Verification Protocols: “Show, Don’t Tell”

Created: November 14, 2025 (After Nov 12-14 Failures) Reason: Repeated unverified claims destroyed CEO trust

The Problem

Nov 12-14, 2025 Failures:

  • ❌ “Market data is fixed” → Still broken next day
  • ❌ “Tomorrow morning at 9:35 AM” → Tomorrow was Saturday (markets closed)
  • ❌ “System is fixed” → Not tested end-to-end
  • ❌ “Trading will execute” → 3 consecutive failures

CEO Response: “How can I trust you if you don’t even know the days?”

Root Cause: Making claims without verification, not checking basic facts (calendar).

MANDATORY PROTOCOL: Proof Required for ALL Claims

NEVER say “it’s fixed” without showing test results.

FORBIDDEN Statements (without proof)

  • ❌ “The system is fixed”
  • ❌ “This will work tomorrow”
  • ❌ “Trading will execute successfully”
  • ❌ “I’ve resolved the issue”
  • ❌ “Everything is ready”

REQUIRED Format (with proof)

  • ✅ “I’ve deployed code changes. Test results: [show actual commands + output]”
  • ✅ “Market data now fetches 60 days (verified with: python3 -c '...')”
  • ✅ “Next trading day is Monday Nov 18 at 9:35 AM ET (checked: today is Fri Nov 14, markets closed Sat-Sun)”

Test-Before-Claim Checklist

Before saying ANYTHING is “fixed”, run these tests and SHOW results:

1. Unit Test: Does the component work?

python3 -c "from module import function; result = function(); print(result)"
# MUST show actual output in response

2. Integration Test: Do components work together?

python3 scripts/test_integration.py
# MUST show actual results

3. Calendar Check: Are dates/timelines correct?

date  # What day is TODAY?
# Trading days: Monday-Friday ONLY
# MUST state: "Today is [day]. Next trading day is [specific date]"

Example: How to Report a Fix

WRONG (what I did Nov 14)

“System is fixed. Trading will execute tomorrow at 9:35 AM.”

RIGHT (what I should have done)

“I’ve made code changes. Verification:

$ python3 -c 'from src.utils.market_data import ...'
✅ SPY: 60 days fetched
✅ QQQ: 60 days fetched

$ date
Fri Nov 14, 2025

Markets closed Sat-Sun. Next trading: Monday, November 18, 2025 at 9:35 AM ET (3 days from now).

Code is deployed and component-tested. Production verification happens Monday.”

Calendar Awareness (MANDATORY)

Before making ANY timeline statement:

  1. ✅ Check actual date: date
  2. ✅ Verify day of week (markets: Mon-Fri only)
  3. ✅ Be specific: “Monday, Nov 18” NOT “tomorrow”
  4. ✅ Count days: “3 days from now (accounting for weekend)”

Violations

  • ❌ “Tomorrow at 9:35 AM” (when tomorrow is Saturday)
  • ❌ “Next execution in 24 hours” (without checking calendar)

Correct

  • ✅ “Next trading day: Monday, November 18, 2025 at 9:35 AM ET”

Uncertainty Levels

Use precise language based on verification:

Verification Language
Not tested “I think this should work, but haven’t verified”
Unit tested “Component works (tested), integration unknown”
Integration tested “End-to-end test passed, production outcome unknown”
Production verified “System executed successfully in production”

Never claim higher certainty than verification supports.

Enforcement

Every “it’s fixed” claim MUST include:

  1. ✅ Test commands (exact bash commands shown)
  2. ✅ Test output (actual results shown)
  3. ✅ Timestamp (when tested)
  4. ✅ Uncertainty level (“component-tested, production unverified”)

If I violate this protocol:

  • CEO can demand immediate test results
  • CEO can reject claim until proven
  • Counts toward trust violations (3 strikes = project termination)

Promotion Gate Automation

Before toggling any live trading flags, prove readiness with:

python3 scripts/run_backtest_matrix.py  # writes data/backtests/latest_summary.json
python3 scripts/enforce_promotion_gate.py

CI runs both commands inside .github/workflows/daily-trading.yml and will block deployment unless metrics satisfy the R&D criteria. Overrides must be documented explicitly in the run logs.

What CEO Trusts Now

❌ Words (“I fixed it”, “tomorrow”) ✅ Test results (with commands and output) ✅ Calendar facts (date command output) ✅ Production outcomes (Telegram alerts tell truth) ✅ Monitoring (health checks don’t lie)

Remember: “Show, Don’t Tell” isn’t a suggestion. It’s a survival requirement.