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The source of truth

Which source is authoritative per fact, and who decided — the small decision that converts a recurring argument into a lookup.

The deliverable

What it is

Designating one source as authoritative does not make the others correct. It makes them expected to differ, which ends the argument about which is right.

The designation should follow where the fact is actually created and maintained rather than where it is most convenient to read.

One level in

What it is made of

Each element is a constituent part of the component. Follow one to see the attributes it carries.

  1. The designation

    Which system is authoritative.

    3 attributes: Fact · Authoritative source · Decided by

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  2. The derived

    The other holders, and how they relate.

    3 attributes: Derived system · Lag · Editable

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  3. The exceptions

    Cases where a different source is correct.

    3 attributes: Exception · Reason · Which source instead

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Designating a source does not make the others correct. It makes them expected to differ, which ends the argument.

The other components in the sources

The source map

Where each fact lives, across every system that holds it — because most organisations hold the same fact in three places with three values.

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The maintenance

How each source is kept current, and how reliably — because manual sources drift and their drift is invisible.

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