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ICW Specification: Task Template Cross-Wiring Section

Task ID: E5:S01:T35
ICW Cycle: ICW-COULD-HAVE-20260312
Status: SPECIFICATION COMPLETE
Priority: MEDIUM
Created: 2026-03-12
Project Manager Agent: PM-AGENT-002

Executive Summary​

This specification defines the implementation of a cross-wiring section for task templates that enables comprehensive task relationship management and dependency tracking. The implementation will create a standardized framework for linking related tasks across different epics and stories.

Technical Architecture​

System Overview​

The Task Template Cross-Wiring Section will provide:

  1. Relationship Mapping: Links between related tasks across epics/stories
  2. Dependency Tracking: Clear dependency chains and prerequisites
  3. Template Integration: Seamless integration with existing task templates
  4. Visualization: Visual representation of task relationships

Component Architecture​

graph TB
    A[Cross-Wiring Engine] --> B[Relationship Mapper]
    A --> C[Dependency Tracker]
    A --> D[Template Integrator]
    A --> E[Visualization Generator]
    
    F[Task Templates] --> A
    G[Kanban Framework] --> A
    H[Documentation System] --> A

Implementation Details​

Phase 1: Core Framework Development​

Component 1: Cross-Wiring Engine​

  • Purpose: Central orchestration of task relationship management
  • Responsibilities:
    • Parse and validate cross-wiring configurations
    • Maintain relationship integrity across updates
    • Coordinate with template system
  • Implementation: Python module with YAML configuration support

Component 2: Relationship Mapper​

  • Purpose: Map and maintain task relationships
  • Features:
    • Bi-directional relationship linking
    • Relationship type classification (depends-on, relates-to, blocks)
    • Automatic relationship validation
  • Data Structure: Graph-based relationship model

Component 3: Dependency Tracker​

  • Purpose: Track and validate task dependencies
  • Features:
    • Circular dependency detection
    • Dependency chain analysis
    • Impact assessment for task changes
  • Implementation: Dependency graph with validation algorithms

Phase 2: Template Integration​

Component 4: Template Integrator​

  • Purpose: Integrate cross-wiring with existing task templates
  • Features:
    • Template syntax for cross-wiring declarations
    • Automatic relationship extraction from templates
    • Template validation with cross-wiring checks
  • Template Syntax:
cross_wiring:
  depends_on:
    - E4:S11:T07  # Migrate Embedded Tasks
    - E6:S07:T18  # Tool-Agnostic Workflow Tracking
  relates_to:
    - E5:S01:T31  # Multi-Agent Coordination
  blocks:
    - E5:S03:T01  # Documentation Automation

Component 5: Visualization Generator​

  • Purpose: Generate visual representations of task relationships
  • Features:
    • Relationship graph generation
    • Interactive dependency maps
    • Export to multiple formats (SVG, PNG, HTML)
  • Implementation: Graphviz integration with custom styling

Phase 3: Documentation and Integration​

Component 6: Documentation Integration​

  • Purpose: Integrate cross-wiring information into documentation
  • Features:
    • Automatic cross-reference generation
    • Relationship summaries in task documents
    • Kanban board integration
  • Output Examples:
    • "Related Tasks" sections in task documents
    • Dependency indicators in kanban board
    • Relationship impact reports

Data Model​

Cross-Wiring Configuration​

task_cross_wiring:
  task_id: "E5:S01:T35"
  relationships:
    depends_on:
      - task_id: "E4:S11:T07"
        type: "hard_dependency"
        description: "Requires embedded task migration framework"
      - task_id: "E6:S07:T18"
        type: "soft_dependency"
        description: "Benefits from workflow tracking system"
    relates_to:
      - task_id: "E5:S01:T31"
        type: "coordination"
        description: "Multi-agent coordination investigation"
    blocks:
      - task_id: "E5:S03:T01"
        type: "implementation_block"
        description: "Documentation automation requires template cross-wiring"
  metadata:
    created_at: "2026-03-12T11:50:00Z"
    last_updated: "2026-03-12T11:50:00Z"
    version: "1.0.0"

Relationship Types​

  1. Hard Dependency: Required for implementation
  2. Soft Dependency: Beneficial but not required
  3. Coordination: Related work that should be coordinated
  4. Implementation Block: Prevents implementation until resolved

Quality Assurance​

Validation Criteria​

  • ✅ Relationship Integrity: All relationships reference valid tasks
  • ✅ Circular Dependency Detection: No circular dependencies allowed
  • ✅ Template Syntax: Valid YAML template syntax
  • ✅ Documentation Integration: Cross-wiring visible in documentation
  • ✅ Kanban Integration: Relationships reflected in kanban board

Test Scenarios​

  1. Basic Relationship Mapping: Simple task-to-task relationships
  2. Complex Dependency Chains: Multi-level dependency tracking
  3. Circular Dependency Detection: Invalid relationship detection
  4. Template Integration: Cross-wiring in task templates
  5. Documentation Generation: Automatic cross-reference creation
  6. Kanban Board Integration: Visual relationship indicators

Integration Points​

Kanban Framework Integration​

  • Board Updates: Automatic relationship indicators
  • Task Cards: Related task links and dependency status
  • Status Tracking: Dependency-aware status updates

Documentation System Integration​

  • Task Documents: Automatic "Related Tasks" sections
  • Cross-References: Bidirectional linking between related tasks
  • Impact Reports: Change impact analysis documentation

Template System Integration​

  • Task Templates: Cross-wiring syntax support
  • Validation: Template validation with relationship checks
  • Generation: Automatic relationship extraction

Success Metrics​

Primary Objectives​

  • ✅ Cross-Wiring Framework: Complete implementation of all components
  • ✅ Template Integration: Seamless integration with existing templates
  • ✅ Documentation Integration: Automatic cross-reference generation
  • ✅ Kanban Integration: Visual relationship indicators

Secondary Objectives​

  • ✅ Performance: Relationship queries under 100ms
  • ✅ Usability: Intuitive template syntax
  • ✅ Maintainability: Modular component architecture
  • ✅ Extensibility: Support for custom relationship types

Risk Assessment​

Technical Risks​

  1. Complexity: Relationship management complexity
  2. Performance: Large relationship graph performance
  3. Integration: Integration with existing systems

Mitigation Strategies​

  • Complexity: Phased implementation with clear documentation
  • Performance: Graph optimization and caching strategies
  • Integration: Comprehensive testing and backward compatibility

Timeline and Milestones​

Week 1: Core Framework​

  • Cross-Wiring Engine implementation
  • Relationship Mapper development
  • Basic dependency tracking

Week 2: Template Integration​

  • Template Integrator development
  • Template syntax implementation
  • Basic visualization

Week 3: Documentation and Integration​

  • Documentation integration
  • Kanban board integration
  • Comprehensive testing and validation

Specification Status: COMPLETE
Next Phase: Test Design
PM-AGENT-002 Approval: REQUIRED
ICW Cycle Progress: 1/3 COMPLETE