cto/.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-ARCHITECTURE-BRIEF-CLOSEOUT-PRD.md

name	tier	status	owner	source	created	last_reviewed	lifecycle_classification	core_promotion_status	description
cto-architecture-brief-closeout-prd	local	validated	jp	WORKBOARD.yaml CTO-WORK-001	2026-06-01	2026-06-01	planning	not-promoted	Child-local PRD for closing the original CTO Case backend architecture brief after later proof artifacts validate its planning thesis.

CTO Architecture Brief Closeout PRD

Local planning SOT only. Not a Core Protocol. Not active Core authority.

Problem Statement

CTO-WORK-001 remains candidate even though later validated CTO work now proves the architecture thesis as a child-local planning surface: Cortex governs, Hermes controls, CTO routes, Harness proves, Case executes after proof, and Target Repositories stay owned.

Leaving the first brief as candidate makes the WORKBOARD look less true than the actual proof ladder.

Solution

Close CTO-WORK-001 as validated by referencing later evidence instead of changing authority.

The closeout must say the brief is validated only as child-local architecture planning. It must not claim Core promotion, Case runtime default activation, or real production delegation readiness.

Scope

• Mark the original architecture brief as validated.
• Record the exact evidence chain that validates the brief thesis.
• Keep Case as candidate-default eligible only, with runtime default activation false.
• Keep the CTO workspace child-local.
• Keep Hermes as control and replay surface, not authority.

Non-Goals

• Do not implement a new backend.
• Do not activate Case as runtime default.
• Do not mutate Hermes Runtime, Cortex Core, Case source, vendor source, external developer repositories, or Target Repositories.
• Do not create a new Core Protocol.
• Do not reopen provider/model policy.

Acceptance Criteria

• CTO-WORK-001 status is validated.
• Closeout evidence references Stage 1 through Stage 6 validation.
• Closeout evidence references CTO-WORK-043 Stage 6 candidate-default comparison.
• Closeout evidence references CTO-WORK-045 Hermes Control Surface validation.
• Closeout says Case remains candidate only and runtime default activation remains false.
• Local CTO validator checks the closeout PRD and issue artifact.

Validation

Run:

python3 tools/validate_cto_child.py

Risks

• Overclaiming: mitigated by saying this is planning validation only.
• Authority drift: mitigated by keeping Core promotion status not-promoted.
• Default drift: mitigated by saying runtime default activation remains false.

Success Definition

The CTO WORKBOARD has no stale candidate architecture item, and the original brief points to the validated proof ladder without granting new authority.