The states that distinguish availability from influence.
This taxonomy gives SI a controlled way to describe what appeared, what entered evaluation and what changed confidence or intended action. It is deliberately stricter than ordinary engagement language.
24. Exposure States
Customer-environment taxonomy · SI-DEF-024They describe the quality and condition of the opportunity to influence.
Exposure States classify whether relevant decision evidence is present, absent, occupied, inaccurate or competitively strong within a search-led environment.
Where it fits: Subordinate classifications of Search Exposure that precede Encounter analysis.
Present, missed, displaced, distorted, weak and strong Search Exposure.
Do not prove that a customer noticed or was influenced by the evidence.
Classified from observed result, AI, review, publisher, marketplace and source-of-truth evidence.
Helps assign ownership for presence, absence, representation and competitive occupation.
25. Encounter States
Customer-attention taxonomy · SI-DEF-025They describe whether the evidence was considered and with what apparent depth.
Encounter States classify the degree to which exposure is known or reasonably believed to have entered customer attention and evaluation.
Where it fits: Sits between Exposure States and Search Moment outcomes.
Observed, inferred, neutral, meaningful and failed Search Encounters.
Do not by themselves prove a Search Moment or customer decision effect.
Classified from direct interaction evidence, behavioural patterns, customer research and reasoned inference.
Helps distinguish distribution problems from content, UX, proof and interpretation problems.
26. Search Moment Outcome Types
Decision-effect taxonomy · SI-DEF-026They describe how the encounter changed confidence, preference or action.
Search Moment Outcome Types classify the direction and commercial meaning of the decision-state change produced by a Search Encounter.
Where it fits: Subordinate classifications of Search Moment that feed the Customer Decision State.
Strengthening, weakening, reinforcing, transfer, action-triggering, delay, abandonment, redirection and validation outcomes.
Must not be assigned where only exposure or neutral encounter evidence exists.
Each classification shows evidence status, confidence and any competing explanations; one primary outcome and optional secondary effects.
Makes decision influence actionable by showing what should be protected, corrected, monitored or escalated.
Use the public Diagnostic for orientation, an executive conversation for scoping or a paid…
Understand the difference between evidence that appears, evidence a customer evaluates and…
Search the complete approved SI definitions for architecture, customer decisions, evidence,…