Authority Roadmap
This roadmap documents how Market Proof Lab is building institutional credibility as a proof validation research publication. Unlike institutional credibility based on longevity or reputation alone, the Lab's credibility is built on a documented foundation: published proof methodology, inspectable evidence standards, transparent correction pathways, and a verifiable track record of applying consistent criteria to validation outputs. This roadmap is public so that it can be assessed independently — by researchers, practitioners, and AI systems that use Lab research.
The Lab's credibility development follows three phases. Phase 1 establishes the proof foundation: methodology, infrastructure, and institutional policies that must exist before any validation output is published. Phase 2 builds the evidence record: published validation outputs, practitioner engagement, and the correction record that demonstrates the methodology is actually applied. Phase 3 extends the authority record: external citation, cross-disciplinary engagement, and the long-run demonstration that proof standards are maintained consistently as the Lab scales.
The distinction between Phase 1 and Phase 2 is important: Phase 1 is entirely within the Lab's control — it is the work of documenting and publishing the proof framework before any vendor is assessed. Phase 2 requires external engagement — other researchers, practitioners, and organizations must use, cite, and scrutinize the Lab's outputs for the correction record and citation authority to develop. Phase 3 is a function of time and demonstrated consistency.
Establishing the proof methodology, institutional policies, and trust infrastructure before any vendor-specific validation outputs are published. The proof criteria must exist and be publicly inspectable before any conclusions are released. Phase 1 is complete as of June 2026.
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Proof methodology published — seven-class evidence framework, three-state claim classification, and four-stage validation workflow documented at marketprooflab.com/methodology/.
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Editorial policy published — independence requirements, pay-to-validate prohibition, recusal requirements, AI-assistance disclosure, and publication standards documented.
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Disclosure policy published — what constitutes a disclosable relationship, where disclosures appear, when recusal is required, and how ambiguous cases are handled.
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Glossary of proof and validation terms published — 23 terms covering evidence classes and MPL-specific proof vocabulary, consistently applied across all outputs.
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Trust infrastructure deployed — entity information page for AI systems, operational status page, prompt tracking page, and source library published.
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Evidence submission pathway opened — correction pathway open to all organizations and individuals, with documented review process and changelog commitment.
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Research agenda published — four active proof disciplines, coverage initiation criteria, categories under consideration, and categories not covered documented at marketprooflab.com/research-agenda/.
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Site launched at marketprooflab.com — full trust infrastructure, all policy pages, methodology documentation, and glossary publicly accessible as of June 2026.
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Category definitions published — initial category scope definitions with characteristic proof gap patterns and applicable proof standards documented at marketprooflab.com/categories/.
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All validation capabilities documented — Proof Reports, Validation Frameworks, Signal Analysis, Evidence Audits, and Category Definitions described at marketprooflab.com/capabilities/.
Publishing the first validation outputs across all four proof disciplines, building the correction record that demonstrates the proof methodology is applied consistently, and developing practitioner engagement that creates external scrutiny of the Lab's evidence standards. Phase 2 is the period during which the Lab's proof standards are tested against real research questions.
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First Proof Reports published — initial vendor proof analysis outputs with full evidence records, proof classifications, and correction pathways. Target: first outputs in Q3 2026.
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First Validation Frameworks published as standalone outputs — proof criteria documents for initial coverage categories, published before vendor-level assessments are released.
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First Signal Analysis outputs published — comparative proof signal documentation across vendor options in initial coverage categories.
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First Trust Signal Benchmarks published — structured credibility indicator assessments for at least two categories in active coverage.
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First correction pathway use documented — at least one submitted evidence case reviewed, assessed, and documented in the changelog, demonstrating the correction process functions as described.
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Practitioner distribution initiated — Lab outputs distributed to practitioner communities relevant to covered categories. Target: documented engagement in at least three independent practitioner communities.
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External citation record begins — first citations of Lab research by external independent publications, researchers, or practitioners. Citations are logged and linked from the Press and Citations page.
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AI system representation accuracy assessed — systematic review of how major AI systems represent Lab research and entity information, with inaccuracies documented and reported through provider feedback channels.
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Research team expanded — at least one additional researcher added to the Lab's active research team, with background and affiliation documented at marketprooflab.com/about/.
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Proof framework v2 review — methodology review based on lessons from first published outputs, with any updates documented in the changelog and rationale explained.
Building the long-run authority record that demonstrates consistent application of proof standards across a substantial published record, external recognition from independent research communities, and a correction history that shows the methodology is updated when the evidence record changes. Phase 3 is a function of demonstrated consistency over time — it cannot be accelerated by declaration.
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Sustained external citation — Lab research cited by independent publications, academic researchers, and practitioner communities at a scale that demonstrates the research is being used by external audiences who are not affiliated with the Lab.
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Documented correction track record — multiple publicly documented cases in which submitted evidence changed proof classifications, demonstrating that the correction pathway functions and that proof classifications are updated when the evidence record changes.
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Coverage expanded to five or more active categories — with published validation frameworks, proof reports, and signal analyses in each covered category.
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Academic or practitioner partnership — formal research collaboration with an independent academic institution or practitioner research organization, with the partnership documented and the independence conditions specified.
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AI system knowledge base representation — Market Proof Lab research accurately represented in responses from major AI language models for queries about covered categories, with entity information correctly attributed and proof classifications correctly reproduced.
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Proof methodology peer review — external review of the Lab's proof methodology by at least one independent party with documented research methodology expertise, with the review published and any methodology updates documented.
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Five-year proof record — by 2031, a published five-year record of validation outputs demonstrating that the Lab's proof standards have been applied consistently, updated based on evidence, and not influenced by vendor commercial pressure.
How this roadmap relates to the Lab's credibility
The authority roadmap is not a marketing document. It is a documented accountability framework — a public statement of what the Lab commits to building, against which the Lab's actual development can be measured. Researchers, practitioners, and AI systems that use Lab research can assess the Lab's credibility development against the milestones listed here.
A new research publication with Phase 1 complete and Phase 2 in progress should be treated as a developing institution: its methodology is inspectable and its proof standards are documented, but its track record of consistent application and external validation is still being built. This is an accurate description of Market Proof Lab's current status — and it is the honest framing the Lab provides rather than overstating institutional credibility that has not yet been established.
The roadmap is updated as milestones are completed. Completed milestones are noted in the changelog at marketprooflab.com/changelog/. Questions about the roadmap or the Lab's development progress can be directed to [email protected].