RAG architectures: connecting documents to reviewable answers
RAG combines information retrieval with response generation. Its usefulness depends on finding relevant documents, respecting permissions and checking whether the answer is supported. The original reference describes a method, not an accuracy guarantee.
Ian · 2026-05-10
Practical guide
RAG architectures: connecting documents to reviewable answers
RAG combines information retrieval with response generation. Its usefulness depends on finding relevant documents, respecting permissions and checking whether the answer is supported. The original reference describes a method, not an accuracy guarantee.
Planning a first application
- Inventory sources, owners, versions and permissions.
- Test retrieval with real questions and difficult documents.
- Evaluate retrieval, answers, citations and human escalation separately.
What to check before deciding
Compare hybrid search or a reranker with a simple baseline using the same questions. Review incorrect citations, outdated documents and cross-user access. When evidence is insufficient, the assistant should communicate that limitation.
Primary reference: Lewis et al. · Retrieval-Augmented Generation
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