The six-layer decision chain
From capital state to audit trail.
Straight from the Cycle-to-Throttle workflow manual: each layer has a decision function and an explicit list of what it cannot override.
- 1. Gate / Drawdown — highest capital-state authority. Defines the capital-state row, brake tone, and risk envelope. Cannot be overridden by Daily EV.
- 2. Weekly SDE / structural permissions — confirms whether higher deployment is structurally justified. Cannot expand beyond the gate cap.
- 3. Daily EV / Cycle P&L — tactical evidence. Supports or cautions near-term posture. Cannot redefine the drawdown gate.
- 4. Smart Open Exposure — subtracts active open risk from the authorized pool. Cannot create capital beyond it.
- 5. Manual Override — operator exception layer. Must be logged; does not erase risk reality.
- 6. Cycle Decision Log — the audit layer. Records decisions; makes none.
