How We Rank and Grade a Second Brain

We assess the completeness and usefulness of a knowledge base so teams know where they stand and how to improve. The volume of connected knowledge sets the baseline tier, and quality signals refine your standing.

Quality tiers (by record volume)

Tiers are determined by the total number of usable records connected to your Second Brain.

Poor

< 100 records

Not enough connected material to answer questions reliably.

Coverage~25%

Average

100–300 records

Useful foundation; answers many questions but with gaps.

Coverage~55%

Good

≥ 300 records

Strong, reliable base with enough breadth to surface patterns.

Coverage~85%

What influences your grade

Beyond volume, we look at signals that drive day‑to‑day usefulness and trust.

Coverage

Number of unique, usable records connected across teams and brands.

Freshness

Share of content updated or added in the last 30–90 days.

Diversity

Variety of sources connected (Drive, Slack, Notion, Meetings, etc.).

Structure

Labels, tags, and consistent naming that make content discoverable.

Retrieval

How easily answers surface for common questions and follow‑ups.

Trust

Access controls and hygiene (PII safeguards, deduplication, clear owners).

Examples

Illustrative snapshots to make the tiers concrete.

Starter

Poor

Records45

Early days—connect more sources and recent work.

Growing

Average

Records180

Solid base—improve freshness and tagging for faster answers.

Mature

Good

Records620

Great breadth—keep it fresh and structured to stay sharp.

How to improve your grade

Quick wins that compound into a healthier, more useful Second Brain.

Grow coverage

Connect key folders and recent campaign docs. Prioritize decks, briefs, and learnings.

Keep it fresh

Add new work weekly; retire duplicates. Aim for steady additions over spikes.

Improve structure

Use clear names, add labels, and group by brand/channel to boost retrieval.

Search the way you think

Ask natural questions, refine with follow‑ups, and bookmark useful results.

Diversify sources

Bring in Slack threads, meeting notes, and research docs to close blind spots.

Build trust

Ensure correct access, remove sensitive data when not needed, and assign owners.