work-item-sequencing

# Work Item Sequencing Numbering convention for **order + parallelism** among work items in one epic. Number = prefix in `Subject__c`, space-delimited. Per-epic scope; cross-epic deps go in WI body prose, not numbers. Companion to [gus-cli](../gus-cli/SKILL.md) (CLI mechanics: query, create, update, statuses, IDs). ## Convention Prefix `Subject__c` with a dotted number + single space: ``` 1 Set up the runtime service 2 Migrate the parser to the runtime 1.1 Add config schema 1.2 Add config loader ``` - **Sequential** (`1`, `2`, `3`): in order. `2` waits on `1`; `3` waits on `2`. - **Parallel** (`1.1`, `1.2`): same-parent siblings, no waiting on each other. - **Group gating**: next number at a level waits for **all** work under prior numbers. `2` waits on `1` + every `1.x`/`1.x.y`. - **Arbitrary depth** (`1.1.1`, …): same recursive rule. ### The rule > WI ready when every WI sorting before it (at shallower-or-equal ancestor level) is done. Siblings parallel; sibling-group gates next number at parent level. `1.2` ready once `1.1` + descendants done. `2` ready once everything under `1` done. ### Done Done = `Status__c` is **`Closed`** or **`Completed`**. **`Fixed` is not done** — usually means PR not merged yet. Non-terminal statuses (Fixed, Ready for Review, QA In Progress) never satisfy a prerequisite. See [gus-cli ## Status\_\_c values](../gus-cli/SKILL.md#status__c-values). ## When to number Optional. - **Use**: epic-level planning, or when user states a dependency. - **Skip**: standalone work; don't renumber an epic of accumulated independent items. **Unnumbered = no deps, nothing depends on it.** Always ready; never gates, never gated. Don't infer order from date/position — no number means independent. ## ADRs sequence first Epic needing a **new or updated ADR** (per [ADR-FORMAT "When to offer"](../grill-me/ADR-FORMAT.md#when-to-offer): hard-to-reverse + surprising + real trade-off) → the ADR-writing WI(s) get the **lowest number**: `1` (single ADR) or `1.1`/`1.2` (parallel siblings). Dependent WIs start at `2`. Rationale: dependents encode a decision; the ADR must exist first so downstream work builds on a recorded decision, not an unstated one. **Before creating the rest of the epic**, confirm the required ADRs with the user — which decisions need recording, repo-wide (`docs/adr/`) vs package-local (`packages/*/docs/adr/`). Then sequence the ADR WI(s) as `1`/`1.x` and everything else `2`+. No ADR needed → number normally. ## Assigning (planning) 1. Lay out work items. 2. Must-precede → sequential top-level (`1`, `2`). 3. Parallel under a step → same parent, distinct suffix (`1.1`, `1.2`). 4. Independent → leave unnumbered. 5. Prefix `Subject__c` with number + space. Create via [gus-cli](../gus-cli/SKILL.md#work-items-adm_work__c). Dense from 1 per group preferred; gaps harmless (sort is by value). ## Reading ("what's ready/unblocked in this epic?") 1. Query epic WIs incl `Status__c`. Query **without** open-only filter — done prerequisites are Closed, which open-only excludes (see [gus-cli "What's unfinished in this epic"](../gus-cli/SKILL.md#compound-workflows)). 2. Parse leading dotted number from each `Subject__c`. None → unnumbered. 3. Readiness: unnumbered → ready; numbered → ready iff all prior-sorting ancestors done. 4. Report 3 groups: **Ready now** (unblocked numbered + all unnumbered), **Blocked** (name blocking number), **Done** (optional). Sort by integer segments (`1.2` before `1.10`, not lexical). Unnumbered sort last. ## Edge cases - **Malformed** (`1.`, `1..2`, `1.x`): treat unnumbered + **flag** — likely typo'd dependency. - **Duplicate** (two `1.2`): allowed = parallel siblings. Don't flag. - **Orphan child** (`1.1`, no `1`): rule still holds; don't require parent to exist. - **Non-sequence number** (`W-12345 backport`, version `2.40 release`): only leading `N`/`N.N…` + space counts. Ambiguous → ask.