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Mandatory Lab Sequence & Script Independence

Mandatory lab sequence

Every Meridian chapter lab follows this order unless the medium makes a stage genuinely inapplicable. If a stage is omitted, the lab author should know why rather than silently skipping it.

Stage	Standard
A. DMBOK concept target	State exactly which chapter concepts the lab makes concrete. Do not silently expand beyond the source.
B. Business situation	Explain the Meridian process and decision that produced the problem. Data never appears without a business reason.
C. Technology prerequisite gate	List required SQL/Python/PostgreSQL/DBeaver or other skill depth. If the learner is not ready, use the Technology Roadmap and train with a learner-selected resource before continuing.
D. Predict before touching the tool	Require a prediction about what should happen or what the learner expects to find.
E. Perform	Carry out the technical, management, or decision work.
F. Interpret	Explain what the evidence/output means rather than merely capturing it.
G. Break / vary / counterexample	When safe and useful, change an assumption or inject a defect so the learner can see why the concept matters.
H. Repair	Correct the problem using the chapter concept and record why the response fits.
I. Rebuild independently	Recreate the learning-critical portion with reduced scaffolding rather than replaying the tutorial.
J. Evidence	Save scripts, query results, decisions, diagrams, before/after metrics, and concise notes.
K. DMBOK Debrief	Translate the experience back into DAMA terminology and distinguish neighboring concepts.
L. Retrieval / scenario check	Finish with a short closed-book explanation or scenario.

Required lab-guide sections

The separate Execution/Evidence/QC standard requires the learner-facing guide to include:

1. DMBOK Targets
2. Meridian Business Situation
3. Prerequisite Gate
4. Learning Outcomes
5. Predict First
6. Hands-On Work
7. Evidence to Save
8. Interpret the Evidence
9. Break It / Change One Fact
10. Repair / Decide
11. Rebuild Independently
12. DMBOK Debrief
13. Answer / Reconstruction Key
14. Completion Rubric
15. Source / Implementation Notes

Script-independence standard

A script can accelerate practice, but a script you cannot explain is not mastery.

Five-pass rule

1. Annotate: explain every important line/clause in plain language.
2. Modify: change inputs, filters, table names, conditions, or outputs to reveal what is essential versus incidental.
3. Predict: state at least one expected result before execution.
4. Rebuild: recreate a smaller equivalent from a blank editor.
5. Explain purpose: state the business/Data Management reason for the logic without referring to syntax.

For long setup/boilerplate, independence is judged on the learning-critical portion, not memorization of boilerplate.

Independence test

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 file/editor.
Diagnose	Can interpret a common failure or unexpected output.
Transfer	Can choose the right approach in a changed Meridian scenario.

Source: Applied Laboratory Master Program Guide Sections 4–5; Applied Lab Execution/Evidence/QC Standard Sections 1 and 5.