DOCA.2:4.6 - Use formal search machinery only for its actual question

Use C.17 when novelty, creativity, or value must be characterized for a named bearer, comparison basis, and objective. A novelty result alone does not establish worth for this development inquiry. Use C.18 when an actual generation archive or front needs its generator, operators, descriptors, lineage, retention, or comparison basis. Use C.19 when the question is how to treat a still-live pool under its declared policy: widen it, keep its frontier, narrow it to a subset, or sunset a line. Selecting the next local candidate or probe under an unchanged policy is not that question.

Visiting a new region does not by itself expand the admissible possibility space. A stronger expansion claim needs the earlier and changed generation conditions and evidence of what a new operator, access relation, or building block makes available. Ordinary neighboring search need not make that claim.

Reopen only the affected search when a source, protected condition, receiving use, or generating assumption changes. DOCA.8 traces the effect into retained opportunities and downstream advice.

An available construction can therefore be an entry before a receiver or final contribution is known. Use C.40 when examining a feasible variation can disclose a useful continuation. Use C.40.CD when a changed question requires changing the way of answering it, and the attempted way can change the next question. Bring a suggested application back to DOCA.3 for its receiving-use inquiry. Neither route requires performing a variation when an adequate lead already exists.