Simulation Assumption Limitation Module (SALM)
OOF™ Origin Open Foundation™
Independent Methodological Authority
Architecture Ecosystem: Structured Reality Standards™
Architecture Family: SIMULOS® — Simulation Governance Architecture
Parent Standard: Simulation Assumption Standard (SAS)
Operational Layer: Simulation Assumption Governance Layer
Category: Governance & Enforcement
Subcategory: Simulation Governance
Type: Parent Standard Module
Governed Space: Simulation Assumption Limitations
Version: 1.0
Status: Canonical · Open Module
Effective Date: 17 August 2026
Compatibility: OOF® Methodology OS™ · GOA™ · ORA™ · VALIDOS® · INTEGROS® · ADIT® · AGA™ ·
AIG® · CLIA® · MGIA™ · ASGA™ · RIS™
AI-Readable: Yes
Authority: OOF®
Protection: MIP® — Methodological Intellectual Property
Canonical Language: English (UCL™)
Governed Space
Simulation Assumption Limitations
Canonical Definition
Simulation Assumption Limitation Module (SALM) defines the governanceframework for identifying, defining, bounding, classifying, propagating,
disclosing, reassessing, and preserving the limitations created by Simulation
Assumptions throughout the simulation lifecycle.
It establishes the methodological conditions under which every material
Simulation Assumption remains connected to the boundaries within which it may
legitimately operate, the conditions under which it may cease to remain
applicable, the simulation elements and outputs affected by those limitations,
and the consequences those limitations create for interpretation and
downstream use.
SALM does not determine whether a Simulation Assumption is universally valid.
It governs where an assumption stops being safely or legitimately applicable
inside the simulation and what consequences follow when that boundary is
approached, crossed, changed, or remains unknown.
Operational Role
SALM serves as the fifth and final internal governance space of the SimulationAssumption Standard (SAS).
The preceding modules establish:
SAIM — Which assumptions exist and which are materially relevant?
SABM — On what basis is each assumption being used?
SADM — What depends upon each assumption?
SAUM — What remains uncertain about each assumption and where may that
uncertainty propagate?
SALM asks:
Within which conditions may the assumption legitimately operate, where does
its applicability end, and what limitations does it impose upon the
simulation?
The governed progression is:
Governed Simulation Assumption → Limitation Identification → Applicability
Boundary → Limiting Condition → Dependency Connection → Limitation Propagation
→ Consequence Assessment → Disclosure → Reassessment → Limitation Record
SALM closes the internal governance lifecycle of the Simulation Assumption
Standard.
Module Function
Simulation Assumptions allow a simulation to operate where completerepresentation of reality is impossible, unnecessary, unavailable, or
methodologically inappropriate.
But every assumption creates a boundary.
An assumption may be reasonable:
within one environment
but not another.
It may apply:
within one parameter range
but fail outside it.
It may represent:
one population
but not another.
It may remain useful:
during one period
but become obsolete after material change.
SALM prevents these boundaries from disappearing once an assumption has been
incorporated into a model.
It transforms:
Simulation Assumption
into:Simulation Assumption + Applicability Boundary + Limiting Conditions +
Affected Dependencies + Consequences Simulation Assumption Limitation
A Simulation Assumption Limitation is a governed condition that restricts
where, when, how, or to what extent a Simulation Assumption may legitimately
represent the condition for which it is used.
A limitation may constrain: applicability, parameter range, environment,
population, time, scenario, operating state, interpretation, simulation
output, or downstream conclusions.
Assumption Applicability Boundary
Every material assumption should have an identifiable applicability boundarywhere reasonably possible.
The boundary answers:
Under which conditions is this assumption intended to apply?
and:
Under which conditions should it no longer be treated as applicable?
Conceptually:
Applicable Conditions → Boundary → Non-Applicable Conditions Applicability
Context
Assumption applicability should be understood relative to:
Simulation Object + Purpose + Scope + Reality Representation + Model +
Environment + Scenario
The same assumption may therefore be legitimate in one simulation context and
inappropriate in another.
Limiting Condition
A Limiting Condition is a condition that narrows or terminates the legitimateapplicability of an assumption.
