MEDIUM: Clarify 'Genealogy' Tracking Terminology in Section 4.1.4

[pwt-cd]

🎯 Purpose

Clarify or replace the term "genealogy" tracking in section 4.1.4, addressing Colin's feedback about unclear terminology and industry usage.

📋 Current Issue

From Colin's review of section 4.1.4:

""Genealogy" tracking isn't obvious here. Does that word mean tracking the origin of every kg of biomass, through arbitrary transport and processing? Perhaps choose a different word unless this is standard in the industry."

📋 Requirements

Terminology Clarification

• Define "genealogy" explicitly - What does this term mean in the BOOST context?
• Industry usage verification - Is "genealogy" standard terminology in biomass tracking?
• Alternative terminology - Consider clearer alternatives if not industry standard
• Scope definition - Exactly what aspects of origin tracking are included?

Concept Documentation

1. Origin tracking scope - Every kilogram through all transformations?
2. Processing chain inclusion - How genealogy persists through processing steps
3. Transport documentation - Tracking through arbitrary transport routes
4. Split/merge handling - How genealogy works when TRUs are combined or divided

Alternative Terms to Consider

• Provenance tracking - More common in supply chain contexts
• Chain of custody - Established regulatory terminology
• Origin traceability - Clear and descriptive
• Supply chain lineage - Technical but accessible
• Biomass heritage - Descriptive alternative

Implementation Implications

• Data structure requirements - How genealogy/lineage is stored and tracked
• Relationship modeling - Parent/child relationships between TRUs
• Historical preservation - Maintaining lineage through transformations
• Query capabilities - How users can trace genealogy/lineage

✅ Acceptance Criteria

• Research industry standard terminology for origin tracking
• Either define "genealogy" explicitly OR replace with clearer terminology
• Document exact scope of origin tracking (every kg? through all processing?)
• Explain how lineage persists through transport and processing transformations
• Include examples of genealogy/lineage tracking in practice
• Update related sections to use consistent terminology
• Ensure data model supports chosen tracking approach

🔗 Related Files

• Section 4.1.4 "Genealogy" tracking
• TraceableUnit parent/child relationships
• Colin's review: cd_report/colin_review.md (line 27)

📚 References

Colin's question: "Does that word mean tracking the origin of every kg of biomass, through arbitrary transport and processing? Perhaps choose a different word unless this is standard in the industry."

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Co-Authored-By: Claude noreply@anthropic.com

[Mailisyorlik]

@pwt-cd I think, based on some initial digging, the term we might want to use here is provenance or provenance history? This would also be separate from the audit trail/audit history, which describes past auditing activities and not necessarily the activities/transactions/etc of the biomass being audited.

[pwt-cd]

Excellent.

[Mailisyorlik]

• Create provenanceHistory attribute or object.
• Update documentation to reflect change