Authority Stack Visualizer
Breaks down decision-making powers by category: Residence, Legal Custody, Educational Authority, Medical Authority, Treatment Authority, Communication Authority, Records Access.
Case Study 01
Authority Gap
Flagship research project investigating how decision-making authority is documented, transferred, interpreted, and exercised across legal, educational, medical, and administrative systems.
Background
The origin
Authority Gap began as an effort to understand how decision-making authority is documented, transferred, interpreted, and exercised across legal, educational, medical, and administrative systems.
The Question
Where does authority actually come from?
When decisions affect a family, the source of authority is not always clear.
- Statutes
- Court orders
- Policies
- Internal practice
- Assumptions
Research Method
Process over conclusions
The project prioritizes the record.
- Records requests
- Timeline analysis
- Document comparison
- Policy review
- Legal research
- Communication analysis
Visual Systems
Authority mapping
These tools make invisible structures visible.
Timeline Explorer
Interactive chronology of events with documentation status labels.
Document Relationships
Visual map connecting records, orders, reports, and communications.
Findings
Open findings
Several decision pathways appeared to rely upon assumptions that were not immediately supported by available documentation.
Open Questions
Evolving research archive
This section grows as records are obtained and reviewed.