---
title: Check multimodal inputs before comparing model outputs
slug: multimodal-input-checks
date: '2026-10-27'
description: A preflight protocol for image, audio, video, and text evaluation inputs.
author_type: Organization
author_url: /editorial-method/
category: library
---
Before attributing an output difference to the model, check what the model actually received. Input preparation can change the task, especially when multiple modalities are involved.

## Preserve the original and the submitted input

Save the original asset, the transformation settings, and a checksum of the final submitted file. Keep the prompt and the ordering of attachments alongside the record. For a hosted service, note any documented server-side transformations you cannot control.

## Inspect each modality

| Modality | Preflight questions |
| --- | --- |
| Images | Were crop, orientation, resolution, and color handling preserved? |
| Audio | Were sample rate, channel mixing, trimming, and normalization recorded? |
| Video | Which frames and time intervals were retained? Was audio included? |
| Text | Did truncation, formatting, or encoding change the task? |

Treat unsupported combinations as unsupported until documented or tested. Do not infer video reasoning from isolated image support, or temporal consistency from a single output.

## Use controls

Include an input with an unambiguous expected observation and an input that should expose a known boundary. Inspect submitted files before running the full set. When a preprocessing change alters results, report it as a separate condition.

For emerging world-model workflows, also define the state, action, time horizon, and observation used by the task. The protocol must match the actual interface; the term world model alone does not specify one.

Continue with [the evaluation run record](/reproducible-model-evaluation/) to preserve the full procedure. This is a proposed protocol, not a completed experiment.