---
title: Quality Ratchet
slug: quality-ratchet
url: https://templeton.host/lexicon/quality-ratchet/
type: defined-term
inDefinedTermSet: https://templeton.host/lexicon
author: Andrew Templeton
---

# Quality Ratchet

## Definition

A CI-enforced floor that only moves up. Once a quality metric hits a threshold, the system blocks any change that drops below it. Each improvement becomes the new minimum. The sequence of baselines is monotonically non-decreasing. Formally: a monotonic ratchet.

## Why this term exists

Ship a 15% improvement on Tuesday. Regress to baseline by Friday. The ratchet makes this structurally impossible - the floor is enforced by CI, not by good intentions.

## See also

- [Quality Hillclimb](https://templeton.host/frameworks/quality-hillclimb)
- [Designed Convergence](https://templeton.host/frameworks/designed-convergence)
- [Gold Standard](https://templeton.host/lexicon/gold-standard)
- [Oracle Gradient](https://templeton.host/lexicon/oracle-gradient)

Canonical URL: https://templeton.host/lexicon/quality-ratchet/