Knowledge-First Publishing

Context

AAOE knowledge will be communicated through multiple channels, including the website, articles, blog posts, presentations, and future books. Producing each artifact independently risks inconsistent definitions, untraceable claims, and duplicated maintenance effort.

Decision

AAOE adopts a knowledge-first publishing model.

Canonical knowledge is authored and reviewed in the appropriate AAOE repository before publication. Publication artifacts are derived from that knowledge or explicitly linked to its canonical source.

The governing workflow is:

Knowledge → Review → Approval → Publication

The website is a presentation and distribution channel. It does not replace the repository as the owner of canonical knowledge.

Consequences

• A change to an AAOE principle begins with its canonical source document.
• Published material can be traced to an approved standard, discovery, decision, case study, or other canonical source.
• Publication channels may simplify or adapt material for their audience, but must not silently redefine canonical knowledge.
• Maintaining one source reduces content drift and makes updates more reliable.
• The repository structure and review process become part of AAOE's publishing quality controls.

Scope

This decision establishes the publishing model. It does not prescribe a website technology, content-management system, or automated publishing tool.