The five states
Observed (measured directly), derived (computed from observed), benchmarked (external reference), withheld (knowable but not asserted), excluded (deliberately out of scope).
Why force a choice
Every claim must carry exactly one tag. The forced choice is the foundation of defensibility - silence is not an evidence state.
How tags travel
Tags travel with the asset into productization, capitalization, and diligence. The buyer or insurer reads the tag set, not the marketing.
Questions buyers actually ask.
No. A composite claim is broken into single-tag components.
Recorded internally with rationale; not asserted externally. The audit trail is preserved.
Not weaker - different. Benchmarks anchor; observations measure. Both are needed.
The asset owner with steward sign-off; disputed tags escalate to the governance quorum.