Definition
Note: "Assumption" is used consistently across AAOE documentation (Specifications, ADRs, Evidence Standard) but does not yet have a single canonical definition as a standalone term. This entry is a candidate for future refinement.
Provisionally: an assumption is something taken as true without direct verification, which a Specification or Architecture Decision Record should state explicitly so it can later be checked or revisited.
Why It Matters
Hidden assumptions are one of the most common causes of poor engineering outcomes: they aren't wrong when a decision is made, but they can quietly stop being true later. Stating assumptions explicitly — in a Specification or an ADR — gives future engineers a chance to notice when one no longer holds.
Related Concepts
- Specification
- Architecture Decision Record
- Evidence
- Trade-off
References
- STD-0001 — Specification Lifecycle
- GV-0005 — Evidence Standard
- GUIDE-0001 — Thinking in Specifications
- GUIDE-0009 — Architecture Decision Records