Mode System¶
Document: docs/product/mode-system.md
Status: Canonical — all surface and component briefs must conform to this document
Last updated: 2026-04-06
Authority: Tim Rignold, UCCA Inc
IP Reference: UMS-001 — licensable IP, UCCA Inc
Purpose¶
This document defines the RTOpacks Mode System — the LIVE / GUIDED / COMPLIANCE operating mode framework that governs how the product presents itself to users across all surfaces. The mode system is licensable intellectual property (UMS-001) developed by UCCA Inc. It is not a UI theme or a display preference — it is a fundamental product architecture that determines what content is shown, how it is presented, what actions are available, and how the product communicates with its users.
Why The Mode System Exists¶
RTOs operate in a complex regulatory environment. The same information — a unit of competency, a compliance requirement, a policy statement — serves different purposes depending on who is looking at it and why:
- A trainer delivering a unit needs to understand it in the context of their learners and their delivery context
- A compliance manager preparing for an ASQA audit needs to understand it in the context of the Standards for RTOs
- An administrator building a course needs to understand it in terms of packaging rules and learner pathways
The mode system allows a single piece of content to be presented differently depending on the operational context, without creating three separate products. It is a content presentation layer, not a data layer — the underlying data is the same, the mode determines how it surfaces.
The Three Modes¶
LIVE Mode¶
Definition: Normal operational mode. The product as it is used day-to-day for training delivery, learner management, course building, and general RTO operations.
Character: Active, workflow-oriented, practical. Content is presented in terms of what needs to be done. The product supports the user in executing their work.
What it shows: - Current operational data — active learners, current units, live delivery - Workflow tools — course builder, learner management, scheduling - Notifications and alerts relevant to current operations - KN content in guided, practical framing
What it does not emphasise: - Standards references and compliance mapping (present but not foregrounded) - Audit trail visibility (logs exist but are not prominently surfaced) - Export and documentation tools (available but in secondary menus)
Typical users: Trainers, assessors, admin staff, learners (L4A)
GUIDED Mode¶
Definition: Structured learning and onboarding mode. Used when staff are learning the system, when RTOs are implementing new processes, or when the platform is being used as a training tool itself.
Character: Instructional, step-by-step, contextual. Content is presented with explanatory framing. The product helps the user understand not just what to do but why.
What it shows: - Step-by-step workflows with explanations at each step - Contextual help and guidance inline with actions - KN content in educational framing — explaining competency elements and their purpose - Progress indicators for multi-step processes - Prompts and suggestions for next steps
What it enables: - L4 customisation — RTO operators can edit guided content to reflect their own language, processes, and context. For example, an RTO might relabel a guided step to reference their internal policy, their specific open day content, or their own terminology. The underlying structure remains; the language and context can be owned by the RTO.
Multi-language capability: Guided mode is the primary surface for multi-language support. Because content is already framed with explanatory text, it is the appropriate layer for language variants. A guided workflow can be presented in different languages without changing the underlying data or the LIVE mode surface. This is an architectural capability — implementation of specific language variants is a separate brief.
Typical users: New staff being onboarded, RTOs in implementation phase, staff undertaking internal training (L4A, L4)
COMPLIANCE Mode¶
Definition: Audit and evidence mode. Used when the RTO is preparing for or responding to an ASQA audit, conducting internal compliance reviews, or generating documentation for regulatory purposes.
Character: Formal, evidence-oriented, standards-referenced. Content is presented in terms of the Standards for RTOs and the regulatory framework. Every piece of content is traceable to a standard.
What it shows: - Standards references mapped to every content item (e.g. "This relates to Standard 1.1") - Compliance status indicators across the RTO's scope - Full audit trail — who has done what, when - Evidence gaps — what is missing or overdue - Compliance documentation generation tools
What it enables:
- Export button — compliance mode surfaces the export capability prominently. This is a first-class feature, not an afterthought. A user in compliance mode should be able to export a clean, ASQA-ready evidence document from any relevant page.
- Print with compliance footer — all print output in compliance mode includes the full universal print footer (see presentation-tiers.md) plus any standards references relevant to the printed content
- Evidence bundles — the ability to compile multiple documents into a single export package for audit submission (future capability — to be specified in a dedicated brief)
What Alex interpreted correctly: When the Workspace Studio admin panel was observed to have an "Export" button appearing in compliance mode, this was an accurate interpretation of the mode's intent. That export button is correct and should be formalised — not as an improvisation but as a specified feature of compliance mode.
