(noun) The observable alignment of a system or actor with its stated promises, constraints, and responsibilities.

The team’s comportment during The Incident demonstrated candid communication and accountability.

Examples #

• API/system under backpressure: idempotent retries, jitter, deterministic error codes
• AI assistant: refuses unsafe requests, discloses uncertainty, avoids fabrications
• Data platform: keeps data lineage visible, enforces access controls, produces reproducible results
• Security/privacy: privacy-by-design, minimal data collection, explicit consent controls
• Professional conduct: honest timelines, transparent roadmaps, strict confidentiality