Failure mode
Reconciliation Failure
A mismatch between upstream and downstream state that leaves teams debating which system is correct instead of using the platform to decide.
Domain: data-movement-reliabilityDomain: analytical-explainability
ARF layer: context-stabilityARF layer: analytical-explainability
Signals
- source and destination counts or balances do not align
- downstream numbers are explainable only inside the destination system, not against source-of-truth expectations
- trust erodes because no one can show where the difference entered the flow
Why it matters
Reconciliation failures are trust failures. Once leaders believe the platform needs manual arbitration for every high-value answer, the system loses its decision role.
Prevention patterns
- reconciliation checks at critical boundaries
- lineage that traces KPI outputs back to source-state assumptions
- controlled exception handling rather than silent tolerance