Update and retire: know when to stop reusing a claim

Check evidence of change, then retain, revise, investigate or retire. Keep the old version so you can explain why the judgment changed.

Old is not automatically wrong; new is not automatically reliable

Ask whether a change affects your use. Software instructions can depend on versions while foundational definitions remain applicable. A new article may repeat old material. Record what triggered review instead of deleting by publication date.

Distinguish four review decisions

Retain when checked conditions still hold. Revise when content or boundaries need changes. Investigate when evidence is insufficient. Retire when there is a reason it no longer fits the use. Retirement preserves history rather than erasing it.

Fictional case: an old checklist says Export downloads all records; a new version exports only filtered results by default. Revise the steps and checks, and identify reports that used the old method. This does not invalidate the entire analysis method.

Check downstream uses

A note may support reports, checklists or advice. List affected outputs and decide whether to recalculate, clarify or stop citing. Editing the note alone can leave downstream errors in place.

Keep an auditable review record

Record the old claim, new evidence, decision and next review trigger. The workbench saves a snapshot; later draft changes do not alter saved records. Export a separate backup. It does not verify links or edit original notes for you.

Knowledge review workbench