TT Claude Memory

feedback_claude_only_backlog_clearance_saturation

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descriptionAfter the 2026-05-19→20 burst Claude-EXECUTABLE backlog saturates while non-Claude residual (Paul-bound + Rich-decision + trigger-gated) remains structurally; signal Phase-3 Q-formulation resumption rather than forcing more batches.

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Claude-only backlog-clearance saturation — discipline observation

Rule: when a burst of Claude-executable batches has consumed the available {Decision-Matrix-pre-decided + verify-before-author + file-isolation + 5-10× compression}-shaped work, STOP and signal saturation rather than forcing more batches.

Why: empirically validated by the 2026-05-19T06:30 → 2026-05-20T08:30 BST burst — 15 batches + 4 Q-locks + 7 meta-Qs + 112 commits + 47 findings = ~26h wall-clock at 5-10× compression. At saturation time (2026-05-20T10:30 BST), the ledger held 87 task rows of which ~50 were Paul-bound (£2K-£50K each), ~3-4 Rich-decision, ~2 trigger-gated, ~5-8 Claude-deferred-by-design (WATCH-for-upstream), and ~10-15 MIXED (Claude scaffolds + Paul validates). Adding more Claude-executable batches in the next 24-48h would have produced near-zero net throughput because (a) Decision Matrix substrate was exhausted, (b) file-isolation lanes were consumed, (c) the §B.0 verification-evidence 3-application cycle was complete, (d) NEEDS-EXTERNAL-VERIFICATION queue was EMPTY. Forcing more batches at saturation = manufactured-busy-work, not progress.

How to apply:

  1. Detect saturation empirically, not by clock-time. Signals: (a) Decision Matrix substrate exhausted (no fresh pre-decisions can be authored without first locking another Q); (b) file-isolation lanes consumed (next batch would collide with already-touched sub-trees); (c) verify-before-author precedent count stalls (no new substrate-corrections caught for ≥1-2 batches); (d) NEEDS-EXTERNAL-VERIFICATION queue empty; (e) compression drops below ~3× across the most recent 2-3 batches.
  2. Author a saturation declaration (see docs-strategy/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-04-29-multi-phase-audit/backlog-saturation-declaration.md as exemplar). Captures methodology achievements + empirical compression table + verify-before-author precedent ledger + residual classification (Paul-bound + Rich-decision + trigger-gated + Claude-executable-residual + MIXED) + reusability framing + acquirer-DD §3.x evidence linkage.
  3. Signal project state-change — backlog-clearance phase → Phase-3 Q-formulation resumption (or whatever the next phase is). Do NOT silently transition; the saturation is itself a methodology milestone that should be cited downstream.
  4. Honest residual framing: declaration must NOT claim “all work is done.” It claims “the work that fits the burst pattern is done; remaining work requires non-Claude resolution.” Distinguish Paul-bound + Rich-decision + trigger-gated + Claude-deferred-by-design + MIXED categories explicitly.
  5. Recursive verify-before-author: every count in the declaration grep-verified at authoring time per CLAUDE.md §13. Cite the grep commands inside the declaration’s §B.0 so future-Claude can reproduce.

Anti-patterns to avoid:

  • Treating saturation as failure (“we ran out of work”). It’s not — it’s the completion signal for a burst pattern + the signal to switch modes.
  • Manufacturing busy-work to keep batches firing past saturation point. Net throughput drops + verify-before-author misfires + parallel-batch collisions multiply.
  • Hiding the structural residual under aggregate “X tasks remain” framing. Acquirer-DD reviewers (and Rich) need the why-each-is-non-Claude breakdown.
  • Auto-locking the saturation as an A-NNN arch-state amendment. The declaration stands alone; amendment is OPTIONAL only if Rich commissions.

Conditions for burst pattern repeatability: (1) substrate richness ≥ batch budget (~1.5 distinct executions per compressed-hour); (2) Decision Matrix pre-decisions ≥ ~5-10 forks per batch; (3) file-isolation lanes ≥ 3-4 disjoint sub-trees; (4) §13 verify-before-author discipline live; (5) 5-10× compression mechanism intact (shared-substrate reuse + linter-pattern reuse + small atomic commits + git pull —rebase). All 5 needed; missing 1 drops to ~1-2× compression.

Empirical exemplar: 2026-05-19T06:30 BST → 2026-05-20T08:30 BST burst — backlog-saturation-declaration.md v1.0 records the full picture. Companion: 5-closure convergence (MQ-014..MQ-018) pattern-stability test PASSES 3/3 on Q-042 + Q-043 + Q-044; MQ-019 (cross-file LinkML is_a discipline) reactively spawned from Q-044 L4 Option (D).

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