# VICTORE Intake Template -- Seven-Dimension Declaration Schema

**Owner:** Audit Charter Lock (E6). Private Evaluator.
**Purpose:** operationalize Pawson (2013) VICTORE so every proposed charter declares a substantive bound on each of the seven complexity dimensions before lock. Missing or placeholder declarations block lock -- non-discretionary.
**Non-goal:** VICTORE is a declaration framework, NOT a quality rubric. The check is "declared and substantive," not "wise."

## Why seven, non-skippable

Pawson's realist position: any evaluation runs on a context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configuration; an unbounded dimension silently shifts the CMO and invalidates prior inferences. For the Evaluator, an unbounded dimension means the audit cannot issue a scope-defensible verdict. Missing-dimension-halt is therefore architectural.

## The seven dimensions

### V -- Volitions
**Prompt:** *Whose preferences, interests, and intentions are load-bearing? List each party; specify whether the audit audits their behavior, uses their evidence, or answers their question.*
**Schema:** `{ party_id, role: "audited"|"evidence-source"|"questioner", interests, stance }`
**Requirement:** >=1 questioner AND >=1 audited.

### I -- Implementation
**Prompt:** *What RAM run(s), and in what mode per question (artifact-check vs replication)?*
**Schema:** `{ target_ram_run_id[], mode_per_question, replication_budget_per_question }`
**Requirement:** run IDs resolve; mode declared per question; replication_budget present whenever mode=replication.

### C -- Contexts
**Prompt:** *What domain, deployment, population, language, regulatory context is RAM's run situated in? What contexts are excluded?*
**Schema:** `{ domain, deployment_context, population_scope, language_scope, regulatory_regime[], excluded_contexts[] }`
**Requirement:** domain + population_scope non-empty; excluded_contexts explicit even if `[]`. "General" fails.

### T -- Time
**Prompt:** *What time window does the audit cover? When does evidence expire? When does the verdict expire?*
**Schema:** `{ evidence_window: {start,end}, verdict_validity_window: {start,end}, re_audit_interval }`
**Requirement:** both windows bounded (no "ongoing"); re-audit interval stated.

### O -- Outcomes
**Prompt:** *What outcomes are evaluated and how operationalized? What outcomes are out of scope? If fairness is evaluated, which fairness criterion is binding?*
**Schema:** `{ outcomes_in_scope: [{name, operationalization, measurement_source}], outcomes_out_of_scope[], fairness_criterion_if_applicable }`
**Requirement:** each in-scope outcome has operationalization + measurement_source; fairness_criterion pre-registered (prevents COMPAS-style definition-dependent contested findings).

### R -- Rivalry
**Prompt:** *What rival explanations or competing frames must the audit consider? Which are in scope; which are deferred?*
**Schema:** `{ rivals_in_scope: [{rival_claim, test_plan}], rivals_deferred: [{rival_claim, reason}] }`
**Requirement:** >=1 rival in scope OR explicit justification for zero; deferrals cite reason.

### E -- Emergence
**Prompt:** *What emergent or unintended consequences must the audit watch for? Which are out of scope?*
**Schema:** `{ emergence_in_scope[], emergence_out_of_scope[], detection_plan }`
**Requirement:** detection_plan references the specific RAM artifact (e.g., Surprise Register) where emergence signals will be read.

## Missing-dimension-halt behavior

Walk all seven fields. Halt if ANY of:
1. Field absent.
2. Field value is empty / `"TBD"` / `"N/A"` / `"see above"` / `"general"` / any placeholder.
3. Field internally inconsistent (e.g., `mode_per_question` references a question not in `audit_questions`).
4. Field references an artifact / stakeholder not cross-listed elsewhere in the charter.

**Response:** emit `victore-dimension-missing` with itemized failures. Do NOT synthesize values. Do NOT partially lock. Operator redrafts and resubmits. Refusal, not a clarification request.
