HCD.16:4.4 - Compare the current claim with serious alternatives
State the smallest contradiction, missing evidence, or changed condition. Compare at least the current claim, the serious alternative that would change the disposition, and the consequences of retaining, narrowing, branching, or withdrawing the claim for this use.
Ask whether the apparent problem lies in:
| Candidate locus | Decision-changing question |
|---|---|
| Source-to-claim row | Does the source actually support this population, task, measure, horizon, transfer, support, provider, or causal inference? |
| Method-use condition | Does the already admitted Method still fit this learner, later Work, provider, support, risk, and evidence need? |
| Population or condition branch | Does evidence defeat only one subgroup, configuration, support posture, or qualification window? |
| Assessment | Did the task, scoring, cue, tool, or missing criterion fail to expose the intended contribution? |
| Provider or access | Was the Method absent, unavailable, or enacted by an unqualified provider rather than defeated? |
| Reusable Method semantics | Did an operation, dependency, entry, stop, or other reusable claim change, requiring an ME.15 return? |
Reopen only the locus that consumes the changed basis. A newer publication date, renamed school, improved interface, or changed carrier does not reopen an unaffected HCD claim.