01Section 01
The Principle
Contextual Intelligence extends Design Around Decisions™ (Chapter 2) into a rule every field can follow: touch it, and it tells you what it knows.
TraditionalSee a nameOpen a reportSearch historyReturn
Contextual IntelligenceHover the name Everything appears
02Section 02
Supplier Intelligence
Inside a Purchase Order, the supplier's whole record is one hover away.
Supplier — ABC Steel FZE
Instantly Visible
Credit LimitCredit Balance
RatingLast Purchase
Payment HistoryDelivery Performance
AI Risk Score
03Section 03
Item Intelligence
Select the item — stock, trend and alternates arrive before you ask.
Item — Industrial Pump PX-40
Instantly Visible
Current StockReserved / On Order
Lead TimePrice Trend
Alternate ItemsDemand Forecast
AI Purchase Suggestion
04Section 04
Employee Intelligence
A payroll or leave screen shouldn't send a manager hunting through HR reports.
Employee — R. Ahmed
Instantly Visible
Leave BalanceAttendance
LoansSalary Trend
05Section 05
Project Intelligence
An approval on a project should show what's actually happening on site.
Project — Marina Tower Fit-Out
Instantly Visible
BudgetProgress
DelayAI Profit Forecast
06Section 06
Asset Intelligence
A maintenance ticket should already know the asset's history the moment it's raised.
Asset — Chiller Unit 03
Instantly Visible
Warranty StatusLast Service
Fault HistoryAI Failure Risk
07Section 07
Design Rules for Contextual Panels
Not every field deserves a popup — only the ones a decision actually depends on.
Trigger on hover or select — never a separate click
Load in under 300ms or show a skeleton
Show 5–8 facts max — not a full report
Respect the viewer's permission level
Always offer "View Full Record"