Evidence Discipline

Name: evidence-discipline
Rating: 92
Author: shynlee04

Core principle: Never claim, always prove. Never accept, always validate.

When to Use

•Claiming work is "done" or "fixed"
•Accepting user instructions that conflict with existing architecture
•Validating subagent results
•Deciding if a test, build, or deployment succeeded
•User says "it works" but no evidence shown

The Evidence Chain

Every claim needs a verification path. HiveMind gives you concrete tools:

Before Claiming Completion

bash

# 1. Does the code compile?
npx tsc --noEmit

# 2. Do tests pass?
npm test

# 3. Is the hierarchy consistent?
node bin/hivemind-tools.cjs validate chain

# 4. Are all source files accounted for?
node bin/hivemind-tools.cjs source-audit

# 5. Does the full ecosystem check pass?
node bin/hivemind-tools.cjs ecosystem-check

Before Accepting Conflicting Instructions

bash

# What does the trajectory say we're doing?
node bin/hivemind-tools.cjs state hierarchy

# What decisions did we already make?
recall_mems({ shelf: "decisions" })

# What does the plan say?
# Read the active plan file from hierarchy cursor

# What does git history show?
git log --oneline -10
git log --grep="<stamp>" --oneline

After Subagent Returns

code

Subagent says "Done"
    │
    ├── Does the result text contain failure signals?
    │   (failed, error, couldn't, unable, blocked, partially, skipped)
    │   YES → export_cycle({ outcome: "failure" | "partial", findings: "..." })
    │   NO  → continue
    │
    ├── Does the result describe what was ACTUALLY done?
    │   VAGUE → ask for specifics before proceeding
    │   SPECIFIC → verify independently
    │
    ├── Can you verify independently?
    │   RUN: npm test / tsc / grep for expected changes
    │   PASS → export_cycle({ outcome: "success", findings: "..." })
    │   FAIL → export_cycle({ outcome: "failure", findings: "..." })
    │
    └── Update hierarchy
        map_context({ level: "action", status: "complete" | "blocked" })

Reward — What Evidence Gets You

Action	Intelligence Gained
`export_cycle` after every subagent	Full decision trail in hierarchy tree + mems
`save_mem({ shelf: "decisions" })`	Any future agent can recall WHY you chose X over Y
`git log --grep="<stamp>"`	Commits linked to hierarchy nodes by timestamp
`grep -r "<stamp>" .hivemind/`	Full evidence chain: tree + mems + anchors + archives
`node bin/hivemind-tools.cjs session trace <stamp>`	One command, complete picture

Consequence — What Skipping Costs

Skip	Cost
Claim "done" without `npm test`	Broken code deployed, trust lost
Accept instruction without checking trajectory	Architecture contradicted, rework needed
Ignore subagent failure signals	False completion, bug surfaces later at 10x cost
No `save_mem` for key decision	Next session re-debates the same choice

Red Flags — You're About to Skip Evidence

Thought	Reality
"The subagent said it works"	Subagents hallucinate success. Verify independently.
"The user confirmed it"	Users can be wrong. Run the verification commands.
"I tested it mentally"	Mental models miss edge cases. Run actual commands.
"It's obvious this is correct"	Obvious things break. One `npm test` takes 3 seconds.
"I'll verify at the end"	Compaction may erase the context. Verify NOW.
"The error is unrelated"	Prove it's unrelated. `git diff` + test output = evidence.

The Minimum Evidence Bar

Nothing is "done" without ALL of these:

•Verification command ran (test/build/lint — at least one)
•Output inspected (not just "0 exit code" — read the output)
•Hierarchy updated (map_context status: "complete")
•If subagent was involved: export_cycle called with accurate outcome