I Instrument.
Instrument is the fifth BEARINGS letter — the last one before Gate A. It scores the options from Routes against weighted criteria so the recommendation rests on evidence, not argument volume.
Purpose
When the options in Routes are truly close, committees tend to choose whichever one the loudest voice prefers. Instrument breaks that pattern: criteria are weighted up front (so the scoring isn't retrofitted to the desired answer), options are scored against each criterion, and the total is mechanical. The recommendation becomes a defensible output of the scoring, not a preference in disguise.
Programs can skip the matrix for obvious decisions — WS06 supports both use_matrix=0 (rationale-only) and use_matrix=1 (full scoring).
Worksheets
Where it fits
Instrument sits at the end of the pre-Gate-A cluster (E, A, R, I). The outputs of all four flow into the BRD (Part A) that Gate A approves. Once Gate A is passed, Assess continues with Navigation, Governance, and Signals (N, G, S).