whetstone_DSL/docs/PROJECT_PORTFOLIO_WORKFLOW_2026-02-26.md

Project Portfolio Workflow (2026-02-26)

Purpose

Organize long-horizon projects into one execution system so Whetstone can either:

• finish existing MVPs from other machines/repos, or
• rebuild from scratch with deterministic quality gates.

Current Inputs Found

• Whetstone core planning and sprint execution docs under CLionProjects/whetstone_DSL/docs/
• A project archive bundle under drive_projects/drive-download-20260217T155135Z-1-001/ (mixed docs, requirements, roadmaps, MVP concepts)
• No literal project_docs/ directory found under /home/bill/Documents

Portfolio Lanes

1. MVP_IMPORT

• Existing codebase exists elsewhere (GitHub/private machine).
• Goal: ingest, normalize, and harden to production thresholds.

2. GREENFIELD

• No code to import or import is lower value than rebuild.
• Goal: generate from architecture + constraints and iterate with strict validation.

Canonical Project Record (one row per project)

Use one table (or JSONL) with these required fields:

• project_id
• name
• lane (MVP_IMPORT or GREENFIELD)
• source_of_truth (repo URL / machine path / doc path)
• problem_statement
• target_users
• critical_constraints (latency, memory, security, platform)
• status (intake, specifying, building, hardening, release_ready, paused)
• next_gate
• owner (human/agent)
• last_validated_at

Intake Gate (must pass before any build work)

1. Confirm the project has one primary source of truth.
2. Convert intent into a compact execution spec:

• target runtime/platform
• must-have features
• no-go constraints
• acceptance tests

3. Choose lane (MVP_IMPORT vs GREENFIELD) explicitly.
4. Create first 3-7 taskitems with deterministic completion checks.

Lane Workflows

A) MVP_IMPORT Workflow

1. Snapshot

• Pull/clone code and freeze baseline hash.
• Capture run/build/test state as-is.

2. Normalize

• Align repo layout, dependency pinning, and CI test entrypoints.
• Add missing schema/contract tests for core behavior.

3. Gap Audit

• Compare MVP behavior vs current intent docs.
• Tag each gap: bug, missing feature, quality, security, scalability.

4. Hardening

• Run strict taskitem pipeline on highest-risk gaps first.
• Require failing test first for each fix.

5. Promotion

• Promote only after acceptance suite and non-functional checks pass.

B) GREENFIELD Workflow

1. Architecture Freeze v0

• Generate project skeleton + module contracts + acceptance tests.

2. Execution Slices

• Build in thin vertical slices with runnable tests every slice.

3. Constraint Enforcement

• Ensure projection/environment constraints are first-class in taskitems.

4. Hardening

• Reliability, determinism, performance, and security passes.

5. Promotion

• Same production gates as import lane.

Readiness Score (0-5 each, promote at >= 20/25)

• Spec Clarity
• Deterministic Test Coverage
• Operational Readiness (build/release/runbook)
• Security Posture
• Performance Budget Confidence

Weekly Cadence

1. Intake/triage (new or updated projects)
2. Lane assignment and top-3 portfolio priorities
3. Whetstone execution runs (taskitem batches)
4. Human review on blockers and lock-level decisions
5. Closeout: score update + next gate assignment

Suggested Immediate Backlog

1. Create project_registry.jsonl in Whetstone docs/data.
2. Import project list from your planning docs (especially the drive archive and any external repos).
3. For each project, set lane and next gate.
4. Start with 3 projects only:

• one MVP_IMPORT with highest near-term value
• one GREENFIELD infrastructure library
• one GREENFIELD demonstrator product

5. Run strict taskitem generation for those 3 and calibrate thresholds before scaling portfolio width.

Notes From Existing Whetstone State

• You already have mature sprint/taskitem infrastructure and closeout artifacts.
• Active gap logs indicate the main risk now is execution quality drift, not idea scarcity.
• Portfolio organization should therefore optimize for:
  • deterministic closeout quality
  • clear source-of-truth linkage
  • controlled concurrent project count