# Knowledge is not readiness: knowing vs using a rule

Reading the rule is not the same as using it. A completed lesson tells you that somebody reached the end. A practical decision tells you whether the learning is useful.

Updated October 26, 2026

## Begin at the decision

Imagine a new colleague handling a delivery exception. They can repeat the policy but still choose the wrong escalation. More explanation may not solve this. Identify the decision, the cues they need to notice, and the boundary where they should ask for help.

## Create practice with a reason to think

Use two cases that look similar but require different responses. Ask for a decision and the source behind it. Keep the examples fictional, separate practice from consequential customer actions, and have a subject owner check both the expected answer and plausible alternatives.

## Assess transfer, not recognition

Introduce an unfamiliar case using the same underlying rule. A reviewer should score the decision, explanation, and escalation against a fixed rubric. A correct multiple-choice answer can support learning, but does not replace observation of independent work.

## Make the next intervention specific

When an error appears, distinguish missing knowledge from an unclear policy, poor access to information, or an unrealistic workflow. Revise the right part of the system. This is the method Elvina is intended to support; whether each operation works in a given environment needs its own acceptance evidence.