Root Cause Pattern — Context

Pattern: Root Cause
Component: context.md
Version: 1.2 | Updated: 2026-07-29

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Purpose

Define the minimum evidence package required before the Root Cause pattern may start — and when to refuse to start.

Required before activation

• Containment complete (or explicitly parallel)
• Timeline evidence (commits, alerts, traces)
• Pre-fix signal definition
• Authority to assign follow-ups

Refuse to start when

• RCA requested as blame memo
• Write tools that alter historical incident records
• Close without regression test/detector plan

Trust and data class

• Label segments as trusted, internal, or untrusted for Root Cause packs.
• Keep untrusted retrieval out of the Root Cause system channel.
• Root Cause MCP enablement follows data class in mcps.md.

Pack shape for Root Cause

1. Trigger / AC (human-owned)
2. Ranked evidence inside the Root Cause budget
3. Constraints and non-goals for this activation
4. Open questions (empty before irreversible Root Cause steps)

Related

• Context pattern when packing is itself the hard problem
• Prompt variable bindings
• Skills activation triggers

Changelog

• 1.2 (2026-07-29): Root Cause context gates (required/refuse) rewritten for this envelope.