Examples may include: temperature above a defined range, velocity outside
tested conditions, different population characteristics, changed environmental
behavior, altered system configuration, different operating mode, unavailable
supporting evidence, changed temporal context, or newly discovered dependency.
Conditional Applicability
Some assumptions remain legitimate only while specified conditions remaintrue.
Conceptually:
Assumption Applicable IF Conditions A + B
+ C remain satisfied
If a material condition changes, the assumption should enter reassessment.Partial Applicability
An assumption may remain applicable to only part of the Simulation Object,scenario set, operating envelope, or population.
SALM requires that partial applicability remain visible rather than being
represented as universal applicability. Non-Applicability
A Simulation Assumption becomes non-applicable when the conditions required
for its legitimate use are no longer satisfied.
Non-applicability should not automatically be interpreted as failure of the
entire simulation.
It establishes that the affected simulation pathway can no longer legitimately
rely upon that assumption without reassessment, replacement, or explicit
restriction.
Environmental Limitation
An assumption may apply only within specified environmental conditions.Examples include: temperature, humidity, radiation, terrain, atmospheric
conditions, lighting, network conditions, infrastructure availability, or
another environmental state.
Temporal Limitation
An assumption may be valid only for a defined period or temporal context.Examples include: market behavior derived from a historical period, component
degradation assumptions, demographic conditions, seasonal behavior, or
technology-performance assumptions.
A materially changing temporal context may therefore create a limitation.
Spatial Limitation
An assumption may apply only within defined geographic, physical, or spatialconditions.
An assumption derived from one region should not automatically be treated as
applicable globally.
Population Limitation
An assumption based upon one population may not legitimately representanother.
Population limitations may concern: age, behavior, operating experience,
physical characteristics, user group, system class, or another materially
relevant population property.
Behavioral Limitation
Human, organizational, AI, autonomous-system, or environmental behavior may berepresented through assumptions.
Where behavior changes beyond the assumed range, the assumption may cease to
provide an adequate representation.
Operational Limitation
An assumption may apply only within a defined operating envelope.For example:
Normal Operation
may not legitimately represent:Emergency Operation
or:Failure-State Operation.
Parameter Limitation
An assumption may depend upon parameter ranges.Example:
Linear Response Assumption
may apply between:Parameter X = 0–100
but not beyond that range.SALM preserves this boundary explicitly.
Scenario Limitation
Some assumptions apply only to particular scenarios.A scenario-specific assumption should not silently propagate into unrelated
scenarios merely because it already exists in the simulation environment.
Evidence-Related Limitation
SABM may establish that an assumption depends upon limited evidence.SALM governs the resulting applicability restriction where that evidence
cannot legitimately support broader use.
Conceptually:
Limited Basis → Limited Applicability
Uncertainty-Derived Limitation
SAUM may establish uncertainty that materially constrains assumption use.Where uncertainty becomes sufficiently significant, it may create: narrower
applicability, stronger conditions, restricted interpretation, scenario
restrictions, or a requirement for reassessment.
SAUM governs the uncertainty.
SALM governs the limitation that follows from it.
Dependency-Derived Limitation
SADM identifies what depends upon an assumption.SALM determines where assumption limitations affect those dependencies.
Conceptually:
Assumption Limitation
↓Dependency Path
↓Affected Simulation Element
↓Affected Scenario
↓Affected Output / Conclusion Limitation
Propagation
A limitation attached to an assumption may propagate through the simulation.Example:
Battery Temperature Assumption Limited to
−10°C to +45°C
↓Battery Performance Model
↓Power Availability
↓Vehicle Range
↓Mission Feasibility
A mission simulated outside the applicable temperature range cannotlegitimately inherit the same assumption without reassessment.
No Limitation Disappearance Principle
SIMULOS® establishes:A limitation attached to a material Simulation Assumption does not disappear
when that assumption is embedded inside a model, scenario, computation, or
simulation output.
The limitation must remain traceable wherever it materially constrains
downstream interpretation.
Limitation Materiality
Not every limitation has equal significance.Materiality may depend upon: affected assumption, dependency depth, dependency
breadth, scenario significance, output sensitivity, consequence, intended
simulation purpose, and Simulation Depth.
