Why Systems Fail Before They Fail: The Double Translation Trap in the Boeing 737 MAX

When the metric used to implement intent becomes the standard for judging it. How can a system follow procedures and still move away from its core purpose? This paper shows how the Boeing 737 MAX certification translated flight safety into a training-based proxy that came to govern both decisions and evaluation. As this proxy became authoritative, contradictory evidence stopped entering the decision process. The paper introduces the Double Translation Trap: when a proxy used to implement intent becomes the standard for judging alignment, closing the system to its own evidence. Using traceable governance artefacts, the analysis shows how misalignment becomes structurally invisible before failure occurs. About the Coherence ProgrammeThe Coherence Programme studies why institutions drift despite appearing aligned. It shows that decisions are made not on intent itself, but on how intent is translated into criteria, metrics, and allocation rules. Using the Operating Spine, the programme traces how purpose becomes action across governance layers, making drift and coherence directly observable within decision systems. The research applies to public institutions, capital allocation, and AI-mediated environments, where the durability of decision rules determines long-term institutional reliability.Programme citation: Mertens, R. E. U. (2026). The Coherence Programme: A Conceptual Overview and Entry Point to the Research Programme.Resources: Coherence Programme OSF repository and https://thecoherenceprogramme.org Version 1.00: First public release.Version 1.03: Minor conceptual clarifications, consistency improvements, reviewer-informed refinements, and editorial updates across the programme.