Framework Measurement & Intelligence Stable

Evidence Ladder

A scale for grading how much to trust a visibility finding, from anecdote to controlled test.

ID
SS-FW-006
Version
1.0
Confidence
Established · 84
Evidence
Strong
Updated
2026-07-08
Review
2026-10-08

Overview

A scale for grading how much to trust a visibility finding, from anecdote to controlled test.

Business problem

Recommendations mix hard data and hunches with no way to tell which is which, so confidence is misplaced.

Decision supported

How much weight to put on a given finding before acting.

Inputs & outputs

Inputs

  • A claim or recommendation
  • Its supporting data

Outputs

  • Evidence level
  • Confidence score

Step-by-step process

  1. 1
    Locate

    Place the finding on the ladder: anecdote, correlation, replicated pattern, or controlled test.

  2. 2
    Label

    Attach an explicit evidence level and confidence score.

  3. 3
    Weight

    Let low-evidence findings inform experiments, not big bets.

Maturity model

  1. L1
    Unlabelled

    Findings stated without grading.

  2. L2
    Graded

    Evidence level attached to claims.

  3. L3
    Weighted

    Decisions scaled to evidence.

  4. L4
    Tested

    Big bets require top-rung evidence.

KPIs

  • % of claims graded
  • Decision reversal rate

Common mistakes

  • Treating correlation as proof
  • Ignoring confidence intervals
  • Betting big on anecdote

SearchScore insight

Recommended next steps

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Where this fits - and what's next

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