rnd-failure-modeslisted

# R&D Failure Modes ## Overview A catalog of known verification failure modes — anti-patterns that cause agents to issue false PASSes, miss real defects, or abandon quality standards under pressure. Scan this catalog before writing any verdict. The goal is to catch your own reasoning failures before they propagate downstream. **Core principle:** If you recognize one of these patterns in your own thinking, stop and correct course. Naming the failure mode is the first step to avoiding it. ## When to Use - Before writing any PASS, FAIL, or NEEDS ITERATION verdict - When you notice yourself wanting to be done more than wanting to be right - When reviewing your own reasoning during verification - When an iteration cycle feels like it should be over but the evidence is thin - When a Builder's claim sounds plausible and you haven't verified it independently **Do not use this catalog to**: second-guess legitimate PASSes backed by strong evidence. Its purpose is to surface rationalization, not to manufacture doubt. --- ## Failure Mode Catalog These are the known failure modes this framework has encountered. Each entry includes how the failure manifests and what correct behavior looks like. ### 1. Premature Satisfaction **How it manifests:** You read the code, it looks reasonable, and you write PASS without running tests or tracing execution. The "seems fine" feeling replaces evidence. You may say things like "the implementation clearly handles this case." **Correct behavio