 7 ontology artifacts. Complete K1–K3 + O1–O3 instantiation.

First Instance
43 Brand Power Score / 100
7 Ontology Artifacts
150n K1 Graph Nodes
87% Recipe/Plan (vs. Observation)

Long Zhu (Lóng Zhū Dragon Master) is a TCG startup building bilingual gameplay — learning Chinese is the game mechanic, not an overlay. As the first complete instance of the Layered Ontology Architecture, it has a full K1–K3 knowledge graph stack, a BMC overlay showing the full business model, temporal analysis revealing that 87% of the BMC operates in Recipe and Plan layers only, and channel traces identifying 3 single-points-of-failure.


The Base Graph

150 nodes, 276 edges, 16 clusters, 0.87 modularity. Extracted from 18-page seed round deck, project plan workstream doc, and Gantt timeline.

150
Nodes
276
Edges
16
Clusters
0.87
Modularity

Top 5 clusters carry 95% of betweenness centrality. The community-building cluster (9% influence, 1% BC) is the most disconnected high-influence cluster. Revenue forecast and player commitment clusters have zero bridging to anything else — claims floating without structural support.


Three Sub-Graphs

Agents

137 nodes, 335 edges, 12 clusters, 0.77 modularity. The "person" node has highest betweenness centrality (0.45). The business is deeply people-dependent.

AgentRoleBackground
Kevin MowrerCEO + Game DesignHasbro R&D, 20+ patents, Beast Wars, Dragon Booster
Limore ShurMarketing + App DevNike, Amazon, Best Buy, Target brand building
Steve WeinsteinChief CreativeMattel, Hasbro, Tonka product design
Julian Chan-BevanCreative DirectorNetflix, Paramount, Universal brand strategy
Keith BencherFinance
Ben MauceriLegal / IP

Resources

137 nodes, 319 edges, 12 clusters, 0.79 modularity. Funding allocation has 47% of betweenness centrality. The business is capital-constrained; every resource traces back to seed money allocation.

Planned Flows

15 clusters, 0.69 modularity. meaningful_fun is the sole hub (bc: 0.55). Every value flow routes through the company. No distributed value creation exists.

Five primary value chains identified: Capital→Product→Revenue, Product→Distribution→Revenue, Product→Digital→Engagement, Marketing→Awareness→Conversion, Growth→Series A.


First Reference Implementation

Long Zhu / Meaningful Fun is a pre-launch educational TCG startup with an elite team (Hasbro, Nike, Netflix alumni), a novel product category, and a $1.1M seed round target. The layered ontology reveals the structural reality beneath the pitch.

The Business Model Is 93% Projection

93%
of BMC entities exist only in Recipe or Plan layers

Only 5 of 67 mapped entities have observation-layer evidence. The entire business model canvas operates on projected capabilities with near-zero validation. This is expected for a pre-launch startup. The critical question: which projections need validation before investors commit?

67
BMC Entities
5
Observed
4
Chain Breaks
43/100
Brand Power

Business Model Canvas Mapping

67 entities mapped across 9 BMC blocks. Each entity tagged with its temporal status.

BMC Block Key Entities Temporal Status
Value Propositions Bilingual gameplay, Battle Story App, graphic novels Recipe
Customer Segments TCG players 11+, parents, after-school, Chinese heritage Plan
Revenue Streams Starter decks ($15), boosters ($5), app subscription, merch Plan
Key Activities Game design (✓), card production, app dev, organized play Observation + Recipe
Key Resources IP/patents (✓), team (4 veterans), AI gameplay engine Observation + Recipe
Key Partnerships Game stores, Gen Con, after-school networks, educators Recipe

BMC Health by Temporal Status

BMC Heatmap


Recipe / Plan / Observation

Temporal Distribution

Observation Layer

The only flows with real-world evidence:

Kevin's franchise track record0.95
Team industry experience0.90
Patents filed0.85
Game mechanics in development0.75
Concept testing occurred0.60

Plan–Observation Gap

The highest execution risk. Items committed in the plan with timelines but zero evidence of execution:

Planned FlowWhat Would Make It ObservationStatus
Raise $1.1M seedSigned term sheets, money in bankPLAN
350 cards developedPlayable card set, playtesting dataPLAN
Battle Story App builtWorking prototype, app store listingPLAN
Distribution partnershipsSigned agreements with distributorsPLAN
Gen Con debutBooth reserved, demos plannedPLAN
$150K Y1 revenueActual sales dataPLAN

BMC Chain Breaks

Four structural breaks where the value flow chain is disconnected.

