The current top-nav is surface-derived — "here are the things we do." The proposal is reader-derived — "how do I find what I want?" Six top-level surfaces. Pro demoted from nav to CTA. See ia-proposal.md for the defended write-up.
Five slots. Two work. Two are confused. Three things are missing. Specific findings below; full audit in ia-proposal.md §1.
A schematic of the proposed top-nav. Issues · Series · Data · Community · About, with a single green Pro CTA replacing the current Pro nav item.
Each surface has a defined reader, a defined intent, and a defined output. Sample content shown at the foot of each card.
All long-form weekly pieces, filterable. Replaces Latest. The home of issue 1 through 142.
Multi-part investigations with arc, order, and "start here." Highest-priority addition.
Scrollytelling, charts, datasets. Different artifact, different reader mode. Quarterly cadence.
Sessions, Chapters, Conference and the Members directory under one shelf. Replaces three current top-levels.
Steve, the mission, contact, press. The page first-time readers need before they subscribe.
A tier page, accessed via the masthead pill — not a content category. One page, one decision: free or paid.
Every artifact the brand produces, mapped to one primary surface and (where applicable) secondary appearances.
| Content type | Primary surface | Also appears |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly issuee.g. #18 · Talkspace turnaround | Issues→Markets | Homepage hero (if latest)Series (if part of one)Author archive |
| Series roote.g. The Therapy Layer | Series→[Name] | Issues stream as featuredHomepage on launch weeks |
| Series parte.g. Therapy Layer · IV | Series→[Name]→Part IV | Issues stream individuallyAuthor archive |
| Data piece — scrollytellinge.g. Where mental health VC goes | Data→Interactive | Issues stream if paired with long-form |
| Standalone charte.g. Talkspace EBITDA inflection | Data→Charts | Embedded inline in issues |
| Dataset · CSV / XLSXe.g. Kooth FY model | Data→Datasets | Linked from charts that use itPro members only |
| Sessions evente.g. Inside the Talkspace re-orientation | Community→Sessions | Member calendarEmail reminderHomepage if T-7 |
| Chapter dinnere.g. NY · May 28 · 22 seats | Community→Chapters→NY | Member directoryEmail invite |
| Conferencee.g. Hemingway Annual · Sep 2026 | Community→Conference | Top-nav strip 90 days outHomepage hero |
| Member profilee.g. operator @ Series B | Community→Members | Hidden from logged-outSearchable by city / role |
| Author pageSteve Duke | About→Steve Duke | Linked from every bylineAuthor archive of all issues |
| Press iteminterview · podcast appearance | About→Press | Press kit downloadable |
| Pro tier page | Pro CTA→standalone | Inline mid-issue paywalls link here |
When a Pro member signs in, the Pro pill is replaced by an avatar dropdown that opens this shelf. Saved · Reading queue · Recently read — same as a Kindle, sized to an operator's reading habits.
Phase 1 is a label change and a layout adjustment. Phase 2 is the single biggest change — it creates the surface that The Therapy Layer already needs and doesn't have.
