Glossary
Rationale Snippet
Updated February 28, 2026
Rationale snippets are short explanations that summarize why a recommendation is being shown now.
Why it matters
They are useful only when you can read what changed and what evidence was used.
What a good rationale looks like
A useful snippet includes:
- action direction
- support strength (possible / likely)
- explicit confidence context
- key safety or timing caveat
Example:
`Possible benefit for next-week focus from stable caffeine timing, with moderate confidence due to low adverse history and high adherence`
Possible vs likely
`Possible` means direction support exists but signal strength is incomplete.
`Likely` means stronger consistency, acceptable adherence, and stronger evidence context.
Why snippets are limited
One-line summaries simplify uncertainty and can hide:
- low data density windows
- delayed adverse effects
- unresolved interaction assumptions
Practical action step
If a snippet conflicts with your symptom trend, pause and open the related rationale chain before changing dose.
Uncertainty and limits
- Evidence is limited on whether snippet brevity preserves all clinically relevant caveats.
- Evidence is limited on user interpretation under low confidence states.
Cross-site references
How this appears in Unfair
Unfair uses snippets to communicate ranking rationale and confidence changes without replacing detailed logs or clinician review.
Clinical safety note
Do not treat a high-sounding phrase as medical certainty; persistent symptoms should override snippet-based interpretation.