1. Educational VP → Channel → Segment
VP: "Learning teaches Chinese" —→ ??? MISSING ??? —→ After-school programs No channel connects the educational VP to institutional buyers. No educator on team. No pedagogical validation.
2. Competitive Scene → Key Activity → Key Resource
VP: Competitive community —→ ??? MISSING ??? —→ Competitive Players Zero organized play budget. No tournament software, judge cert, prize support. MetaZoo collapsed without this infrastructure.
3. App VP → Key Resource → Cost Structure
VP: Battle Story App —→ Unnamed developer —→ ??? MISSING ??? One unnamed person for 3 major features. No CTO. No technical co-founder.
4. Revenue Growth → Key Partnership → Channel
Revenue: $150K → $3.5M (23x growth Y1→Y2) —→ ??? MISSING ??? No distribution agreements. No retail partnerships. No bottoms-up model: stores × units × months.

GTM Phase Readiness

Each go-to-market phase traced through the full BMC chain. Readiness = percentage of chain links that exist.

Pre-Release
70%
Debut
40%
Launch
15%
Compete
5%
Enrich
5%
Partner
5%

The business can execute Pre-Release and partial Debut with current resources. Everything from Launch onward requires significant capability building that isn't yet in the plan.


Resource Impact Modeling

For each critical resource: what happens downstream through the BMC if removed vs. added?

App Developer (Unnamed)

CRITICAL

One unnamed person assigned to build 3 major app features. No CTO. No prototype. RECIPE

If Removed
3 digital value propositions disappear. App store channel dead. Subscription revenue eliminated. Stages 4–6 of user journey lose digital layer.
If Added (CTO + 2 devs)
App MVP ships on time. Scope to card capture only for v1. App store channel opens. Language learner segment becomes reachable.

Organized Play Budget

CRITICAL

Zero allocation. Competitive scene mentioned in plan but unfunded. RECIPE

If Maintained at Zero
Player journey stalls at Stage 3. No competitive, enthusiast, or collector stages develop. MetaZoo pattern: hype without retention → collapse.
If 10% of Marketing ($33K)
Basic tournament structure at 50–100 LGS locations. Player progression to competitive stage. Tournament entry fees + incremental booster sales.

Educational Consultant

HIGH

Listed as HR need. Nobody on team has education credentials. Core VP depends on this. RECIPE

If Never Hired
Educational claim stays unvalidated. Investors will challenge it. School partnerships impossible. Institutional revenue channel at zero.
If Hired (Part-Time, $15–30K)
White paper validates pedagogical mechanism. School partnerships become possible. Heritage families become addressable. Highest ROI hire.

Seed Funding ($1.1M)

CRITICAL

Two-tranche SAFE. Not yet raised. Every downstream resource depends on this. PLAN

If Fails to Raise
All development stops. No card production, no app, no marketing, no launch. Team disperses. Company remains an idea.
If Raises $1.5M
More runway for organized play, educational consultant, CTO hire. All 350 cards + basic app MVP. Full Launch phase feasible.

Kevin Mowrer (CEO)

HIGH

CEO + game designer + BD + investor relations + demo presenter. Hub node (bc: 0.55). OBSERVATION

If Leaves or Incapacitated
Game design stops. BD halts. Investor relationships break. Convention demos lose their best presenter. Company likely folds.
If Focused (Hire COO/BD)
Kevin focuses on game design + strategic vision. Sustainable leadership model. Franchise-building capability is his unique contribution.

Key Finding from O3

The entire Long Zhu BMC operates in Recipe and Plan layers. The only Observation-layer elements: Kevin's TCG track record (proven), patents filed (legal), and partial game concept testing. Every channel, partnership, customer relationship, and revenue stream is projected — none are observed. This is not a failure — it's a pre-seed reality — but the system makes it legible.

The BMC overlay revealed that organized play exists as Key Activity + Channel in the Recipe layer only — no Plan commitment, no Observation evidence — despite professional consensus (0.85 score) that organized play is survival-critical for competitive TCGs, as validated by the MetaZoo bankruptcy and Flesh and Blood success data.


Next instances: FrameBright and Fiserv.

Both projects have K1 graphs built. FrameBright has 4 InfraNodus graphs and a complete editorial brief deployed. Fiserv has 5 graphs and brand power scored at 46/100. Both are candidates for full K1–K5 + O1–O4 instantiation.

Next: FrameBright

Content Classification / Child Safety

4 graphs, editorial deployed. Awaiting team materials for full VF extraction. FrameBright-negative-space graph: 10 clusters, 0.568 modularity.

Next: Fiserv

Fintech Brand Intelligence

5 graphs, brand power 46/100 (Vulnerable). 26 strategic gaps identified. GTM roadmap in progress. Full O1–O4 instantiation would reveal BMC execution gaps.

System Evolution

The missing capability is the bmc-guidance-system orchestration skill — a single agent that takes a project with K1 complete and runs all six phases in sequence. Each engagement adds a refinement. This document (and the system it describes) is the Team C output from the Long Zhu instance.

Five interactive views into the K1–K5 knowledge graph stack and O1–O4 ontology design layers.

Each viewport is a standalone HTML page with D3.js visualizations driven by the same underlying data. Select a viewport to explore the Long Zhu instance from a different analytical angle.

↗ Canvas Views (examples.html)