Core concept
Replayable decision-state
A replayable decision-state is not a screen recording or a promise to recreate every runtime detail. It is a declared path through the material evidence and conditions behind an organisational act.
Definition
The precise question
A replayable decision-state is a point-in-time, decision-linked package that lets an independent reviewer follow what was known, relied upon, authorised, contributed and committed at execution.
Reference model
From category to independent review
Decision assurance
Decision evidence
VES decision envelope
Evidence objects
Independent review
The envelope can link model output, runtime records, policy versions, authority records, claims documents, human rationale, external data and approvals while preserving each source's declared limits.
Insurance example
What this looks like in practice
A claims referral can be replayed from policy wording and loss evidence through the model contribution, adjuster judgement, approval and settlement commitment.
Evidence map
What a reviewer needs to see
- Decision identity and execution boundary
- Versioned evidence, governing conditions and authority
- System contribution, human judgement, commitment and replay references
Replay is a review path
The goal is intelligibility: a reviewer can move from the decision identity to evidence objects, conditions, authority, contributions and commitment. The path should expose uncertainty instead of hiding it.
Replayable is not identical
- A replay may use references rather than copying every source artefact
- Native formats remain native and retain their own semantics
- Later outcomes are linked as later evidence, not rewritten into the original state
- Limitations are part of the package
The insurance test
Ask whether a reviewer who did not use the originating claims or underwriting interface can understand why the organisation acted and where the record stops.
The VES connection
A published evidence structure
VES 1.2 describes the Decision Envelope and its verification limitations; it does not publish capture orchestration or completeness-scoring mechanics.
Read VES 1.2 for the published Decision Envelope, Evidence Object and verification model.
Boundary
Replayability is bounded by the evidence submitted and its declared limitations. It does not recreate facts that were never captured or prove that the original act was correct.
Frequently asked
What does replayable decision-state address?
A replayable decision-state is a point-in-time, decision-linked package that lets an independent reviewer follow what was known, relied upon, authorised, contributed and committed at execution.
Does this establish that a decision was correct or compliant?
Replayability is bounded by the evidence submitted and its declared limitations. It does not recreate facts that were never captured or prove that the original act was correct.