![[Knowledge problems#^maintainability]] ## Resolution > The property of a knowledge artefact staying current without disproportionate effort relative to its value. ^definition Knowledge decays - tools change, conventions evolve, facts get superseded. Maintainability determines whether an artefact survives the decay or rots in place. It depends on the cost per update (which should scale with what changed, not with the size of the store), the availability of someone willing to make the update, and whether the artefact's structure makes drift visible. The Reusable property in the [[FAIR principles]] extends maintainability. ## In practice > A library version is bumped. The architecture overview that referenced the old version updates because the version was a property reference, not a hardcoded string. One commit changes the underlying field; every artefact that referenced it picks up the new value automatically.