The WAY theorem establishes an important constraint that conservation laws
impose on quantum mechanical measurements. We formulate the WAY theorem in the
broader context of resource theories, where one is constrained to a subset of
quantum mechanical operations described by a symmetry group. Establishing
connections with the theory of quantum state discrimination we obtain optimal
unitaries describing the measurement of arbitrary observables, explain how
prior information can permit perfect measurements that circumvent the WAY
constraint, and provide a framework that establishes a natural ordering on
measurement apparatuses through a decomposition into asymmetry and charge
subsystems.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
