Making Meaning Measurable: How to See Coherence in Decision Systems

If meaning changes, it leaves traces you can measure. Meaning is not directly observable—but its effects are. This paper shows how to detect shifts in interpretation before they show up in performance. It introduces Translation Coherence as a measurable property derived from governance artefacts and allocation patterns. This makes alignment empirically visible—rather than inferred after failure. About the Coherence ProgrammeThe Coherence Programme studies why institutions drift despite appearing aligned. It shows that decisions are made not on intent itself, but on how intent is translated into criteria, metrics, and allocation rules. Using the Operating Spine, the programme traces how purpose becomes action…