design: Orbitals pattern -- task/maintenance countdowns that restart from completion #120

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opened 2026-04-22 14:18:03 -07:00 by pyr0ball · 0 comments

pyr0ball commented

2026-04-22 14:18:03 -07:00

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Background

Spotted in r/audhd: a builder working on "Wallo", an anti-engagement habit app for ND brains. Their "Orbitals" mechanic is directly aligned with Kiwi's no-debt philosophy.

Orbitals definition: If a recurring task is set for "every 7 days", the countdown starts from when you actually do it, not from the scheduled date. It never accumulates debt. It just waits.

Thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/audhd/comments/1smxzje/i_got_sick_of_habit_apps_triggering_my/
Magpie opportunity: #2 (pending review -- reply drafted)

Kiwi relevance

Kiwi already applies this principle implicitly to expiry tracking -- "days remaining" counts from now, never shows accumulated overdue debt. But we don't have an explicit maintenance task layer yet.

Potential applications in Kiwi:

Pantry maintenance tasks: "check fridge", "wipe shelves", "rotate stock" -- orbital countdowns
Recipe planning cadence: "make this meal again" suggestion restarts from last time you cooked it, not from a fixed schedule
Restock reminders: fires X days after you last logged a restock, not on a fixed calendar

Design options

A. Implicit (no UI change): Treat all Kiwi time-based suggestions as orbital by default -- already true for expiry. Document this as a design principle, no new feature.

B. Explicit maintenance tasks: Add a lightweight task layer (separate from pantry items) where users can define orbital maintenance habits. Countdown shown in a widget or dashboard section. No streak, no debt, no calendar grid.

C. Orbital recipe cadence: Suggest "you haven't made [recipe] in X days" where X is measured from last cook date, not a fixed interval. Gentle, not guilt-inducing.

Notes

Align with Kiwi no-panic/no-urgency design policy (see CLAUDE.md)
Wallo alpha test feedback could inform our implementation -- worth engaging with the builder
Option B is the most scope-expansive; could be a separate milestone

## Background Spotted in r/audhd: a builder working on "Wallo", an anti-engagement habit app for ND brains. Their "Orbitals" mechanic is directly aligned with Kiwi's no-debt philosophy. **Orbitals definition:** If a recurring task is set for "every 7 days", the countdown starts from when you *actually do it*, not from the scheduled date. It never accumulates debt. It just waits. Thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/audhd/comments/1smxzje/i_got_sick_of_habit_apps_triggering_my/ Magpie opportunity: #2 (pending review -- reply drafted) ## Kiwi relevance Kiwi already applies this principle implicitly to expiry tracking -- "days remaining" counts from now, never shows accumulated overdue debt. But we don't have an explicit maintenance task layer yet. Potential applications in Kiwi: - **Pantry maintenance tasks**: "check fridge", "wipe shelves", "rotate stock" -- orbital countdowns - **Recipe planning cadence**: "make this meal again" suggestion restarts from last time you cooked it, not from a fixed schedule - **Restock reminders**: fires X days after you last logged a restock, not on a fixed calendar ## Design options **A. Implicit (no UI change):** Treat all Kiwi time-based suggestions as orbital by default -- already true for expiry. Document this as a design principle, no new feature. **B. Explicit maintenance tasks:** Add a lightweight task layer (separate from pantry items) where users can define orbital maintenance habits. Countdown shown in a widget or dashboard section. No streak, no debt, no calendar grid. **C. Orbital recipe cadence:** Suggest "you haven't made [recipe] in X days" where X is measured from last cook date, not a fixed interval. Gentle, not guilt-inducing. ## Notes - Align with Kiwi no-panic/no-urgency design policy (see CLAUDE.md) - Wallo alpha test feedback could inform our implementation -- worth engaging with the builder - Option B is the most scope-expansive; could be a separate milestone