Decisions
Fast decision guides for scope, escalation, and evidence handling in WitnessOps workflows.
This section defines the decision system that keeps key operator judgments explicit before, during, and after governed work.
1. Problem this page solves
Governed execution fails when scope, evidence, and escalation decisions stay implicit or undocumented.
This page maps the decision classes so operators know what must be decided, when, and against which standards.
2. What you should understand after reading
After this page, you should understand:
- which decision classes govern operator flow
- when each decision class occurs
- which controls or artifacts support each class
- where the deeper pages define each decision standard
3. Mechanism-first decision model
| Decision class | Typical timing | Supporting controls and artifacts | Standard page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope check | before action | authorization boundary + scope constraints | Is This In Scope? |
| Evidence required | during work and before closure | evidence-capture expectations + reviewability criteria | What Evidence Is Required? |
| Escalation | when risk, scope, or impact uncertainty increases | escalation criteria + risk-boundary signals | Do I Need to Escalate? |
| Closure or disposition | end of workflow | sufficient evidence + explicit rationale + action record | What Evidence Is Required? |
Operationally, the decision flow is:
scope -> execute and observe -> evidence sufficiency -> escalate or close
4. Observed vs inferred
| Layer | What is observed | What is inferred |
|---|---|---|
| Observed | documented decision points, criteria pages, and evidence requirements | none beyond documented standards |
| Inferred | decision quality in live operations | depends on operator discipline, context clarity, and enforcement quality |
5. Trust assumptions
Decision structure reduces drift, but it still depends on:
- upstream facts being sufficiently accurate and complete
- operators documenting ambiguity honestly
- judgment quality under time and uncertainty pressure
A documented decision system improves consistency. It does not eliminate human judgment.
6. Next-page handoff
Next, read Is This In Scope? to start with the first decision boundary before governed action begins.