Why 'Verified' in a Schema-Change Report Does Not Mean Safe to Release

Data investigation reports often conflate observed changes with release decisions, creating a dangerous gap in schema-change workflows. A report confirming that one field was added between two Delta table versions does not verify the field's name, type, or compliance with release rules. Experts recommend that reports explicitly separate state identity, evidence coverage, and release intent into distinct, labeled checks. Incomplete findings should be recorded as such rather than omitted, so reviewers know exactly what was and was not examined. Whether reviewed by a human or an AI agent, a report must answer which states were compared, what was actually read, and what evidence remains missing before any release decision is made.