Agent evals should test metric definition drift, argues dev in new post
jylusdev · reddit · 2026-10-23
A Reddit developer highlights a blind spot in agent evals: when a dashboard changes its metric definition (e.g., resolution time shifts from business hours to elapsed hours) but the field name stays the same, an agent comparing before/after data can confidently explain a 'regression' that's actually just a reporting change.
He argues retrieved measurements should carry the calculation definition and version, relevant calendar/timezone, and when that definition applied — a citation proves provenance but not comparability. With raw timestamps, the agent should request a consistent recalculation; otherwise it should flag the break rather than invent an operational cause.
He proposes a simple eval: hold ticket timestamps fixed and change only the definition, then hold the definition fixed and make tickets slower — does the agent distinguish the two cases?
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