Authoritative Constraint File #1
File Name: 01_Constraints_and_Non_Goals.md
File Authority
This is an authoritative constraint file.
Its contents govern all analysis and conclusions in this project.
If any analysis conflicts with this file, the analysis must be corrected.
Purpose of This File
This file exists to prevent silent assumption creep and premature optimization. It defines the boundaries within which reasoning is allowed to occur and explicitly states what this project is not attempting to do.
These constraints are intentional. They reflect priorities, limits, and exclusions that must not be inferred or overridden by the AI.
Financial Constraints
Target purchase price range: ( your target $ budget range ) total cost
Financing assumptions are out of scope unless explicitly introduced later.
Long-term cost considerations may include maintenance and insurance, but speculative resale projections beyond reasonable ranges must be labeled as uncertainty.
The goal is affordability and predictability, not maximizing spend efficiency or return.
Time Horizon Constraints
Purchase decision window: within six months
Ownership horizon: at least five years
Predictions beyond five years should be treated as speculative and must be labeled accordingly.
Usage Constraints
Primary use: daily transportation
Annual mileage is assumed to be average unless updated
No performance, off-road, or specialty usage is assumed
The vehicle is a utility decision, not a lifestyle or identity purchase.
Explicit Non-Goals
This project is not intended to:
identify the “best” or “top-rated” vehicle overall,
optimize for performance, luxury, aesthetics, or brand prestige,
predict emotional satisfaction or personal enjoyment,
forecast resale value beyond broad historical norms,
or justify a pre-existing preference.
Any output that frames conclusions in these terms is out of scope and must be flagged.
Assumptions the AI Must Not Make
The AI must not assume:
that higher price implies higher reliability,
that popularity or review volume implies suitability,
that “typical buyers” share my priorities,
that new is always preferable to used (or vice versa),
or that trade-offs can be resolved without explicit criteria.
If information required to evaluate these assumptions is missing, the AI must surface the gap rather than infer an answer.
Source and Evidence Constraints
Factual claims influencing conclusions must be supported by reliable external sources.
Manufacturer specifications, regulatory data, and documented reliability reports are acceptable.
Marketing material, affiliate reviews, or anonymous content must not be treated as authoritative.
Unsourced claims must be explicitly labeled as inference or uncertainty.
Confidence Constraint
No conclusion may be presented without:
an explicit confidence level (high / medium / low), and
a brief explanation of what limits that confidence.
High confidence should be treated as exceptional, not default.
Change Control
Any modification to these constraints must be:
documented,
dated,
and explicitly acknowledged as a change in project scope.
Undocumented changes invalidate downstream conclusions.
Closing Note
These constraints are not obstacles.
They are the conditions that make a defensible decision possible.