Direct Query
A question posed to the operator, used only when the expected value of the answer exceeds the cost of the operator's attention. An agent that asks too many questions isn't diligent - it's poorly calibrated.
Why It Exists
Some ambiguities can't be resolved through observation alone. Direct queries are the escape hatch, but they have a cost (operator attention) that has to be weighed against the expected improvement in decision quality.
Rosetta Stone
Four circles, four readings of the same object. Each role reads the artifact through its own lens.
The escape hatch, used only when expected value of the answer exceeds the cost of the operator's attention. An agent that asks too many questions is not diligent; it is poorly calibrated.
"Should I do X or Y?" - the rarely-needed interrupt. If the agent is asking a lot, it is not ready for autonomy yet.
A UI pattern with a cost attached. Queries are expensive; budget accordingly.
An active-learning query with a cost term in the acquisition function. Ask only when expected information gain exceeds the attention cost.
Related Terms
Structured Elicitation - A controlled experiment designed to learn the operator's preferences.
Revealed Preference - Inferring the operator's preferences by watching what they actually do - not what they say they want.