Expansion record template
Proposed scope change, evidence for it, and the correction capacity it requires.
MEC-19 Expansion review
Make scope growth its own authorization decision, with fresh evidence and a check that correction capacity grew with it.
Permanent link /mechanisms/patterns/expansion-review
Where it fits
Filters and handoffs
Tagged for Governance, Policy with validator handshakes. Includes 3 steps, 3 reusable assets, and 4 snippet blocks.
Copy citation (APA/BibTeX)
Cite this page Formats: APA, MLA, Chicago, BibTeX, RIS
APA
Ethotechnics Institute Research Team. (2026). MEC-19 Expansion review. Ethotechnics Institute. https://ethotechnics.org/mechanisms/patterns/expansion-review
MLA
Ethotechnics Institute Research Team. "MEC-19 Expansion review." Ethotechnics Institute, 2026, https://ethotechnics.org/mechanisms/patterns/expansion-review.
Chicago
Ethotechnics Institute Research Team. "MEC-19 Expansion review." Ethotechnics Institute. Jan 9, 2026. https://ethotechnics.org/mechanisms/patterns/expansion-review.
BibTeX
@misc{mechanism_expansion-review,
title={MEC-19 Expansion review},
author={Ethotechnics Institute Research Team},
year={2026},
howpublished={Ethotechnics Institute},
url={https://ethotechnics.org/mechanisms/patterns/expansion-review},
version={v1.1.0}
}
RIS
TY - WEB TI - MEC-19 Expansion review AU - Ethotechnics Institute Research Team PY - 2026 UR - https://ethotechnics.org/mechanisms/patterns/expansion-review ER -
Specification overview
At-a-glance details for planning and handoffs.
Capture the scope, assets, and validator handshakes before diving into the steps.
Spec essentials
What ships with this mechanism
- 3 steps with checklist-ready owners.
- 3 reusable assets for briefs and runbooks.
- 4 reuse-ready snippet blocks.
- 3 glossary anchors for shared terms.
Filters & validators
Where this spec sits in the system
Tagged in 2 filters with 2 linked validators.
Glossary anchors
Link back to the definitions.
Jump to the glossary terms that frame this mechanism.
Steps
Put the mechanism in motion.
Start with the field cues, then use the assets to keep the work legible.
3 steps with checklist-ready owners, plus linked assets for handoffs.
0 of 3 steps complete
Assets
Keep outputs reusable.
Link or copy these assets into design docs, runbooks, and briefs so the mechanism travels with the work.
Correction capacity check
Comparison of the reviewers, reversal paths, and repair budget before and after the change.
Expansion criteria list
What counts as expansion for this system, agreed before the first request.
Reuse-ready snippets
Copy policy, audit, and incident language.
Use these snippets in requirements, audits, and postmortems with the mechanism permalink.
Policy requirement
Policy requirement (MEC-19 Expansion review) - Any growth in population, action class, ceiling, or autonomy is authorized as a new decision with its own evidence. - The decision records whether correction capacity grows with the expanded scope. Reference: https://ethotechnics.org/mechanisms/patterns/expansion-review
Product requirement
Product requirement (MEC-19) - Scope changes are applied through a grant transition, not through configuration drift. - The grant history distinguishes expansion transitions from renewals.
Audit evidence checklist
Audit evidence checklist (MEC-19) [ ] Expansion criteria are defined for the system. [ ] Each expansion has a record with evidence and a correction-capacity check. [ ] Grant histories show expansion transitions with reviewers.
Postmortem trigger
Postmortem trigger (MEC-19) Trigger review when scope grew without an expansion record, or when it grew while correction capacity stayed fixed.
Example usage
From one region to all regions
A concrete scenario to help teams see how the pieces fit together.
How it plays out
A pilot that ran well in one region is treated as a request rather than a result: the team files an expansion record, finds the appeals queue would need two more reviewers, funds them, and only then transitions the grant.
Anti-patterns
Common failure cases and counterfactuals
Use these to avoid superficial compliance and clarify what success requires.
The automation ratchet
Success is taken as its own authorization, so scope only ever widens and never contracts.
Counterfactual: Expansion is a decision with evidence, and contraction is an available outcome.
False-positive warning: Fast expansion is fine when each step is a recorded decision with capacity behind it.
Expansion by configuration
Scope grows through a threshold change or a new tool binding that no one reviews as an authority change.
Counterfactual: Scope changes move through a grant transition with a reviewer.
False-positive warning: Routine parameter tuning inside an agreed ceiling is not expansion; crossing the ceiling is.
Validators
Pair validators with this mechanism.
Use these tools to size risk and keep the stewardship path visible.
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