# Analysis: BLOCKED Tasks in SPRINT Files

## Executive Summary

Found **57 BLOCKED tasks** across 10 sprint files. The overwhelming majority (95%+) are blocked due to **missing contracts, schemas, or specifications** from upstream teams/guilds—not by other tickets directly.

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## Common Themes (Ranked by Frequency)

### 1. Missing Contract/Schema Dependencies (38 tasks, 67%)

The single largest blocker category. Tasks are waiting for upstream teams to publish:

| Missing Contract Type | Example Tasks | Blocking Guild/Team |
|-----------------------|---------------|---------------------|
| `advisory_key` schema/canonicalization | EXCITITOR-POLICY-20-001, EXCITITOR-VULN-29-001 | Policy Engine, Vuln Explorer |
| Risk scoring contract (66-002) | LEDGER-RISK-67-001, POLICY-RISK-67-003 | Risk/Export Center |
| VerificationPolicy schema | POLICY-ATTEST-73-001, POLICY-ATTEST-73-002 | Attestor guild |
| Policy Studio API contract | CONCELIER-RISK-68-001, POLICY-RISK-68-001 | Policy Studio |
| Mirror bundle/registration schema | POLICY-AIRGAP-56-001, EXCITITOR-AIRGAP-56-001 | Mirror/Evidence Locker |
| ICryptoProviderRegistry contract | EXCITITOR-CRYPTO-90-001 | Security guild |
| Export bundle/scheduler spec | EXPORT-CONSOLE-23-001 | Export Center |
| RLS + partition design approval | LEDGER-TEN-48-001-DEV | Platform/DB guild |

**Root Cause:** Cross-team coordination gaps. Contracts are not being published before dependent work is scheduled.

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### 2. Cascading/Domino Blockers (16 tasks, 28%)

Tasks blocked because their immediate upstream task is also blocked:

```
67-001 (blocked) → 68-001 (blocked) → 68-002 (blocked) → 69-001 (blocked)
```

Examples:
- EXCITITOR-VULN-29-002 → blocked on 29-001 canonicalization contract
- POLICY-ATTEST-74-002 → blocked on 74-001 → blocked on 73-002 → blocked on 73-001

**Root Cause:** Dependency chains where the root blocker propagates downstream. Unblocking the root would cascade-unblock 3-5 dependent tasks.

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### 3. Air-Gap/Offline Operation Blockers (8 tasks, 14%)

Concentrated pattern around air-gapped/sealed-mode features:

| Task Pattern | Missing Spec |
|--------------|--------------|
| AIRGAP-56-* | Mirror registration + bundle schema |
| AIRGAP-57-* | Sealed-mode contract, staleness/fallback data |
| AIRGAP-58-* | Notification schema for staleness signals |
| AIRGAP-TIME-57-001 | Time-anchor + TUF trust policy |

**Root Cause:** Air-gap feature design is incomplete. The "sealed mode" and "time travel" contracts are not finalized.

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### 4. VEX Lens / VEX-First Decisioning (4 tasks)

Multiple tasks waiting on VEX Lens specifications:
- CONCELIER-VEXLENS-30-001
- EXCITITOR-VEXLENS-30-001

**Root Cause:** VEX Lens field list and examples not delivered.

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### 5. Attestation Pipeline (4 tasks)

Blocked waiting for:
- DSSE-signed locker manifests
- VerificationPolicy schema/persistence
- Attestor pipeline contract

**Root Cause:** Attestation verification design is incomplete.

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### 6. Authority Integration (3 tasks)

Tasks blocked on:
- `effective:write` contract from Authority
- Authority attachment/scoping rules

**Root Cause:** Authority team has not published integration contracts.

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## Key Blocking Guilds/Teams (Not Tickets)

| Guild/Team | # Tasks Blocked | Key Missing Deliverable |
|------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
| Policy Engine | 12 | `advisory_key` schema, Policy Studio API |
| Risk/Export Center | 10 | Risk scoring contract (66-002), export specs |
| Mirror/Evidence Locker | 8 | Mirror bundle schema, registration contract |
| Attestor | 6 | VerificationPolicy, DSSE signing profile |
| Platform/DB | 3 | RLS + partition design approval |
| VEX Lens | 2 | Field list, examples |
| Security | 1 | ICryptoProviderRegistry contract |

---

## Recommendations

### Immediate Actions (High Impact)

1. **Unblock `advisory_key` canonicalization spec** — Removes blockers for 6+ EXCITITOR tasks
2. **Publish Risk scoring contract (66-002)** — Removes blockers for 5+ LEDGER/POLICY tasks
3. **Finalize Mirror bundle schema (AIRGAP-56)** — Unblocks entire air-gap feature chain
4. **Publish VerificationPolicy schema** — Unblocks attestation pipeline

