# OE-0005: Survey

**Status:** Draft
**Version:** 0.2.0-draft
**Depends on:** OE-0004 (Observation)
**Phase:** The Bedrock Phase

## Overview

A survey is a structured assessment of the current state of engineering understanding on a specific topic.

## Definition

A survey captures what is known, what is unknown, and what is contested within a specific engineering domain. A survey aggregates observations (OE-0004), identifies patterns, and flags gaps. It produces an organized view of the current state of understanding that serves as input to the formation of understanding (OE-0006).

## Structure

A survey document must contain:

1. **Scope** — The specific topic or domain being assessed
2. **Observations Collected** — The direct and corroborated observations relevant to the topic
3. **Patterns Identified** — Recurring relationships or principles observed across the collected observations
4. **Gaps Flagged** — Areas where observations are missing, insufficient, or contested
5. **Relationship to Prior Surveys** — How this survey builds on or differs from prior assessments

## Relationship to Observation

Surveys depend on observations (OE-0004) as their primary input. A survey without observations is speculation. A survey built on verified observations is engineering context.

## Relationship to Understanding

A survey is not understanding itself. It is the organized input from which understanding is formed. Understanding (OE-0006) is the contextualized model that a practitioner constructs by engaging with a survey's findings.

## Single Responsibility

This document defines the structure and role of surveys. It does not define understanding (see OE-0006). It references it.

## Applicable Laws

This document is governed by all Engineering Laws defined in `laws/engineering-laws.md`.