Optimization Pattern — Failures

Pattern: Optimization
Component: failures.md
Version: 1.2 | Updated: 2026-07-29

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Purpose

Recover when the Optimization pattern is misapplied — without abandoning the gate.

Failure → detection → recovery

Failure	Detection	Recovery
Intuition patch	No before/after	Revert; capture baseline; retry
Oracle skipped	Silent wrong answers	Restore tests/evals; block ship
Moving dashboard	Baseline edited mid-run	Freeze queries; re-baseline
p50 theater	p99 regresses	Hold to contractual guardrail

Escalation from Optimization failures

• Security-class impact during Optimization → Security skill + human security owner
• Production SEV while misusing Optimization → Hotfix containment first
• Learning after Optimization containment → Root Cause

Do not

• Skip the Optimization human gate “just this once” after a failure
• Delete Optimization evidence to hide a bad run
• Replace Optimization with unstructured chat under pressure

Related

• Checklist
• Enterprise notes
• Example

Changelog

• 1.2 (2026-07-29): Optimization failure recovery table and escalation paths expanded.