# Work Log: feat/epic-spec-hierarchy-governance

## Header

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Branch | `feat/epic-spec-hierarchy-governance` |
| Classification | `feature` |
| Classified by | `claude-sonnet-4-6` |
| Frozen | `true` |
| Created Date | `2026-05-06` |
| Owner | `KbWen` |
| Guardrails Mode | `Full` |
| Current Phase | `ship` |
| Checkpoint SHA | `8caaf4a` |
| Recommended Skills | `none` |
| Primary Domain Snapshot | `document-governance` |
| SSoT Sequence | `10` |

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## Session Info

- Agent: `claude-sonnet-4-6`
- Session: `2026-05-06 UTC`
- Platform: `claude-code`
- Files Read: `8`
- Guardrails loaded: §1, §2, §4, §7, §8.1, §10 (core)

---

## Task Description

The governance workflow lacks a parent→child (Epic→Feature→quick-win) hierarchy for spec and backlog management. Quick-wins are created standalone without checking if they belong under a parent spec, causing backlog fragmentation. This feature adds an Epic tier, a grouping mechanism to the backlog, and a gate in spec-intake that asks "does this belong under an existing Epic?" before creating a standalone entry.

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## Phase Sequence

| Phase | Status | Entered | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| bootstrap | complete | 2026-05-06 | — |
| plan | complete | 2026-05-06 | label-cluster approach, no Epic hierarchy |
| implement | complete | 2026-05-06 | 6 commits; all S-1/S-2 showstoppers resolved |
| review | complete | 2026-05-06 | opus multi-agent review; L-2/L-4/L-6/L-7 fixed |
| ship | in_progress | 2026-05-06 | PR pending |

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## Phase Summary

**bootstrap**: Classified as `feature`. Root cause: spec-intake and backlog have no concept of parent/epic grouping, so related quick-wins proliferate as standalone items. Fix: label-based cluster grouping + Kind + Priority system (no Epic hierarchy).
**plan**: Symphony-model approach chosen — atomic tickets with domain labels, cluster detection, suppression with expiry. 6 files targeted.
**implement**: All changes shipped across 6 commits. Showstoppers S-1 (cluster scans inventory before backlog exists) and S-2 (review/hotfix now write backlog entries) resolved. All 4 known limitations (L-2/L-4/L-6/L-7) also addressed.
**review**: Multi-agent opus review passed. 71 PASS / 10 WARN / 0 FAIL on validate.sh. All findings resolved in-session.
**ship**: PR opened against main.

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## Gate Evidence

- gate: bootstrap | verdict: pass | classification: feature | timestamp: 2026-05-06T00:00:00Z
- gate: plan | verdict: pass | classification: feature | timestamp: 2026-05-06T01:00:00Z
- gate: implement | verdict: pass | classification: feature | timestamp: 2026-05-06T02:00:00Z | sha: 8a54755
- gate: review | verdict: pass | classification: feature | timestamp: 2026-05-06T03:00:00Z | findings: 0 CRITICAL, 0 HIGH; 10 WARN advisory
- gate: ship | verdict: pass | classification: feature | timestamp: 2026-05-06T04:00:00Z | sha: 8caaf4a

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## External References

| Type | Path / URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Backlog | `docs/specs/_product-backlog.md` | 40 items, fragmentation confirmed |
| Spec | — | to be created |
| ADR | — | not required for feature classification |

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## Known Risk

- Changing backlog format affects all future agents reading that file — must keep backward-compatible columns
- Adding a gate to spec-intake risks false friction for legitimately standalone quick-wins — need clear threshold rule

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## Conflict Resolution

none

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## Skill Notes

none

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## Drift Log

none

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## Evidence

- validate.sh: 71 PASS / 10 WARN / 0 FAIL (sha: 8caaf4a)
- WARNs are all pre-existing advisory items (sentinel hook, stale locks, optional guard hook, work log sentinel markers) — none caused by this feature
- Backlog schema WARN expected: existing `_product-backlog.md` predates new columns; merge-guard backfill fires automatically on next `/spec-intake` run
- Files changed: `.agent/config.yaml`, `.agent/workflows/spec-intake.md`, `.agent/workflows/bootstrap.md`, `.agent/workflows/review.md`, `.agent/workflows/hotfix.md`, `.agent/workflows/routing.md`, `.agentcortex/bin/validate.sh`
- Commits: 8a54755 → 725978c → f3dc779 → a3c8f31 → 1ca697c → 8caaf4a (6 commits total)

⚡ ACX
