{
  "schema": "vedokrok.public-item.v1",
  "release_id": "MHC-RPUB-20260920-75ad787a",
  "url": "/knowledge/order-troubleshooting-tests-by-likelihood-and-risk",
  "id": "MHC-D-RESEARCH-0298",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "title": "Order troubleshooting tests by likelihood and risk",
  "summary": "Do not reboot the world to answer a question a safe check could settle.",
  "kind": "heuristic",
  "body": "For each plausible next test, consider how likely its target explanation is, what the test can distinguish, and what harm or state change the test can cause. Run cheap, low-risk, high-plausibility checks first unless stronger evidence justifies a different order. The sequence itself is part of incident safety.",
  "limits": [
    "Likelihood estimates are judgment calls; do not let a familiar checklist override clear contrary evidence."
  ],
  "topics": [
    "union-diagnostic-incident-work"
  ],
  "intents": [],
  "source_ids": [
    "RS-A4A16C807A94C9D8"
  ],
  "evidence": [
    {
      "claim": "Google SRE recommends considering obvious causes first and ordering tests with both likelihood and risk to the system in mind.",
      "source_id": "RS-A4A16C807A94C9D8",
      "role": "supports",
      "note": "A low-risk common check should not become ritual if evidence already points strongly elsewhere.",
      "locator": "Test and Treat; test design considerations"
    }
  ],
  "use_when": [
    "Several tests could be run next and some are disruptive, slow or expensive."
  ],
  "avoid_when": [
    "Likelihood estimates are judgment calls; do not let a familiar checklist override clear contrary evidence."
  ],
  "example": "Check whether the expected endpoint is reachable before enabling verbose production tracing that may worsen latency.",
  "check": "You can explain why the chosen test comes before the more invasive alternatives.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "RS-A4A16C807A94C9D8",
      "title": "Effective Troubleshooting",
      "url": "https://sre.google/sre-book/effective-troubleshooting/"
    }
  ],
  "relations": [
    {
      "from": "MHC-D-RESEARCH-0298",
      "to": "MHC-D-RESEARCH-0299",
      "type": "useful_with",
      "url": "/knowledge/keep-a-hypothesis-test-result-ledger"
    }
  ],
  "collections": [
    {
      "id": "RC-6F9B0E6D320D1467",
      "title": "Find the fault without making the incident harder to understand",
      "url": "/collections/find-the-fault-without-making-the-incident-harder-to-understand"
    }
  ]
}