The governing question is:
Could crossing or ignoring this limitation materially change the simulation
behavior, output, or legitimate interpretation?
Limitation Threshold
Where appropriate, SALM may establish a threshold at which a limitationbecomes operationally significant.
Conceptually:
Within Boundary → Applicable
Near Boundary → Conditional / Monitor
Beyond Boundary → Reassessment /
Non-Applicable
The exact states depend upon the simulation context.Boundary Proximity
A simulation operating very close to an assumption boundary may requiredifferent treatment from one operating comfortably inside it.
SALM may therefore distinguish:
Inside Boundary
Boundary Proximity
Boundary Reached
Boundary Exceeded
This prevents binary treatment of limitations where proximity itself ismaterially relevant.
Limitation Breach
A Simulation Assumption Limitation Breach occurs when simulation conditionsexceed an established applicability boundary.
A breach should trigger evaluation of: affected assumption, affected
dependencies, affected scenarios, affected outputs, and required reassessment.
SALM does not automatically determine that the entire simulation is invalid.
It identifies the affected governance condition.
Limitation Interaction
Multiple assumption limitations may interact.An individual assumption may remain within its own boundary while the
combination of several limiting conditions creates a materially different
simulation context.
Material interactions should therefore remain visible.
Compound Limitation
A Compound Limitation exists where multiple assumption limitations jointlyconstrain a simulation more strongly than each limitation considered
independently.
This may be particularly important in: coupled systems, multi-agent
simulations, environmental simulations, complex engineering simulations, and
high-dimensional scenario spaces.
Limitation Concentration
A simulation may depend heavily upon a small number of assumptions with narrowapplicability.
SALM may identify such concentration as a governance signal because small
changes in context may cause large portions of the simulation to leave their
supported assumption boundaries.
Output Limitation
An assumption limitation may constrain the meaning of simulation outputs.For example:
Output applies only under Environment A
must not silently become:Output applies universally.
SALM therefore preserves the relationship:
Assumption Boundary → Output Boundary
where materially applicable.Interpretation Limitation
Simulation results may be technically produced outside an assumption'slegitimate boundary.
Computational executability does not establish interpretive legitimacy.
SIMULOS® therefore establishes:
A simulation can produce an output under conditions where the assumptions
supporting that output no longer justify its interpretation.
No Computational Legitimacy Principle
The ability of a simulation to execute does not prove that its assumptionsremain applicable.
Execution capability and assumption applicability are separate governance
conditions.
No Scope Inflation Principle
An assumption established for a bounded context must not be silentlygeneralized beyond that context.
Conceptually:
Assumption Scope ≤ Governed Applicability
Basis
Broader application requires an additional governed basis.No Hidden Limitation Principle
A material assumption limitation must not be omitted merely because disclosureweakens the apparent usefulness, precision, coverage, or confidence of the
simulation.
Limitation Disclosure
Material limitations should remain visible to downstream simulationgovernance.
Disclosure may include: limitation description, applicability boundary,
limiting condition, affected assumption, affected dependencies, affected
scenarios, affected outputs, materiality, boundary status, and required
reassessment conditions.
Limitation Gap
A Simulation Assumption Limitation Gap exists where: applicability boundariesare unknown, material limiting conditions are unidentified, dependency effects
are unclear, downstream consequences cannot be determined, or the assumption
is being used outside its documented context without sufficient governance
basis.
The gap should remain visible.
Unknown Boundary Principle
SIMULOS® establishes:An unknown applicability boundary must not be represented as unlimited
applicability.
Where the boundary cannot be established, the correct governance state may be:
Applicability Boundary Undetermined
rather than:Universally Applicable.
Limitation Change
Assumption limitations may change when: the Simulation Object changes, theassumption changes, new evidence becomes available, uncertainty changes,
dependencies change, model structure changes, simulation environment changes,
scenarios change, operational conditions change, or new limiting conditions
are discovered.
Limitation Reassessment
Material changes should trigger reassessment of affected assumptionlimitations.
The reassessment asks:
Does the existing applicability boundary still represent the conditions under
which this assumption may legitimately operate?
