| title | AWO Scope Definition | ||||||
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| filetype | documentation | ||||||
| type | specification | ||||||
| version | 2.0.0 | ||||||
| doi | 10.5281/zenodo.18201829 | ||||||
| status | Active | ||||||
| created | 2026-01-07 | ||||||
| updated | 2026-01-09 | ||||||
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| license | Apache-2.0 | ||||||
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| ai_assisted | partial | ||||||
| ai_assistance_details | AI-assisted drafting under human governance; aligned with AWO v2 Design Envelope and Minimal Phase Topology. | ||||||
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This document defines the formal scope boundary of
Aurora Workflow Orchestration (AWO) v2.0.0.
It specifies what AWO defines, what it explicitly does not define,
and how it interfaces with upstream (doctrine / governance) and downstream
(enforcement / tooling) layers.
This document is normative with respect to AWO’s methodological domain only.
It does not confer epistemic, institutional, or enforcement authority.
AWO defines and controls:
- the structural ordering of governed workflows,
- required workflow phases and permitted transitions,
- required artifact classes per phase,
- structural completeness requirements for artifacts,
- role participation constraints per phase,
- linkage and reference requirements enabling traceability.
AWO does not define, judge, or adjudicate:
- epistemic legitimacy or truth,
- semantic correctness of claims,
- enforcement or validation outcomes,
- runtime execution behavior,
- publication or dissemination decisions,
- scientific validity or merit of results.
AWO defines how work is recorded and structured,
not what conclusions are correct or accepted.
When a workflow is declared AWO-governed, AWO has authority over method structure only, including:
| Domain | AWO Authority |
|---|---|
| Workflow Structure | Required phases and allowed transitions |
| Artifact Taxonomy | Required artifact types and relationships |
| Structural Requirements | Mandatory fields, references, and declarations |
| Role Participation | Which roles may act in which phases |
| Traceability Enablement | Structural links enabling reconstruction |
If AWO requires an artifact or declaration and it is missing,
the workflow is structurally non-compliant.
AWO does not evaluate artifact content, conclusions, or correctness.
AWO MUST NOT:
- perform enforcement or verification,
- adjudicate scientific correctness or legitimacy,
- define epistemic doctrine or disclosure policy,
- select tools, models, or implementation methods,
- dictate repository layout or storage mechanisms,
- govern post-release activity or dissemination.
These responsibilities belong to ARI, NTD, NTS, CRI-CORE, and tooling layers.
AWO is method only, never execution, judgment, or authority.
A workflow enters AWO scope when:
- An intentional unit of work is declared, and
- A compliant Initiation Artifact is created.
A workflow exits AWO scope when:
- A Release Artifact is produced that freezes the workflow iteration.
Any approval, attestation, audit, or enforcement activity occurs
outside AWO scope, even if it references AWO artifacts.
AWO governs exactly the following phases:
Initiation → Specification → Execution → Review → Release
AWO defines:
- the order of these phases,
- the artifacts required at each phase,
- the roles permitted to act in each phase.
AWO defines no outcomes beyond Release.
| Layer | Authority |
|---|---|
| ARI | Institutional authority and governance |
| NTS | AI disclosure and cognitive provenance |
| NTD | Epistemic rationale |
| Role Separation Charter | Conflict and independence rules |
| Layer | Uses AWO Artifacts For |
|---|---|
| CRI-CORE | Enforcement and validation |
| Forge / Stamp | Publication and freezing |
| Case Studies | Executed research workflows |
| External Tools | Validation, linting, inspection |
AWO is a hinge layer: constrained upstream, operationalized downstream.
AWO compliance does not imply:
- research quality,
- scientific correctness,
- publication worthiness,
- legitimacy of conclusions,
- credibility of contributors.
AWO ensures only that:
a workflow can be reconstructed, inspected, and challenged
without trust in the author.
Any change that modifies:
- required phases,
- required artifacts,
- role permissions,
- structural requirements,
is a breaking methodological change requiring a major version increment.
Clarifications that do not change meaning may be patch-level updates.
This document is valid only if its metadata complies with
ARI Metadata Policy v2.0.0.
Non-compliance voids AWO scope authority.