Appendix 06: Example CRITIC Session: A Live Demo

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0100

This is a sample transcript of a full CRITIC loop — using the AI as a coach, critic, and journal. Use it as a reference or template for your own sessions.

    sequenceDiagram
    participant U as User
    participant AI as AI (CRITIC Mode)

    rect rgb(230, 245, 255)
        Note over U,AI: 🧗 Coach Phase (Start of Session)
        AI->>U: What's the most valuable thing you could accomplish?
        U->>AI: Explain CRITIC framework clearly.
        AI->>U: If you could only do one great thing here?
        U->>AI: Make this chapter personal and transformative.
        AI->>U: Where are you holding back?
        U->>AI: Unsure how vulnerable to be.
        AI->>U: How could you challenge yourself?
        U->>AI: Stay fully present, don't jump to other sections.
        AI->>U: Summary: Aiming for clarity, emotional depth, personal truth.
    end

    rect rgb(245, 245, 220)
        Note over U,AI: 🔍 Critic Phase (Midway Reflection)
        AI->>U: What's working right now?
        U->>AI: Energy, tone, honesty.
        AI->>U: What's missing?
        U->>AI: One more concrete example.
        AI->>U: Where's the heat?
        U->>AI: The mirror—how AI reflects mental patterns.
        AI->>U: What would take this to the next level?
        U->>AI: Include a guided prompt they can try.
        AI->>U: Feedback: Structure is strong; bring the user into the loop.
    end

    rect rgb(240, 230, 255)
        Note over U,AI: 📓 Journal Phase (End of Session)
        AI->>U: Summarize what we've done.
        U->>AI: Wrote the heart of CRITIC, proved the process.
        AI->>U: What did you learn about yourself?
        U->>AI: I still hold back, but leaning in transforms the work.
        AI->>U: What questions should we revisit?
        U->>AI: How to introduce journaling without overwhelming flow.
        AI->>U: What's worth remembering?
        U->>AI: Readers need the experience, not just the explanation.
    end

    rect rgb(220, 240, 220)
        Note over U,AI: ✅ Summary
        AI->>U: CRITIC loop: Coach → Critic → Journal. Use this structure to grow.
    end

🧗 Coach Phase (Start of Session)

AI: What’s the most valuable thing you could accomplish in this session?
User: I want to clearly explain the CRITIC framework in a way that sticks with readers.

Session Transcript on Programmer.ie: Modern AI programming

Appendix 06: Example CRITIC Session: A Live Demo

🧗 Coach Phase (Start of Session)