Artifact record
Define the subject, investigation template, and guiding question.
Read the object before rewriting it.
Begin with a guided investigation record, then collect photographs, sketches, direct observations, and unresolved details without allowing explanations to masquerade as evidence.
01Observe
02Decompose
03Measure
04Infer
05Test
06Reconstruct
Observation discipline
Keep the evidence hierarchy explicit.
Observed means directly seen, heard, felt, measured, or documented. Inferred means a proposed explanation. Unknown means unresolved, inaccessible, or contradictory.
Images0
Observations0
Components0
Open unknowns0
Evidence capture studio
Preserve original photographs, add traceable annotation layers, and compare viewpoints or states.
No reference images loadedAdd photographs, scans, screenshots, or drawings. Originals remain unchanged.
Image comparison
Field sketches
Maintain multiple vector sketches with freehand, shape, label, grid, and snap tools.
Nothing selected
Observation log
Direct evidence only. Interpretations belong in Infer.
| Category | Observation | Method / source | Certainty | Time |
|---|
Generated exploded diagram
A schematic decomposition generated from the component inventory.
Measurement ledger
Record value, units, method, tolerance, and certainty.
| Target | Dimension | Value | Method | Tolerance | Certainty |
|---|
Dimensional summary
Quick visibility into precision and gaps.
Records0
High certainty0
Estimated0
Units used0
A value without a method is difficult to reproduce. Record whether it came from calipers, a scale reference, a drawing, counting, estimation, or indirect calculation.
Uncertainty map
Low confidence, high impact claims deserve the earliest attention.
Confidence →Impact →
Test queue
Plan tests that discriminate between explanations.
Safety and preservation
Reverse engineering should not destroy the evidence or injure the investigator.
Document the artifact before each irreversible step. Photograph cable routing, fastener orientation, shims, seals, wear surfaces, and alignment marks.
0%00
Reconstruction control
Translate evidence into a defensible reconstruction.
Choose the intended outcome, define fidelity by dimension, expose blockers, and plan every make, buy, repair, substitution, and verification decision.
Reconstruction readiness
No single score hides the weak dimensions. Each bar has its own evidence basis.
What blocks reconstruction?
Resolve these before committing irreversible work.
Reconstruction bill of materials
Convert observed and inferred components into sourcing and fabrication decisions.
| Item | Decision | Quantity | Specification | Source / process | Cost / lead | Confidence | Status |
|---|
Build, repair, and verification sequence
Steps retain dependencies, acceptance criteria, and evidence links.
Deviation register
Record every intentional departure from the source artifact.
Final comparison
Compare reconstructed results against the source and acceptance criteria.
Evidence package and field controls
Generate a selective dossier, export a portable project package, or tune field operation.
Evidence package
Build reports for teardown, measurement, testing, or full reconstruction.
Field mode
Touch friendly, distraction reduced operation.
Local storage
Media vault, recovery history, and capacity.
Project controls
Local first storage. Export before clearing.