---
id: assets.comparison-directions
title: Comparison Directions
summary: Create reusable guidance for meaningful candidate-output differences in comparative expert work.
kind: reference
product_area: assets
status: stable
updated: 2026-09-07
canonical: /docs/assets/comparison-directions
---

# Comparison Directions

## Definition

A Comparison Direction is a reusable project Asset that describes how candidate outputs should differ during comparative expert work. It can focus attention on a meaningful contrast such as evidence grounding, uncertainty handling, or response strategy without declaring which candidate is correct.

Comparison Directions are project-scoped. A Contribution can select or allow a pool of directions for its comparative component, while the benchmark Contribution still owns the objective, cases, candidates, and expert task.

## Fields, states, or lifecycle rules

- A direction has a name or label and a description of the intended contrast.
- Users can create, edit, pin, archive, and remove directions from **Assets → Comparison Directions**.
- Pinned directions are surfaced when a Contribution request selects comparative output guidance.
- The suggestion experience creates draft candidates in a suggestion run. Nothing enters the reusable library until a user accepts it.
- A direction can carry a staleness advisory when its source context has changed. Dismissing that advisory records a review decision; it does not approve a Policy, Rubric, Case, or Benchmark.
- A direction guides comparative presentation or generation. It does not create a Case, change coverage structure, or replace expert judgment.

## Correct scope

Use Dimensions, Project Topics, and Case Construction Patterns for the behavior space a benchmark should represent. Use Comparison Directions for how candidate outputs should be contrasted within a comparative Contribution. Use Correctness Governance for the approved standard that determines how an output is judged.

{% example-demo title="Example: source-grounding contrast" %}
A project creates one Comparison Direction asking for a response that cites the current source conservatively and another asking for a focused clarification when the source hierarchy is unresolved. A comparative Contribution can use those directions to elicit an expert preference. The direction does not approve either response or create the governing rubric.
{% /example-demo %}

## Source confidence

Code-backed: the active Assets routes expose the Comparison Directions library, detail controls, suggestion runs, accept or dismiss decisions, pinning, and staleness review. The API keeps legacy compatibility names internally, but this page uses the current product label.

## Related task pages

{% related-card-grid title="Related task pages" %}
- [Assets](/docs/assets)
- [Request an Expert Contribution](/docs/expert-contributions/request-contribution)
- [Manage benchmark coverage](/docs/coverage-management)
{% /related-card-grid %}