A feature can exist in source, remain absent from the running product, and still be unproven in repeated use. AI system maturity is a profile, not a ladder.
Daily Archives: July 27, 2026
The Architect’s Trance
The architect’s trance begins when coherent AI output and continued momentum turn active direction into passive continuation. A governed workflow has to interrupt that state structurally.
When Ratchet Development Becomes Overengineering
Not every failure deserves a global rule. Ratchet Development works when controls reduce future risk and context without becoming larger than the lessons that earned them.
The Ratchet Loop: How AI Mistakes Become Durable Controls
Fixing an AI coding mistake addresses one incident. The Ratchet Loop goes further by diagnosing why it survived and turning the lesson into a durable control that future work inherits.