“I still need to chase that refund.”
A thread that will not close itself.An open product question
What are you carrying?
We are not asking for a feature. Name one ordinary thing you keep remembering, chasing or doing yourself — the thing you wish a good private secretary would take and return complete.
Research, not a capability promiseService is in private pilotInstrument is design intent
Start with real life
The work that stays in your head.
“Someone should arrange the boiler service.”
Simple until the calls, quotes and calendar begin.“I need the right papers before that appointment.”
The decision stays yours; the preparation can be someone else’s.A concrete task ladder
From one answer to shared responsibility.
The level reflects how much coordination, uncertainty and consequence a task carries. Frequency and difficulty are working hypotheses. Status says what is supported now; the ladder itself is not an availability promise.
WorkingPrivate pilotResearch
Level 1
Know & prepare
Turn known information into a useful answer or draft. Nothing leaves without the person.
Task
Frequency
Difficulty
Status
Explain today’s inbox and calendar
Daily
Medium
Working
Draft a reply, invitation or difficult message
Daily
Low
Working
Compare sensible options and recommend the next move
Weekly
Medium
Working
Level 2
Organise & propose
Keep a thread, assemble the details and bring back a bounded choice for approval.
Task
Frequency
Difficulty
Status
Capture a promise and return when it is due
Daily
Low
Working
Arrange or change a meeting within agreed bounds
Weekly
Medium
Working
Track a parcel, flight or price condition
Monthly
Medium
Private pilot
Level 3
Arrange & finish
Contact a provider, handle the ordinary back-and-forth and return with a confirmed outcome or exception.
Task
Frequency
Difficulty
Status
Call a business, wait on hold and obtain a quote
Monthly
High
Private pilot
Book a ride, table or local service after approval
Monthly
Medium
Private pilot
Cancel a subscription after review and approval
Monthly
High
Private pilot
Level 4
Own & chase
Carry a multi-step thread across days or providers. Escalate decisions, costs and surprises.
Task
Frequency
Difficulty
Status
Chase a missing refund or service failure
Quarterly
High
Private pilot
Coordinate a home repair across quotes, access and completion
Quarterly
High
Research
Carry recurring school, care or household administration
Weekly
High
Research
Level 5
Stand beside
Prepare a consequential case or life event. The person keeps the judgement, with their professional where needed.
Task
Frequency
Difficulty
Status
Prepare an insurance, tax, legal or medical case for a professional
Rare
Very high
Research
Prepare a move, long trip or major life-event programme
Yearly
High
Research
Coordinate a high-stakes thread without taking the final decision
Rare
Very high
Research
These are examples, not a closed catalogue. If your task sits between levels, or belongs nowhere here, tell us anyway — that is useful evidence.
Add your task to the mapAdd one task to the map
What should a secretary carry for you?
Describe the task in your own words. We are looking for repeated, unglamorous work, not impressive demonstrations. Please leave out names, account numbers, medical details and anything else private.
We use the response to understand which work matters and may publish only aggregated patterns, never your task or email as an attributed story without asking again. You can request erasure through the privacy page.
What comes back
A public working map.
We will group the submissions by frequency and difficulty, test the most recognisable handoffs, and publish what earns evidence.
Until then, the honest return is the question itself: what would you stop carrying if you had a secretary you trusted?