diff --git a/cardano-node/cardano-node.cabal b/cardano-node/cardano-node.cabal
index a485ef897da..6b07cdb0dd1 100644
--- a/cardano-node/cardano-node.cabal
+++ b/cardano-node/cardano-node.cabal
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ library
                        Cardano.Node.Run
                        Cardano.Node.STM
                        Cardano.Node.Startup
+                       Cardano.Node.StateRep
                        Cardano.Node.TraceConstraints
                        Cardano.Node.Tracing
                        Cardano.Node.Types
diff --git a/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/StateRep.hs b/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/StateRep.hs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fdd25168a47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/StateRep.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+module Cardano.Node.StateRep where
+
+data NodeState blk
+  -- All node states prior to tracing system going online are effectively invisible.
+  = NodeTracingOnlineConfiguring    -- <- initTraceDispatcher
+  | NodeConfigCompleteLoadingKernel -- just before Node.run
+  | NodeChainDBOpening (TraceEvent blk)
+  -- TraceOpenEvent              (TraceOpenEvent               blk)
+      -- StartedOpeningDB
+      -- StartedOpeningImmutableDB
+      -- OpenedImmutableDB
+      -- StartedOpeningVolatileDB
+      -- OpenedVolatileDB
+      -- StartedOpeningLgrDB
+  -- TraceLedgerReplayEvent      (LedgerReplayEvent            blk)
+      -- ReplayFromGenesis
+      -- ReplayFromSnapshot
+      -- ReplayedBlock
+  -- TraceOpenEvent              (TraceOpenEvent               blk)
+      -- OpenedLgrDB
+  -- TraceInitChainSelEvent      (TraceInitChainSelEvent       blk)
+      -- StartedInitChainSelection
+      -- InitalChainSelected
+  -- TraceOpenEvent              (TraceOpenEvent               blk)
+      -- OpenedDB
+  | NodeKernelOnlineSyncing         -- just before onKernel in rnNodeKernelHook
+  | NodeSyncing (TraceEvent blk)
+  -- TraceAddBlockEvent          (TraceAddBlockEvent           blk)
+    -- ChainDB.AddedToCurrentChain
+  | NodeShutdownComplete            -- <- finally in handleNodeWithTracers
diff --git a/doc/new-tracing/initialisation-steps.org b/doc/new-tracing/initialisation-steps.org
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8a3ff09eb1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/new-tracing/initialisation-steps.org
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#+TITLE: Node state datapoints
+
+* Node
+
+  Cardano.Node.StateRep
+
+* Consensus
+  https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/blob/master/ouroboros-consensus/docs/initialization-steps-and-the-related-tracer.org
+
+  Consensus init:
+    + open the Chain DB
+      + open ImmutableDb
+      + open VolatileDB
+      + open LedgerDB
+    + setup the NodeKernel
+    + initialize the network layer
+
+  - Ouroboros.Consensus.Node.run
+    - Ouroboros.Consensus.Node.runWith
+
+  - TraceValidationEvent blk
+    - UpdateLedgerDbTraceEvent
+      - UpdateLedgerDbTraceEvent blk
+        - StartedPushingBlockToTheLedgerDb