For critical tools with no export or backup
For critical tools with no export function or backup strategy, either establish automated exports and identify viable alternatives, or consciously accept the single-point-of-failure risk in writing.
When This Fires
- During tool stack audits when identifying tools with no export capability
- When Offline capability audit's offline audit or Verify data portability before committing's export verification reveals a critical tool with no portability
- When a tool you depend on shows signs of instability (layoffs, pivots, acquisition rumors)
- Complements Choose open portable formats (Markdown, CSV, JSON) over… (open format preference) and Verify data portability before committing (export verification) with the risk-management framework for non-portable tools
Common Failure Mode
Unconscious lock-in: using a critical tool with proprietary data storage for years without acknowledging the risk. When the tool fails or becomes unacceptable, you discover you have no exit path. The data — years of notes, projects, or records — is effectively lost. The risk was real the entire time; you just never confronted it.
The Protocol
(1) For each critical tool, answer: "Can I export all my data in an open format?" and "Do I have a backup of this data?" (2) If both answers are "yes" → no action needed. The risk is mitigated. (3) If either answer is "no" → choose one path: Mitigate: establish automated exports (even if imperfect — a partial export is better than none), identify an alternative tool you could switch to, and create a migration plan outline. Accept: write a risk acceptance statement: "I accept the risk of using [tool] without export/backup because [reason]. The data at risk is [description]. If the tool fails, I will [contingency plan or 'accept the loss']." (4) The acceptance statement must be written, dated, and reviewed annually. Verbal acceptance doesn't prevent denial. (5) Revisit the mitigation/acceptance decision annually: has the tool added export capability? Has your data grown to the point where the accepted risk is now unacceptable? Has an alternative become available?