diff --git a/docs/conventions.md b/docs/conventions.md
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+++ b/docs/conventions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+# `cuthbert` conventions
+
+On this page we'll explain and justify some of the conventions and design decisions
+made in `cuthbert`.
+
+
+## Unified Interface
+
+{%
+    include-markdown "../cuthbert/README.md"
+    start="<!--unified-interface-start-->"
+    end="<!--unified-interface-end-->"
+%}
+
+!!! success "Justification"
+    The unified interface allows all inference-specific details to be encapsulated
+    within the `build_filter` arguments with the subsequent methods being unified
+    across all inference methods. This allows for the user to swap between inference
+    methods and use model agnostic `cuthbert.filter` and `cuthbert.smoother` methods.
+
+
+## Filter as a unified operation (no `predict` or `update`)
+
+`cuthbert` methods do not have individual `predict` or `update` methods. Instead, they
+are unified into a single `filter` method. Of course, in practice the user can still
+call separate `predict` and `update` methods directly if they so desire.
+
+The user can achieve a `predict` step through a degenerate observation
+i.e. $p(y_t \mid x_t) \propto 1$.
+
+Similarly an `update` step can be achieved through degenerate dynamics
+i.e. $p(x_t \mid x_{t-1}) = \delta(x_t \mid x_{t-1})$.
+
+All `cuthbert` methods support these degenerate cases through appropriate specification
+`model_inputs` and the functions passed to `build_filter`.
+
+### Degenerate observation (predict)
+
+- For discrete methods a degenerate observation is achieved by making
+`get_obs_lls` return a constant array (i.e. all zeros).
+
+- For Gaussian methods a degenerate observation is achieved by setting the observation
+to an array of all `jnp.nan`.
+
+- For SMC methods a degenerate observation is achieved by making
+`log_potential` return a constant (i.e. zero).
+
+
+### Degenerate dynamics (update)
+
+- For discrete methods degenerate dynamics are achieved by making
+`get_trans_matrix` return the identity matrix.
+
+- For Gaussian methods degenerate dynamics are achieved by setting `chol_Q` to a zero
+matrix. With the exception of `gaussian.taylor` where the user does not define
+`chol_Q` directly, in this case degenerate dynamics are achieved with a `linearization_point`
+of all `jnp.nan`.
+
+- For SMC methods degenerate dynamics are achieved by making
+`propagate_sample` return the previous state unchanged.
+
+
+!!! success "Justification"
+    The single `filter` method represents a simplified interface which is easier to test
+    and maintain whilst providing the user with only one method to call.
+
+
+
+## No initial observation
+
+`cuthbert` adopts the convention of defining state-space models as $p(x_{0:T} \mid y_{1:T})$ rather than $p(x_{1:T} \mid y_{1:T})$ as is common in some implementations
+(such as [`dynamax`](https://github.com/probml/dynamax)).
+
+Given the above support for degenerate dynamics and observations, the user can achieve
+a $p(x_{1:T} \mid y_{1:T})$ model by passing degenerate dynamics to the first step
+of a $p(x_{0:T} \mid y_{1:T})$ model.
+
+!!! success "Justification"
+    The decision to omit of an initial observation was to support [factorial state-space models](https://doi.org/10.1093/jrsssc/qlae035) where the initialisation applies globally
+    to all factors vs filter steps which act locally on a small number of factors.
+    Including an initial observation resulted in awkward shape mismatches in the
+    `init_prepare` function.
+
+
+
+## Square root covariance matrices
+
+
+
+
+## Why `prepare` and `combine`?
+
+
+
+
+## What goes in `model_inputs`?
+
+
+
+
+## No dedicated methods for parameter estimation
diff --git a/docs/quickstart.md b/docs/quickstart.md
index f46730a..e2f23c5 100644
--- a/docs/quickstart.md
+++ b/docs/quickstart.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Quick start
+# Quickstart
 
 This guide will get you up and running with `cuthbert` for state-space model inference.
 We'll walk through an example of ranking international football teams over
diff --git a/mkdocs.yml b/mkdocs.yml
index cf41d76..ccffb16 100644
--- a/mkdocs.yml
+++ b/mkdocs.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ theme:
 
 nav:
   - Home: index.md
-  - Quick Start: quickstart.md
+  - Quickstart: quickstart.md
+  - cuthbert conventions: conventions.md
   - Contributing: contributing.md
   - Examples:
     - examples/index.md