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Test the environment around the worker
Useful simulation covers more than an ideal input. It can model missing fields, delayed systems, changed interfaces, rejected approvals, contradictory records, permission failures, and retries.
The purpose is to expose assumptions. A test that only confirms the expected path offers little information about how the system behaves when reality diverges.
An evidence-based release path
- 01Define expected behavior and boundaries
- 02Build synthetic normal and edge cases
- 03Introduce unavailable or delayed dependencies
- 04Exercise approvals and rejected actions
- 05Inspect decisions, tool calls, and evidence
- 06Compare results with acceptance criteria
- 07Correct the system and repeat
- 08Move to shadow or limited authority only when justified
What simulation cannot prove
Complete coverage
No synthetic set captures every future input or environmental change.
Production equivalence
Test environments differ from live permissions, interfaces, timing, and user behavior.
Regulatory status
Passing internal tests is not a certification or regulatory determination.
Permanent safety
Monitoring and re-evaluation remain necessary after deployment.
Treat test evidence as a release artifact
The useful output of simulation is not only a pass rate. It is a reviewable record of cases, expected behavior, actual behavior, exceptions, approvals, and unresolved limitations.
Sources
Authoritative references
Rules, standards, and guidance can change. The links below were reviewed on September 21, 2026.