One-sentence summary:
The Coherence Programme studies institutional decision systems: how institutions decide what matters, how meaning shifts as intent is translated through governance architectures, and how translation drift can be detected and corrected.

Programme overview:
The Coherence Programme develops a research agenda on how institutional decision systems maintain—or lose—coherence as strategic intent is translated across governance architectures.

Programme structure:
The papers are organized into four conceptual layers:

1. Foundations – defining the coherence problem and institutional decision architectures.

2. Theory – modelling translation drift, operating spines, and institutional coherence.

3. Measurement – methods for observing translation coherence and decision-system alignment.

4. Diagnostics & Applications – empirical diagnostics and governance implications for complex institutions.

The Coherence Programme at a Glance:

• Unit of analysis: institutional decision systems

• Core mechanism: Translation drift

• Architecture: The Operating Spine

• Observable construct: Translation coherence

• Primary empirical claim: Translation drift becomes observable before outcome failure

• Methodological approach: Artefact-based longitudinal traceability

• Design implication: Meaning Infrastructure as a governance object

Subjects

• Public administration
• Decision Making
• Governance