Boundary Expansion
New evidence may support broader assumption applicability.Conceptually:
Previous Boundary → New Basis → Expanded
Boundary
Expansion should be governed rather than presumed.Boundary Restriction
New evidence may demonstrate that an assumption has narrower applicabilitythan previously believed.
Conceptually:
Previous Boundary → New Evidence →
Restricted Boundary
Affected simulation outputs produced under the previous broader boundary mayrequire reassessment.
Boundary Withdrawal
Where an assumption can no longer be supported within its previous context,its applicability boundary may be withdrawn.
The assumption may require: replacement, redesign, scenario restriction, or
removal.
Version Binding
Material assumption limitations should remain bound to the relevant:Simulation Object version, assumption version, model version, simulation
environment version, scenario version, and simulation configuration
where these distinctions affect applicability.
Historical Limitation Preservation
Later expansion or restriction of an assumption boundary should not erase thelimitation state that applied when earlier simulations were executed.
Historical preservation supports: reconstruction, comparison, audit, incident
analysis, and lifecycle governance.
Point-in-Time Limitation Reconstruction
SALM should support questions such as:Which assumption boundary applied when this simulation was executed?
Was the simulated scenario inside or outside that boundary?
Had a limitation already been identified?
Was the assumption under reassessment?
Which outputs depended upon the affected assumption?
Limitation Traceability
SALM preserves the chain:Simulation Assumption
↓Applicability Boundary
↓Limiting Condition
↓Dependency
↓
Affected Simulation Element
↓Scenario / Output
↓Interpretation Limitation
where applicable.Simulation Assumption Limitation Record
For each material limitation, SALM may establish: Limitation ID, SimulationAssumption ID, limitation description, limitation type, applicability
boundary, applicable conditions, non-applicable conditions, limiting
conditions, boundary threshold, boundary proximity, dependency references,
affected model elements, affected scenarios, affected outputs, materiality,
uncertainty reference, evidence-basis reference, limitation status,
reassessment trigger, version binding, change history, and traceability
references.
Simulation Assumption Limitation Map
Material limitations may be represented through a Simulation AssumptionLimitation Map:
Assumptions → Applicability Boundaries → Dependencies → Scenarios → Outputs →
Interpretation Boundaries
The map provides a structured view of where the simulation's assumption
architecture ceases to support broader representation.
Limitation Status
A material limitation may receive a governed status such as:Identified
Defined
Bounded
Conditional
Approaching Boundary
Boundary Reached
Boundary Exceeded
Under Reassessment
RestrictedWithdrawn
or:
Undetermined
according to the applicable governance context.Relationship to SAIM
SAIM establishes:Which Simulation Assumption exists?
SALM establishes:
Where does that assumption cease to remain applicable?
Relationship to SABM
SABM establishes:Why is the assumption being used?
SALM establishes:
How far does that basis legitimately support its use?
Relationship to SADM
SADM establishes:What depends upon the assumption?
SALM establishes:
Which dependencies become constrained when the assumption reaches its
limitation boundary?
Relationship to SAUM
SAUM establishes:What remains uncertain about the assumption?
SALM establishes:
Which applicability limitations follow from the assumption, including
limitations created by material uncertainty.
Relationship to VALIDOS®
SALM does not determine whether the Simulation Assumption, simulation, output,or downstream claim satisfies general validation requirements.
VALIDOS® governs validation.
SALM provides the simulation-specific assumption limitation structure that
validation may consume where relevant.
Relationship to ORA™
ORA™ governs actual Operational Reality.SALM does not govern the real operational environment.
It governs whether a Simulation Assumption remains applicable to the
represented conditions inside the simulation.
Relationship to INTEGROS®
INTEGROS® may govern integrity of limitation records, boundaries, states, andlifecycle continuity.
SALM governs the simulation-specific meaning and consequences of assumption
limitations.
