In this model, we create and update four basic kinds of entities in the synthesis process:
Question notes, which express an open research question.
Synthesis notes, which express a single, generalized idea, such as a claim, First Principles
Observation notes, which express a single, highly contextualized and specific observation that, together with other observation notes, can form the basis of a synthesis note, and
Context snippet notes, which help to ground and contextualize observation notes.
Question notes express an open question (e.g., “What is the effect of analogical distance of inspirations on creative output?”). They can be readily mapped to research questions in research projects.