The Assumption Burn-Down Protocol

A field manual for training humans on machines that don’t exist yet.

FIG 1.0 // INITIAL SYSTEM VECTORS

CORE DOCTRINE: Training is not downstream of engineering—training is upstream intelligence.

NORTH STAR: Convert “I think” into “I know.”
METRIC: Assumption Burn-Down Velocity.

Part I: Prototype vs. Platform

Chapter 1: The Integrity Check

I learned early that clarity is compassion. In Kabul, on the flight line, the difference between “cleared for takeoff” and “cleared to taxi” wasn’t semantics. It was measured in tons of burning metal. If a pilot didn’t understand the radio, they died.

The most dangerous moment in any complex system isn’t when it fails. It’s when everyone pretends it won’t. To claim readiness in a vacuum is to mistake your map for the territory.

Truth Before Training

This is the pivot that changes everything. If the machine isn’t ready, your job isn’t to "deliver content." Your job is to create controlled contact with reality—and capture what reality reveals.

FIG 2.0 // REALITY DISTORTION MAP

> CONSTRAINT_AUDIT_INIT...
> CONSTRAINT: "We can’t train until requirements are stable."
> REALITY: Requirements stabilize *through training*.
> ACTION: Training becomes the instrument panel.

Part II: The KPI Engine

Pass/fail lies when the standard is still being written. We shift to measuring agency. If training doesn’t reduce uncertainty, it isn’t training.

Operational Assumption Register

Assumption	Stress Test	Status
A-01: Dist. Judge via 2D Cam	The Blind Dock (Glare)	INVALID
A-02: "RTB" Autonomy Trust	The Silent Drift (GPS)	INVALID
A-03: Battery Swap <10min	The Frozen Swap	VALIDATED

Part III: Progressive Architecture

FIG 3.0 // THE PROGRESSIVE STACK

Chapter 8: Building in Phases

Phase progression is evidence-based, not time-based. A robotic system doesn’t need a driver. It needs a judge.

Phase 0 → 1: Vocabulary + Unsafe Boundaries [VALIDATED]
Phase 1 → 2: Fault recognition [VALIDATED]
Phase 2 → 3: Trust calibration [VALIDATED]

Part IV: Moments of Truth

Chapter 11: Automation Surprise

Automation surprise is a trust trap. When the system acts unexpectedly, the operator’s hesitation is signal—not weakness.

FIG 4.0 // OPERATOR INTERVENTION LOG

> LOG_TRACE: 08:00:22
> EVENT: Silent Drift Detected
> OPERATOR_ACTION: Manual Override [0.4s]
> DOCTRINE_UPDATE: Added Verification Cue

Final Metric: Assumption Burn-Down Velocity.
Training doesn’t prove readiness. It produces truth.

Hotel @nyware