# PFES-ENG-043 — Engineering Workflow

**Status:** Stable methodology  
**Knowledge Cycle Stages:** All stages

## Purpose

Define the repeatable process by which unknown optical-drive systems become validated engineering knowledge and capability.

## Engineering Problem

Ad hoc investigations are difficult to reproduce, transfer, and integrate.

## Historical Engineering Evolution

The recurring pattern of acquisition, preservation, topology, evidence, interpretation, validation, application, and documentation became the formal knowledge cycle.

## Engineering Discoveries

- Every application produces new evidence.
- Engineering is iterative.
- Discoveries must re-enter institutional memory.

## Architectural Decisions

- Use the knowledge cycle.
- Separate observation from interpretation.
- Record uncertainty.
- Preserve outputs needed for reproduction.

## Knowledge Produced

- Reproducible investigations
- Validated discoveries
- Capability improvements

## Knowledge Consumed

- Questions
- Artifacts
- Existing PFES knowledge

## Current Engineering State

Current workflows span analyzer-chain runs, emulator sessions, hardware testing, media dumping, migration batches, and PFES updates.

## Engineering Lessons

- The workflow is complete only when knowledge is preserved.

## Negative Knowledge

Project Frankenstein no longer assumes:

- Implementation success is the end of engineering.
- Discoveries preserve themselves.

## Current Implementations

- HLDS run chain
- Emulator test JSONs
- Hardware validation procedures
- Migration batches

## Future Implementations

- Integrated provenance and discovery tracking
- Engineering dashboards

## Open Questions

To be expanded during engineering review.

## Why This Chapter Exists

Methodology is the stable asset that allows unfamiliar systems to be learned.
