Chapters · 6 of 8

About 14 min · Lesson and activity

Chapter 6 of 80 complete

Return a Consistent Result

Return the same shape every time, carrying what the next guide needs to explain it.

See the situation

Start with the situation below. Next, we will work through an example together before you try the activity.

Maya · Decision designer

The case

Repair a decision receipt

A useful result distinguishes the business outcome, execution status, evidence, estimates, deciding rule, and design version.

Routed records get an outcome and a reason. Not-a-prospect gets an outcome and nothing. Unknown gets a null. Errors get a string starting "Error:" in the field the outcome normally occupies.

Your task

Fill in the result fields, then append the retry result without changing the original.

Need a little guidance?

You’re done when: A later reader can tell what was decided, why, and which version produced it.

A decision result needs a stable contract before other systems can depend on it.

Need a reminder? Reopen the worked example

Watch one example first

Run 12 failed to obtain evidence under rule v1. Run 13 later succeeded under v2. Each receipt retains its own execution status, evidence, business result, and rule version.

Why this follows from the evidence

A consistent output contract makes absence explicit and keeps reruns traceable. Overwriting the earlier receipt would hide what actually happened.

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Decision workbench

Repair and append a result receipt

Your task: Keep the original attempt, correct the outcome/execution distinction, and append the retry under its new version.

The first attempt is preserved as writtenCompare each statement with its source. The labels show the state of this example.

Business result

Error: source timeout

Source: Stored receipt v1

Needs review

Execution status

success

Source: Worker response

Supported

Evidence trace

Company scale inferred from domain

Source: Stored receipt v1

Needs review

What business disposition can be asserted for the timed-out attempt?

How should execution status describe that attempt?

How should the inferred company scale be represented?

On retry, the source reconnects and confirms revenue above the stated threshold; the message shows buying intent. What result does v2 record?

Append-only receipt previewCompare the original state with the proposed change. This preview does not change live records.

Append-only receipt preview
Item	Before	Proposed retry receipt	Why
result	Error: source timeout	route-to-seller	Business disposition, execution status, and evidence provenance remain distinct.
execution	success	success	Business disposition, execution status, and evidence provenance remain distinct.
evidence	Company scale inferred from domain	Observed CRM revenue; source reconnected	Business disposition, execution status, and evidence provenance remain distinct.
version	v1 · preserved as written	v2 · retry appended	Version 1 remains available; the retry appends a separate version 2 receipt.

result: BeforeError: source timeout; Proposed retry receiptroute-to-seller; WhyBusiness disposition, execution status, and evidence provenance remain distinct.
execution: Beforesuccess; Proposed retry receiptsuccess; WhyBusiness disposition, execution status, and evidence provenance remain distinct.
evidence: BeforeCompany scale inferred from domain; Proposed retry receiptObserved CRM revenue; source reconnected; WhyBusiness disposition, execution status, and evidence provenance remain distinct.
version: Beforev1 · preserved as written; Proposed retry receiptv2 · retry appended; WhyVersion 1 remains available; the retry appends a separate version 2 receipt.

Practice draft restores when you return.

Routed records get an outcome and a reason. Not-a-prospect gets an outcome and nothing. Unknown gets a null. Errors get a string starting "Error:" in the field the outcome normally occupies.

Review or edit the saved decision-design sections

The workbench above is the main practice. These optional sections let you draft the contract directly; each section gives feedback before the chapter check.

Work the case · 0 of 3 sections drafted

Return one shape, always

Compare these alternatives one section at a time. Check a choice to see its consequence; the draft summary below keeps the proposed changes together.

Step 1 of 3

Two fields look like overhead and are the reason the contract exists. Which pair?

When it ran and how long it tookThe record id and the outcomeThe deciding rule, and what was estimated rather than observed

This is a proposed draft until the chapter check runs. Selecting a choice alone does not complete the chapter.

2b · Proposed

Decision design draft

Decision design draft · current draftCompare the original state with the proposed change. This preview does not change live records.

Decision design draft · current draft
Item	Before	Proposed	Why
Two fields look like overhead and are the reason the contract exists. Which pair?	No saved change in this exercise draft	Not drafted yet	Choose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.
The decision service throws. Where does that go?	No saved change in this exercise draft	Not drafted yet	Choose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.
One more field prevents a specific miserable afternoon. Which?	No saved change in this exercise draft	Not drafted yet	Choose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.

Two fields look like overhead and are the reason the contract exists. Which pair?: BeforeNo saved change in this exercise draft; ProposedNot drafted yet; WhyChoose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.
The decision service throws. Where does that go?: BeforeNo saved change in this exercise draft; ProposedNot drafted yet; WhyChoose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.
One more field prevents a specific miserable afternoon. Which?: BeforeNo saved change in this exercise draft; ProposedNot drafted yet; WhyChoose a proposal to see what it would add to the draft.

A choice appears here as a proposal, not as evidence that a live system changed.

Your place saves as you go.

Chapter 6 of 80 complete