Purpose
This specification defines the role of evidence within the AAOE Body of Knowledge. Evidence provides the empirical foundation from which engineering knowledge is derived, validated, refined, and generalized.
Evidence precedes engineering guidance.
Definition of Evidence
Engineering evidence is any observable, reproducible, or verifiable information that supports an engineering observation.
Evidence exists independently of conclusions. Evidence informs knowledge. Evidence does not constitute knowledge by itself.
Principles
Engineering evidence shall be:
- observable
- traceable
- reproducible whenever practical
- attributable
- preserved
- reviewable
- open to reinterpretation
Evidence shall not depend upon authority. Evidence shall not become stronger through repetition alone.
Sources of Evidence
Evidence may originate from:
- production systems
- implementation experience
- architecture reviews
- engineering experiments
- benchmarks
- measurements
- testing
- operational incidents
- postmortems
- migration projects
- modernization efforts
- case studies
Evidence is not limited to successful outcomes. Failures provide valuable engineering evidence.
Evidence Quality
Evidence may vary in strength. Factors affecting confidence include:
- repeatability
- independent observation
- measurement quality
- engineering context
- documentation quality
- traceability
Higher confidence supports stronger engineering guidance.
Evidence and Discoveries
Discoveries summarize engineering observations supported by evidence. Evidence supports Discoveries. Discoveries interpret evidence.
Evidence and Specifications
Specifications shall be traceable to one or more supporting Discoveries, ADRs, Case Studies, or directly documented evidence when appropriate.
Specifications do not replace evidence. Specifications generalize validated knowledge.
Conflicting Evidence
Conflicting evidence is expected. Conflicting evidence:
- does not invalidate previous observations
- may refine engineering understanding
- may introduce additional context
- may reduce confidence
- may reveal boundary conditions
Knowledge evolves through accumulated evidence.
Evidence Preservation
Evidence should remain available whenever practical. Historical evidence contributes to future refinement. Evidence should remain traceable even after Specifications evolve.
Limitations
Evidence alone does not establish engineering guidance. Generalization requires:
- repeated validation
- engineering interpretation
- contextual understanding
Future Evolution
Subsequent Governance Specifications define:
- Discovery Acceptance Process
- Specification Governance
- Versioning
- Knowledge Domains