PSD.12:4.1 - State what is being tested

Recover the exact alternatives, consequence comparison, value basis, subject, configuration, horizon, and receiving use. Use PSD.11’s comparison and evidence only where they match those conditions. A qualified direct comparison can supply the same input.

Specify the test. It might ask whether one alternative remains no worse under a declared rule, whether every retained alternative meets a service threshold, whether a protected condition is ever violated, or whether the recommendation must remain conditional. Different tests can produce different answers.

Name the robustness criterion before interpreting results. Satisfactory performance across tested conditions, worst-case loss, regret relative to the best available alternative in each condition, and stability across compatible value models answer different questions. Do not change the criterion after seeing which candidate it favors. If the criterion or admissible trade-off is unresolved, return that question rather than presenting a universal winner.