Taking action
How can I set a stop, adapt, or continue rule before trying a next step?
Before you start, write three observable conditions: stop if a boundary is crossed or the idea no longer deserves another attempt; adapt if the test was incomplete, the evidence is mixed, or one controllable feature needs changing; continue only if the planned action happened, the relevant signal is strong enough, and every boundary still holds. Give stop conditions priority over encouraging evidence, change one feature when adapting, and make continue mean one more bounded step—not permanent commitment. The PACT rule keeps those decisions separate.
Write the rule while the result is still unknown
Set the stop, adapt, and continue conditions before you try the next step. Each condition should name something you can observe, not a mood you can reinterpret later. For example: stop if the agreed cost or permission boundary changes; adapt if the action happened but the setup prevented a fair observation; continue for one more bounded attempt if the action happened, the planned signal appeared, and no boundary changed.
The UK government's 2026 Test and Learn guidance recommends agreeing decision points and the evidence for continuing, adapting, or stopping before testing begins. It says this makes decisions more transparent and reduces bias and over-commitment after time and effort have already been invested.
Use evidence that matches the decision
Choose a small set of observations that can actually distinguish the three branches. Record whether the planned action happened, the signal tied to the learning question, any material change in context, and any unexpected effect. A favorable feeling is not enough if the action was not completed or the relevant boundary changed.
CDC guidance says expectations about success should be discussed up front, indicators should align with the evaluation question, and collection methods should be practical and produce relevant, credible evidence. It also recommends balancing the amount of data collected against burden. For a personal next step, that supports a short decision-ready note instead of a large scorecard.
Build the rule with PACT
PACT is a Forever Free Compass framework, not an external research finding. Complete all four fields before starting.
- Pause boundary: name the condition that stops the attempt immediately or prevents another one, including changed permission, safety, cost, access, or impact on someone else.
- Adapt condition: name the mixed evidence, implementation problem, or single controllable feature that would justify changing the design and testing again.
- Continue condition: name the observation that would justify exactly one additional bounded step while every boundary remains intact.
- Time of review: choose when you will apply the rule, while keeping the Pause boundary active throughout the attempt.
Apply the branches in order
Check Pause first, Adapt second, and Continue last. This order prevents an encouraging signal from averaging away a boundary problem. It also prevents an incomplete test from being treated as evidence that the whole direction failed or succeeded.
The Green Book describes monitoring as a way to track whether progress is on course and decide whether an intervention needs adaptation. The Magenta Book likewise says evaluation can inform whether to continue, improve, minimise risk, or stop. Those sources address public programmes, not personal choices, but the decision discipline transfers: compare the evidence with the rule and keep the conclusion proportionate to the test.
| Branch | Observable condition | Prewritten response |
|---|---|---|
| Stop | A boundary changed, the attempt is no longer feasible, or the evidence directly contradicts the reason for another attempt | End the attempt or do not repeat it; record the reason without converting it into a judgment about your identity |
| Adapt | The action or evidence was incomplete, context interfered, or one design feature needs changing | Change one feature, preserve the other conditions, and decide whether one revised attempt is worthwhile |
| Continue | The action happened, the relevant signal met the prewritten condition, and all boundaries held | Take one more bounded step or design the next test; do not treat this as permanent commitment |
Keep a mixed result out of the stop-or-continue trap
Mixed evidence belongs in Adapt only when you can name what would change and why that change could produce better information. If you cannot identify a meaningful revision, repeating the same attempt may add effort without adding learning. Stop can be the evidence-aware choice even when nothing dramatic went wrong.
Continue should remain narrow. It means the evidence supports one next bounded action under the stated conditions. It does not prove long-term fit, establish causality, or guarantee a larger outcome. Document any adaptation so later observations are not silently combined across different versions of the test.
Raise the standard when the stakes rise
Use PACT only for low-stakes, reversible exploration. Do not use a personal rule card to determine medical effectiveness, legal compliance, financial suitability, workplace permission, safety, or another person's consent. A stop boundary never authorises you to proceed until it is crossed; external rules and qualified guidance still apply.
If the next step could create substantial harm, cost, dependency, exposure, or effects on other people, pause before experimenting and get qualified guidance. The rule should make uncertainty easier to manage, not disguise a high-stakes decision as a harmless trial.
Original contribution
The Forever Free Compass take
Forever Free Compass uses the PACT rule as an original decision-ordering framework: Pause boundary, Adapt condition, Continue condition, and Time of review. The Pause boundary overrides a favorable signal when cost, permission, safety, feasibility, or effects on others move outside the agreed limit. The Adapt condition names the incomplete evidence or single design feature to change. The Continue condition states the evidence needed for one additional bounded attempt. Time of review fixes when the rule will be applied while allowing an immediate pause if a boundary changes. PACT is a low-stakes planning heuristic, not a validated decision instrument or universal threshold.
Sources
- Test and Learn — HM Treasury and Evaluation Task Force. Advance decision points and criteria; evidence-based continue, adapt, or stop decisions; bias and over-commitment controls; documentation and unintended-effect monitoring.
- Step 4 – Gather Credible Evidence — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Upfront expectations of success; question-aligned indicators; practical collection methods and credible sources; relevance, quality, quantity, and burden.
- The Green Book (2026) — HM Treasury. Monitoring progress; evidence-led adaptation; early evaluation planning; proportional interpretation of appraisal and evaluation evidence.
- Magenta Book: Central Government guidance on evaluation — HM Treasury and Evaluation Task Force. Evaluation for continue, improve, risk-minimise, or stop decisions; early learning; proportionate pilots; limits on claims from early tests.
This is educational reflection, not medical or mental-health care. If distress is persistent, severe, or involves immediate safety, contact a qualified professional or local emergency service.