obligation-matrix — Lattice component
Lattice

obligation-matrix

ComparisonMatrixStructure

Regulation × obligation grid — state-marker cells encode applies / partial / exempt at a glance.

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Variant

Use when many regimes need comparing across the same obligations. Cells carry the universal state-token grammar ([x] applies, [-] partial, [ ] exempt, [/] out of scope) shared with checklist / verdict-grid / roadmap.

complianceregulationstoplight

When to use

  • Many regimes, shared obligations. Three or more regulations or jurisdictions compared across the same set of duties. The grid lets the reader scan a row to know a regime and a column to know an obligation.
  • State markers, not values. Cells are pass/partial/fail/skip — the universal [x] / [-] / [ ] / [/] grammar. For textual cell values use compare-table.
  • Risk axis with heat. The heat variant flips the palette so applies ([x]) reads as alarm. Exempt ([ ]) cells resolve to the neutral state and are NOT recolored — they don't turn 'relief' green. Use when the matrix is read for exposure, not for coverage.

When not to use

  • Two regimes only. Past one row vs another the grid loses its purpose. Use compare-prose or compare-table for two-regime comparisons.
  • Mixed cell content. Don't mix state markers with prose values in the same matrix — the cell width has to grow to fit prose and the marker grid collapses. Pick one cell type.
  • Missing legend. The trailing paragraph naming filled/half/empty is what onboards a first-time reader. Skipping it forces the audience to guess the mapping.

Common mistakes

  • Explicitly left-aligning table columns (:---) instead of leaving alignment unspecified or writing :---:. The matrix unconditionally centers every cell, so a plain column with no alignment markers still centers state-marker glyphs fine. Only an EXPLICIT :--- left-align syntax breaks it — that emits an inline left-align style, which (being inline) overrides the component's own centering rule regardless of specificity.

Authoring

<!-- _class: obligation-matrix -->

## Headline framing what the matrix compares.

| Regulation | Obligation A | Obligation B | Obligation C |
| ---------- | :----------: | :----------: | :----------: |
| Regime 1   | [x]          | [x]          | [-]          |
| Regime 2   | [x]          | [-]          | [x]          |
| Regime 3   | [x]          | [ ]          | [x]          |

Filled = applies, half = partial, empty = exempt.

Slots

SlotSelectorRequiredDescription
headingh2yesSlide heading framing what the matrix compares.
matrixtableyesMarkdown table — rows are regulations, columns are obligations. Use state markers ([x] / [-] / [ ] / [/]) in cells.
legendpnoOptional trailing paragraph explaining the state-marker meanings or what to take from the matrix.

Anatomy

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  header                                 │
│  Regulation × duty heading.             │
│                                         │
│  ┌───────────┬───────────┬───────────┐  │
│  │           │ Duty A    │ Duty B    │  │
│  ├───────────┼───────────┼───────────┤  │
│  │ Reg 1     │ ✓         │ ✕         │  │
│  │ Reg 2     │ ✓         │ ✓         │  │
│  │ Reg 3     │ ⚠         │ ✓         │  │
│  └───────────┴───────────┴───────────┘  │
│  footer                           1/19  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Variant decision rule

  • default (no modifier) — Neutral, data-first cell chrome with no additional emphasis — reference tone.
  • heat — The matrix should read as exposure — applies ([x]) reads as alarm — not just coverage for reference. Exempt ([ ]) cells resolve to a neutral state that heat does NOT re-color; they keep their default neutral ring rather than turning 'relief' green.
  • asymmetric — The regimes genuinely differ in kind and each deserves body-level breathing room as its own card rather than a strict grid cell.
  • pills — The state should read as a word — a status label — rather than an iconographic mark. This requires authoring literal text (inline code or bold) per cell instead of the [x]/[-]/[ ] state-marker grammar — pills' word-styling only targets literal text, so a table still written with bracket markers keeps its icon-only marks (no word appears), though the cell padding and row-zebra shift anyway since pills restyles every cell regardless of content.
  • lanes — Each regime should read as its own horizontal band, emphasizing that it's a distinct regime rather than a rank in a list.

Variants

heat — heat

Cells shaded by burden.

<!-- _class: obligation-matrix heat -->

## heat shades the cells by burden.

| Regulation | Notice | Consent | Retention | Breach | DSAR  |
| ---------- | :----: | :-----: | :-------: | :----: | :---: |
| GDPR       | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| CCPA/CPRA  | [x]    | [-]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| LGPD       | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| PIPEDA     | [x]    | [x]     | [-]       | [x]    | [-]   |
| HIPAA      | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [-]   |
| GLBA       | [x]    | [-]     | [-]       | [x]    | [ ]   |

Red = applies (exposure). Exempt cells stay neutral — heat marks burden, not relief.
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asymmetric — asymmetric

Regimes differ in kind.

<!-- _class: obligation-matrix asymmetric -->

## asymmetric admits the regimes differ in kind.

| Regulation | Notice | Consent | Retention | Breach | DSAR  |
| ---------- | :----: | :-----: | :-------: | :----: | :---: |
| GDPR       | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| CCPA/CPRA  | [x]    | [-]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| LGPD       | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |

Each row promotes to a card with body-level breathing room.
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pills — pills

Cells as status words.

<!-- _class: obligation-matrix pills -->

## pills spell each cell as a status word.

| Regulation | Notice | Consent | Retention | Breach | DSAR  |
| ---------- | :----: | :-----: | :-------: | :----: | :---: |
| GDPR       | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| CCPA/CPRA  | [x]    | [-]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| LGPD       | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| PIPEDA     | [x]    | [x]     | [-]       | [x]    | [-]   |
| HIPAA      | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [-]   |
| GLBA       | [x]    | [-]     | [-]       | [x]    | [ ]   |

Same data, neutral chrome — the state pills carry the meaning without the heat-map alarm.
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lanes — lanes

One regime per band.

<!-- _class: obligation-matrix lanes -->

## lanes walks one regime per band.

| Regulation | Notice | Consent | Retention | Breach | DSAR  |
| ---------- | :----: | :-----: | :-------: | :----: | :---: |
| GDPR       | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| CCPA/CPRA  | [x]    | [-]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| LGPD       | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [x]   |
| PIPEDA     | [x]    | [x]     | [-]       | [x]    | [-]   |
| HIPAA      | [x]    | [x]     | [x]       | [x]    | [-]   |
| GLBA       | [x]    | [-]     | [-]       | [x]    | [ ]   |

Each lane stripe signals that the row is its own regime, not a rank.
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Related

  • compare-tablecells are textual values, not state markers
  • verdict-gridoptions scored against criteria with a per-card layout instead of a table
  • matrix-2x2two axes, four cells, qualitative placement
  • checklistone set of obligations against one regime, not many
  • matrix-gridthe grid marks one position on two ordered axes, not a pass/partial/exempt status per cell