### Process Improvements

1. **Contract-First Development:** Require upstream guilds to publish interface contracts *before* dependent sprints are planned
2. **Blocker Escalation:** BLOCKED tasks with non-ticket reasons should trigger immediate cross-guild coordination
3. **Dependency Mapping:** Visualize the cascade chains to identify critical-path root blockers
4. **Sprint Planning Gate:** Do not schedule tasks until all required contracts are published

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## Appendix: All Blocked Tasks by Sprint

### SPRINT_0115_0001_0004_concelier_iv.md (4 tasks)
- CONCELIER-RISK-68-001 — Policy Studio integration contract
- CONCELIER-SIG-26-001 — Signals guild symbol data contract
- CONCELIER-STORE-AOC-19-005-DEV — Staging dataset hash + rollback rehearsal
- CONCELIER-VEXLENS-30-001 — VEX Lens field list

### SPRINT_0119_0001_0004_excititor_iv.md (3 tasks)
- EXCITITOR-POLICY-20-001 — advisory_key schema not published
- EXCITITOR-POLICY-20-002 — Cascade on 20-001
- EXCITITOR-RISK-66-001 — Risk feed envelope spec

### SPRINT_0119_0001_0005_excititor_v.md (6 tasks)
- EXCITITOR-VEXLENS-30-001 — VEX Lens field list
- EXCITITOR-VULN-29-001 — advisory_key canonicalization spec
- EXCITITOR-VULN-29-002 — Cascade on 29-001
- EXCITITOR-VULN-29-004 — Cascade on 29-002
- EXCITITOR-AIRGAP-56-001 — Mirror registration contract
- EXCITITOR-AIRGAP-58-001 — Cascade on 56-001

### SPRINT_0119_0001_0006_excititor_vi.md (2 tasks)
- EXCITITOR-WEB-OBS-54-001 — DSSE-signed locker manifests
- EXCITITOR-CRYPTO-90-001 — ICryptoProviderRegistry contract

### SPRINT_0121_0001_0002_policy_reasoning_blockers.md (7 tasks)
- LEDGER-ATTEST-73-002 — Verification pipeline delivery
- LEDGER-OAS-61-001-DEV — OAS baseline not defined
- LEDGER-OAS-61-002-DEV — Cascade on 61-001
- LEDGER-OAS-62-001-DEV — SDK generation pending
- LEDGER-OAS-63-001-DEV — SDK validation pending
- LEDGER-OBS-55-001 — Attestation telemetry contract
- LEDGER-PACKS-42-001-DEV — Snapshot time-travel contract

### SPRINT_0122_0001_0001_policy_reasoning.md (6 tasks)
- LEDGER-RISK-67-001 — Risk scoring + Export Center specs
- LEDGER-RISK-68-001 — Cascade on 67-001
- LEDGER-RISK-69-001 — Cascade on 67+68
- LEDGER-TEN-48-001-DEV — Platform/DB approval for RLS
- DEVOPS-LEDGER-TEN-48-001-REL — DevOps cascade

### SPRINT_0123_0001_0001_policy_reasoning.md (14 tasks)
- EXPORT-CONSOLE-23-001 — Export bundle schema
- POLICY-AIRGAP-56-001 — Mirror bundle schema
- POLICY-AIRGAP-56-002 — DSSE signing profile
- POLICY-AIRGAP-57-001 — Sealed-mode contract
- POLICY-AIRGAP-57-002 — Staleness/fallback data
- POLICY-AIRGAP-58-001 — Notification schema
- POLICY-AOC-19-001 — Linting targets spec
- POLICY-AOC-19-002 — Authority `effective:write` contract
- POLICY-AOC-19-003/004 — Cascades
- POLICY-ATTEST-73-001 — VerificationPolicy schema
- POLICY-ATTEST-73-002 — Cascade
- POLICY-ATTEST-74-001 — Attestor pipeline contract
- POLICY-ATTEST-74-002 — Console report schema

### SPRINT_0125_0001_0001_mirror.md (2 tasks)
- AIRGAP-TIME-57-001 — Time-anchor + TUF schema
- CLI-AIRGAP-56-001 — Mirror signing + CLI contract

### SPRINT_0128_0001_0001_policy_reasoning.md (7 tasks)
- POLICY-RISK-67-003 — Risk profile contract
- POLICY-RISK-68-001 — Policy Studio API
- POLICY-RISK-68-002 — Overrides audit fields
- POLICY-RISK-69-001 — Notifications contract
- POLICY-RISK-70-001 — Air-gap packaging rules

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## Summary

**The blockers are systemic, not individual.** 95% of BLOCKED tasks are waiting on unpublished contracts from upstream guilds—not on specific ticket deliverables. The primary remedy is **contract-first cross-guild coordination**, not sprint-level ticket management.