Minimum Implementation Framework
1. Identify Material LimitationsDetermine which Simulation Assumptions contain limitations capable of
materially affecting the simulation. 2. Establish Applicability Boundaries
Define where, when, and under which conditions each material assumption may
legitimately operate. 3. Identify Limiting Conditions
Determine which changes or conditions narrow, terminate, or materially alter
assumption applicability. 4. Connect Limitations to Dependencies
Use the governed dependency structure to identify affected model elements,
scenarios, outputs, and conclusions. 5. Assess Limitation Materiality
Determine whether approaching, reaching, or exceeding the boundary can
materially alter simulation behavior or interpretation. 6. Establish Boundary
Status
Determine whether the assumption is inside, approaching, at, or beyond its
governed applicability boundary. 7. Propagate Material Limitations
Ensure material limitations remain connected to affected downstream simulation
elements and outputs. 8. Preserve Limitation Disclosure
Make material limitations visible wherever simulation interpretation
materially depends upon them. 9. Reassess After Material Change
Reevaluate limitations when assumptions, evidence, uncertainty, dependencies,
models, environments, or scenarios materially change. 10. Preserve Lifecycle
Traceability
Maintain historical and current assumption-limitation records across
simulation versions.
Governance Outputs
SALM may produce: Simulation Assumption Limitation Identifier, SimulationAssumption Limitation Record, Assumption Applicability Boundary, Applicability
Condition Record, Non-Applicability Record, Limiting Condition Record,
Environmental Limitation Record, Temporal Limitation Record, Spatial
Limitation Record, Population Limitation Record, Behavioral Limitation Record,
Operational Limitation Record, Parameter Limitation Record, Scenario
Limitation Record, Evidence-Derived Limitation Record, Uncertainty-Derived
Limitation Record, Dependency-Derived Limitation Record, Limitation
Materiality Assessment, Limitation Threshold Record, Boundary Proximity
Record, Limitation Breach Record, Limitation Propagation Record, Limitation
Interaction Record, Compound Limitation Record, Output Limitation Record,
Interpretation Limitation Record, Limitation Disclosure Record, Limitation Gap
Record, Limitation Reassessment Record, Limitation Change Record, Simulation
Assumption Limitation Map, Simulation Assumption Limitation Traceability
Chain, and Governed Simulation Assumption Limitation Set.
Use Case 1 — Autonomous Vehicle Simulation
ScenarioA pedestrian-behavior assumption is derived from observations of normal urban
traffic conditions.
The simulation is later extended to emergency evacuation scenarios.
Application
SALM identifies that the assumption basis does not establish applicability
under: panic behavior, mass pedestrian movement, emergency signaling, or
abnormal traffic behavior.
The original assumption therefore has a bounded applicability context. Result
The simulation may continue to use the assumption for normal urban scenarios.
Its use in emergency evacuation scenarios becomes:
Applicability Boundary Exceeded —
Reassessment Required
The simulation cannot silently generalize the original behavioral assumptioninto the new scenario class. Use Case 2 — Space Mission Simulation
Scenario
A spacecraft thermal model uses a component-performance assumption supported
within a defined radiation and temperature envelope.
A new mission profile exposes the spacecraft to conditions outside that
envelope. Application
SALM traces:
Component Assumption
↓Thermal Boundary
↓Power Subsystem
↓Mission Scenario
↓Mission Output
The original assumption remains technically usable by the simulation software,but its applicability boundary has been exceeded. Result
Affected mission outputs receive a governed limitation until the assumption is
reassessed, replaced, or supported for the expanded environment.
Architectural Position
Simulation Assumption Limitation is the fifth and final internal governancespace of the Simulation Assumption Standard (SAS).
The complete SAS progression is:
Simulation Assumption Identification → Simulation Assumption Basis →
Simulation Assumption Dependency → Simulation Assumption Uncertainty →
Simulation Assumption Limitation
Together, the five modules establish a complete assumption-governance chain:
What is assumed?
↓
Why is it assumed?
↓
What depends upon it?
↓
What remains uncertain?
↓
Where does its legitimate applicability end?
This progression ensures that Simulation Assumptions cannot function as
invisible, unsupported, isolated, falsely certain, or unlimited
representations of reality.
Foundational Principle
Every material Simulation Assumption has a boundary of legitimateapplicability; when that boundary is unknown, approached, crossed, or changed,
the limitation must remain visible wherever the simulation materially depends
upon that assumption.