Choose the environment first

Different environments need different controls and tests.

A compiler can prevent coding failures in a stable scientific grammar; it may be needless overhead for a one-off chart. Compare environments here before interpreting the systems that follow.

EnvironmentInvest inHuman keepsExamples

Scientific / 3D

Invest in domain DSL, compiler, coordinate and link types, reproducible transforms

Human keeps scientific interpretation and misleading-but-legal review

Raiven

Governed enterprise BI

Invest in semantic models, verified queries, permissions, source metadata, native editing

Human keeps metric ownership, source validation, and consequential interpretation

Looker · Power BI · Tableau

Exploratory analysis

Invest in visible transformed data, direct encodings, short NL transforms, branches, reversion

Human keeps question choice, correction, and stopping judgment

Data Formulator

Editorial explanation

Invest in chart contract, evidence custody, denominators, final-context inspection, accessibility

Human keeps claim, audience, integrity, acceptance, and publication

High-context case

Coding-agent dashboard

Invest in versioned retrieval, specs, running app, action coverage, console/network receipts

Human keeps acceptance against the task and uncovered interaction risk

Vizro + DashArena

One-off chat / Markdown

Invest in thin renderer adapter and reversible output when data and intent are simple

Human keeps awareness of what was rendered and what was never validated

Vega skill