Living decision resources: maintain the evidence used to decide

Decision resources remain useful only when their provenance, unit, version, limits and intended use are kept visible. A dataset, curve, benchmark or tool is not a generic proof simply because it is available for download.

Resources to maintain

Maintain the dictionary, source, period, population, transformation, owner and update rule for each resource. Distinguish observed data, synthetic examples, external benchmarks and calculated outputs. Link a resource to the decision it can inform, the condition under which it is insufficient and the method required to complement it.

A qualification before reuse

Check that the unit, horizon, geography, product scope and comparison fit the new question. Recalculate controlled outputs when data or parameters change. A response curve estimated in one range cannot justify an allocation outside that range; an attribution table cannot establish a causal effect; a benchmark must not replace a local comparator.

A practical maintenance cycle

• Assign a data or method owner and a review date.
• Version the dictionary, parameters and calculation output together.
• Record the source, uncertainty and known breakpoints.
• Retire or flag a resource when its scope or quality is no longer sufficient.

Limits

Maintaining a resource does not validate every claim made with it. It makes the resource inspectable and reusable under stated conditions. The decision owner still has to assess causal identification, economic relevance, capacity and reversibility in the current context.