00A-02 — Applied Lab Execution, Evidence & QC Standard
Purpose: define the required lab-guide structure, evidence package, technical QC, DMBOK/source QC, independence test, visual/PDF QC, and completion record for every Meridian chapter lab.
Authoritative formatted sources: Google Doc · PDF
1. Required lab-guide sections
- DMBOK Targets — chapter concepts and source anchors the lab makes concrete.
- Meridian Business Situation — process, systems, people, and decision context.
- Prerequisite Gate — required chapter theory and technology competencies.
- Learning Outcomes — observable abilities, not vague “understand” statements.
- Predict First — questions answered before running tools.
- Hands-On Work — steps, hints, and safe commands appropriate to the current scaffold level.
- Evidence to Save — scripts, diagrams, results, decisions, screenshots, and locations.
- Interpret the Evidence — questions forcing explanation of what the results mean.
- Break It / Change One Fact — controlled defect or changed assumption when useful.
- Repair / Decide — corrective or governance response and why it fits.
- Rebuild Independently — reduced-scaffolding challenge.
- DMBOK Debrief — translate the experience back to DAMA terminology and compare nearby concepts.
- Answer / Reconstruction Key — immediate answers for teaching prompts, or a separate complete key for true retrieval sections.
- Completion Rubric — technical independence, conceptual accuracy, evidence, transfer.
- Source / Implementation Notes — clearly separate DAMA-derived content from Meridian design and software documentation.
2. Evidence package
| Artifact | Naming example | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| SQL | sql/ch10/10_03_match_candidates.sql |
Readable, rerunnable, comments where logic is non-obvious |
| Python | python/quality/profile_customers.py |
Declare input/output and preserve raw input |
| Result | evidence/ch13/dq_profile_before.csv |
Preserve run/script context |
| Diagram | diagrams/ch08_customer_lineage.png |
Every arrow has a defined meaning |
| Decision | docs/DEC-014_customer_survivorship.md |
State issue, options, decision, rationale, owner/date |
| Screenshot | evidence/ch07/access_denied.png |
Supportive only; never substitute for underlying logic |
| Lab journal | evidence/ch10/lab_debrief.md |
Explain DMBOK connection, surprises, errors, independent rebuild |
3. Technical QC
- Run SQL/Python from a clean or rebuilt lab where practical; remove hidden dependencies on manual state.
- Validate expected row counts, keys, and important constraints before/after the exercise.
- Use deterministic synthetic data when the answer key depends on exact results.
- For destructive SQL, test the rollback/rebuild path.
- Avoid hard-coded personal paths when a relative/project path works.
- Never place credentials or secrets in scripts, screenshots, or Git.
- Verify current software behavior against official documentation when a material feature is involved.
4. DMBOK / source QC
- Read the full controlling chapter before final lab writing.
- Every DAMA-specific claim, role, process, metric, model, or terminology statement must be supported by that chapter or an explicitly identified DMBOK prerequisite.
- Never present a Meridian schema, role name, tool feature, or implementation order as a DAMA requirement unless the source says so.
- Apply the Main 00A question-resolution rule: teaching questions receive immediate answer/explanation/source; true retrieval may separate answers only with a complete key.
- Every lab requires an explicit DMBOK Debrief.
5. Independence QC
If the learner can make the screenshot but cannot explain the query, table grain, business rule, source-to-target meaning, or governance decision, the lab is not complete.
| Check | Pass condition |
|---|---|
| Explain | Can explain the concept and technical action without reading the step |
| Modify | Can change an input/condition and predict the effect |
| Rebuild | Can recreate the learning-critical portion from a blank editor/file |
| Diagnose | Can interpret a common failure or unexpected output |
| Transfer | Can choose the right approach in a changed Meridian scenario |
6. Visual / PDF QC
- Use the established navy/teal/orange CDMP visual system and semantic cues.
- Use diagrams/screenshots only when they teach or verify something.
- Keep commands/code readable and explanations adjacent.
- Do not strand teaching questions from their answers.
- Export the companion PDF after content/technical QC.
- Inspect for clipped code, broken tables, missing glyphs, orphan pages, or misplaced images.
7. Lab completion record
Record at minimum:
- Lab ID:
CH##_LAB_## - DMBOK chapter/source: chapter + section/page anchors
- Technology blocks used: T# list
- Date completed
- Scaffold level: guided / faded / diagnostic / independent
- Independent rebuild result: pass / partial / fail + note
- DMBOK debrief score: 0–3
- Evidence folder/link
- Mistakes / repair
- Next revisit
Completion rule
A lab is complete only when the learner can explain, perform, interpret, transfer, and prove the work—not merely reproduce the tutorial.