Typical users: Compliance managers, RTO principals, UCCA staff supporting RTOs through audit (L4, L3)
Mechanical Structure¶
Where The Mode System Lives¶
The mode is a global state held at the session level, not the component level. It is set once per session (or changed deliberately by the user) and propagates through all surfaces and components.
State location: Session-level context, persisted in KV for the duration of the session. Not a URL parameter — the mode does not change the URL.
How it propagates: Via React context at the application root. Every component that is mode-aware receives the current mode via useModeContext() hook. Components that are not mode-aware are unaffected.
Mode selector: Available in the navigation/header of all authenticated surfaces. The user sees their current mode and can switch. Not all users have access to all modes — access is tier-controlled:
| Mode | Minimum tier to access |
|---|---|
| LIVE | L4A |
| GUIDED | L4A |
| COMPLIANCE | L4 (org owner or compliance role) |
L3 and above have access to all modes across all client orgs they manage.
Mode Switching¶
- Switching mode does not navigate the user away from their current location
- Mode switch is logged as a session event in
ops-db - Components re-render to reflect the new mode context without a full page reload
- Some surfaces may confirm a mode switch if the user is mid-workflow (e.g. "You are in the middle of a compliance review — switch to LIVE mode?")
Mode Indicator¶
Every authenticated page displays the current mode clearly in the navigation. The mode indicator is not subtle — the user should always know which mode they are in. Visual treatment per mode:
| Mode | Indicator treatment |
|---|---|
| LIVE | Neutral / default — the standard UI |
| GUIDED | Warm accent — indicates an instructional context |
| COMPLIANCE | Formal accent — indicates a regulatory context |
Specific visual tokens for mode indicators are defined in design-foundation.md.
Multi-Language Capability¶
The mode system is designed as an i18n-aware layer. This capability is architectural — it is built into the mode system's content model — but specific language implementations are separate briefs.
How it works: - GUIDED mode content is the primary target for language variants — it is already framed with explanatory text that benefits most from localisation - COMPLIANCE mode standards references are inherently English (ASQA standards are English-only) but surrounding content can be localised - LIVE mode content is largely data-driven and needs less localisation, but UI chrome (labels, buttons, messages) is fully localisable
Implementation note: Multi-language support uses standard i18n patterns (locale files, translation keys). The mode system does not need to be rearchitected for language support — it needs language-variant content files per mode. First language variant to be determined by product roadmap.
UMS-001 — Licensable IP¶
The LIVE / GUIDED / COMPLIANCE mode system is licensable intellectual property developed by UCCA Inc, registered as UMS-001.
What this means in practice: - The mode system architecture is a UCCA-owned product component - It can be licensed to other regulated industries beyond VET — the Field Observer concept (ASQA, and other regulated verticals) would use the same mode framework applied to different content domains - Any external deployment of the mode system in a white-label or licensed context requires a licensing arrangement with UCCA Inc - Documentation of the mode system (including this document) is internal — it is not published or shared externally without Tim sign-off
Field Observer connection: The Radar/Landscape engine pointed at other regulated industries would operate the same mode system. LIVE = operational intelligence view. GUIDED = onboarding and interpretation. COMPLIANCE = regulatory evidence mode. The mode system is domain-agnostic by design.
L4 Content Customisation in Guided Mode¶
RTO operators at L4 can edit guided mode content within their organisation's context. This is managed through the L4 customisation layer (see l4-customisation.md). The boundaries are:
What L4 can customise in guided mode: - Language and framing of guided steps — can be rewritten in the RTO's own terminology - Contextual examples — can reference the RTO's own policies, open days, procedures - Additional guidance — RTOs can add their own annotations on top of the KN-generated base content - Labels and terminology — e.g. what RTOpacks calls "Course" an RTO might call "Program" in their context
What L4 cannot customise: - Standards references in compliance mode — these are fixed to the actual ASQA standards - Underlying data — unit codes, competency elements, TGA content - The KN base content (they can annotate on top, not replace) - The universal print footer — compliance element, cannot be removed or modified
Amendment Log¶
| Date | Change | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-06 | Initial document created — first formal expression of the mode system | Tim Rignold |