Editorial Guidelines

Last Update November 8, 2025

Table Of Contents
  1. Our Mission
  2. What We Publish
  3. Audience and Voice
  4. Editorial Independence
  5. Accuracy and Sourcing
  6. Testing and Review Methodology
  7. Use of AI in Our Editorial Process
  8. Corrections and Updates
  9. Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest
  10. Editorial FAQ

Our Mission

Cold Iron Labs exists to help leaders engineer and realize the intelligent organization. We publish practical insights on AI, automation, cybersecurity, data, and technology leadership so readers can make high-quality decisions that improve outcomes.

What We Publish

Practitioner guides: step-by-step how-tos, playbooks, and templates.
Tool and vendor reviews: decision criteria, trade-offs, and real-world fit.
Executive analysis: strategy briefs for boards, CEOs, and operators
Case lessons: anonymized client patterns and field notes where appropriate.

Audience and Voice

We write for owners, boards, PE operators, and technology leaders. The tone is clear, direct, and useful. We avoid hype, jargon, and speculation that does not help a decision.

Editorial Independence

Cold Iron Labs is funded primarily by consulting revenue. We receive commissions from a small number of vendor partners. Partnerships do not influence our opinions or coverage. When a potential conflict exists, we disclose it at the top of the page and link to our FTC Disclosure.

Accuracy and Sourcing

We favor primary sources: documentation, standards, filings, peer-reviewed research, and direct product testing.
Statistics include the source, collection method if known, and date.
We time-stamp content and note version numbers for evolving topics.
Quotes are exact and attributed. Paraphrases are clearly indicated.

Testing and Review Methodology

Methodology specific to tools and vendors.

Business impact: measurable outcomes, value creation levers, ROI.
Security and compliance: risk posture, controls, certifications.
Integration and interoperability: APIs, data portability, ecosystem fit.
Architecture and scalability: reliability, performance, resilience.
Governance and control: auditability, permissions, workflow.
Usability and adoption: onboarding, documentation, learning curve.
Total cost: licensing, services, training, switching costs.
Vendor viability: roadmap, support quality, responsiveness.
We disclose when testing is hands-on, demo-based, or research-based.

Use of AI in Our Editorial Process

We sometimes use AI tools for tasks like research synthesis, outline generation, or grammar checks. A human editor is accountable for every published word. We do not allow AI tools to fabricate facts. Sources are verified by a human before publication.

Corrections and Updates

Corrections: If we get something wrong, we fix it promptly and add a visible note describing the change.

Updates: When facts change, we update articles and note the revision date.

Reader Reports: Email corrections to trust@coldironlabs.com – We aim to respond within two business days.

Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest

We disclose any commission or referral relationship at the top of relevant pages. Authors must disclose client relationships, equity, or advisory roles related to a topic. We do not accept payment for positive coverage.

Editorial FAQ