# Phase 147: Research Question Competing Hypotheses Surface - Discussion Log

> **Audit trail only.** Do not use as input to planning, research, or execution agents.
> Decisions are captured in CONTEXT.md.

**Date:** 2026-04-12
**Phase:** 147-research-question-competing-hypotheses-surface
**Areas discussed:** research-question modeling, coexistence with deferred lanes, bounded scope

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## Surface Placement

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| extend research-question/runtime surfaces | preserves one visible question-level truth path | ✓ |
| invent a separate hypothesis registry | would fragment the operator model | |

## Relation To Existing Mechanisms

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| coexist with deferred candidates and follow-up subtopics | keeps current execution mechanisms intact | ✓ |
| replace deferred/follow-up mechanisms | would widen scope too far | |

## Scope

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| bounded question-level hypothesis visibility | closes the immediate gap cleanly | ✓ |
| full multi-branch orchestration | too wide for the immediate next milestone | |
