CB.12:4.5 - Observe the next episodes and distinguish the result

Choose an observation opportunity from the action’s real occurrence and the decision being made. A daily task can produce several observations soon; an uncommon fault cannot. Do not manufacture irrelevant activity to fill an observation calendar.

Retain only information needed to decide what to change. Ask whether the relevant occasion occurred, whether the person noticed and acted, what support was present, whether the intended result was obtained, and what burden the episode imposed. A missed occasion, a justified decision not to act and an unfinished attempt should not become the same failure count.

Compare the episodes with the expected connection. If the person notices the occasion but cannot finish, repair completion conditions. If they complete the action but receive no useful result, repair the contribution or reconsider the action. If they do not notice an otherwise feasible occasion, change the cue or agreed support. If the person no longer wants the result, reconsider the arrangement with them.

A person’s report that the action now comes to mind readily can inform a local adjustment. Ask separately how readily the occasion brings the action to mind and how much deliberate effort is still needed to carry it through. Compare these accounts across relevant episodes, keeping the actual support visible. When it matters, combine them with an agreed observation under reduced prompting. This can guide the next local trial; it is not a numerical habit-strength assessment. A stronger automaticity claim needs an appropriate measurement method and qualification for the intended use. Frequency alone cannot supply it.

Likewise, a favourable change after introducing the arrangement is useful local evidence but does not by itself establish a causal effect or transfer to every participant. Preserve the actual conditions when deciding what can be reused.