Pressure
The reconstruction is challenged from as many directions as the problem requires: disciplines, instruments, archives, experiments, people. The problem determines the method. Never the other way around.
Procedure
Pressure is applied to the reconstruction, not to the people who produced it. The object under challenge is the assumption set.
No instrument is preferred and none is excluded. Engineering, law, finance, statistics, history, behavioural science, standards, patents, inspection, interview and machine reasoning are all admissible where they answer the question.
Every challenge is recorded, including those set aside, with the reason. Criticism strengthens conclusions.
Inputs and outputs
A stage is complete when its outputs exist in the record and can be read by someone who was not present.