The Intake Process

The Intake Process is Context Ark's AI-powered interview system that transforms unstructured ideas into a deterministic Project Kernel. Unlike traditional forms, our intake adapts to your answers in real-time.

How It Works

The intake follows a three-stage pipeline:

Stage 1: The Brain Dump

When you create a new project, you're asked to describe your idea in free-form text. This is intentionally open-ended.

What to include:

The core problem you're solving
Who your users are
Key features you envision
Any technical preferences (frameworks, databases)
Business model or monetization strategy

[!TIP] The more context you provide upfront, the fewer follow-up questions you'll need to answer. Aim for 200+ words.

Example Brain Dump:

text

1I want to build a SaaS platform for freelance accountants to manage their
2client invoices. Users should be able to create invoices, track payments,
3and send automated reminders. I want to use Next.js and Supabase.
4The app should have Stripe integration for processing payments.
5Target users are small accounting firms with 1-10 employees.

Stage 2: AI Follow-Up Questions

Based on your brain dump, Context Ark generates 10-20 targeted questions to fill gaps in your specification.

Questions are categorized into domains:

Category	Example Question
Product	"What happens if a payment fails?"
Users	"What permissions do different user roles have?"
Technical	"Do you need real-time updates or is polling acceptable?"
Business	"What's your pricing model: per-seat, usage-based, or flat?"
Security	"What compliance requirements apply (SOC2, GDPR)?"

[!NOTE] You don't need to answer every question perfectly. If you're unsure, respond with "I don't know, decide for me" and the AI will make a reasonable default choice.

Stage 3: Coverage Analysis

As you answer questions, Context Ark calculates a Coverage Score (0-100%).

Score	Meaning
0-40%	Critical gaps remain. Kernel generation will be incomplete.
40-70%	Usable, but expect some assumptions in output.
70-90%	Good coverage. Recommended for first kernel build.
90-100%	Comprehensive. Ideal for production projects.

Restarting or Editing Intake

You can always:

Edit answers by clicking on any previously answered question
Regenerate questions if you significantly changed your brain dump
Skip to kernel if you're confident in your current coverage

What Happens Next?

Once you're satisfied with your coverage, click Build Kernel. This triggers the Kernel Builder agent, which:

Synthesizes all your answers
Researches your tech stack on the web
Generates a structured JSON kernel
Validates internal consistency

The entire process takes 30-60 seconds.