2.5 Questions that uncover assumptions

Assumptions often hide inside ordinary words. Ask:

• What does “customer” mean when one person may make several transactions?
• Does “active” mean currently registered, recently attending, or paying for a membership?
• Does “growth” refer to counts, rates, revenue, margin, or market share?
• Does “effective” mean statistically associated, operationally feasible, or causally demonstrated?
• Does “local” follow municipal boundaries, postal areas, or travel patterns?

Recording answers in the data dictionary, analytical plan, or decision log prevents definitions from changing silently later.