research-document
Theory Traceability Matrix v0.1
Theory Traceability Matrix v0.1
Purpose: Make every major theory statement traceable to supporting evidence, competing explanations, falsification tests, and current epistemic status.
| Theory Statement | Supporting Evidence | Confidence | Competing Explanations | Falsification Test | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identity-Capability separation improves characterization. | FE-008 pilot work on artifact characterization and identity-capability separation. | Moderate | Reviewer consistency may improve because the instrument is more structured, not because identity and capability are objectively distinct. | Independent reviewers using alternative classification instruments do not show improved agreement or traceability from identity-capability separation. | Provisionally Supported |
| Structured redesign improves traceability. | FE-011A internal blind pilot summaries across SWOT, Five Whys, and OODA. | Low | Generic scaffolding or longer structured prompts may explain the improvement rather than Framework Engineering specifically. | Controlled redesign trials against non-FE structured baselines fail to improve traceability or evidence handling. | Under Investigation |
| Procedural reasoning may be represented by a finite primitive vocabulary. | FE-012A internal extraction and reconstruction run with partial vocabulary stabilization and recognizable reconstruction in most cases. | Low | Same-model convergence, prompt structure, or analyst contamination may explain the apparent stabilization. | Independent extractors fail to converge and the primitive vocabulary keeps expanding across diverse artifacts. | Provisionally Supported |
| Primitive vocabulary can synthesize coherent procedural structures. | FE-012B internal synthesis run with coherent syntheses in 7 of 10 cases without missing primitive requests. | Low | Prompt bias, reviewer bias, or generic procedural writing habits may explain the coherence. | Independent reviewers judge synthesized structures incoherent or highly incomplete across a larger novelty set. | Provisionally Supported |
| Reasoning grammar and execution grammar may be distinct. | FE-012B missing primitive pressure around synchronization, scheduling, and sequencing, combined with FE-012A stronger compression of reasoning-heavy artifacts. | Low | A single grammar with insufficient temporal primitives may explain the same results without requiring a separate coordination grammar. | Coordination-heavy artifact extraction and synthesis succeed cleanly after only minor refinement of the existing reasoning grammar, without requiring a distinct grammar family. | Under Investigation |
| Framework Engineering currently functions as a characterization and redesign methodology. | FE-008 identity-capability work; FE-011A redesign pilot. | Low | General systems-analysis or structured evaluation techniques may explain the same observed gains without a distinct Framework Engineering methodology. | Independent trials show no reliable advantage in characterization traceability or redesign quality beyond generic analytical scaffolding. | Provisionally Supported |
Notes
- Confidence remains capped by internal-run limitations.
- This matrix is explanatory and audit-oriented.
- It should be revised when new independent evidence arrives.