Software Engineering project charter

Purpose

Define the practical problem this project will solve. Do not assume that “Software Engineering” already names a distinct discipline; that is a research question, not a starting fact.

Intended users

A successor—human or AI—resuming a bounded software repository task from a handoff artifact. This is a provisional first-pilot user, not the complete product audience.

First bounded outcome

A handoff reconstruction evaluator that tests whether a named successor can form a correct continuation plan with fewer material omissions, unsafe assumptions, and clarification requests. Selection is provisional under DF-HANDOFF-2026-5C9B and must be tested by EX-HANDOFF-2026-0D7A.

Included

• Definition of the first user and communication problem.
• A working vertical slice.
• Evidence and decision traceability.
• Evaluation of the Repository Operating System pilot.

Excluded

• Broad discipline claims without comparative evidence.
• An exhaustive communication taxonomy.
• Autonomous acceptance of research or policy.
• Production handling of secrets or sensitive communication data before a privacy and threat review.

Success criteria

• The first vertical slice has observable acceptance tests.
• Material decisions cite their evidence and alternatives.
• A successor can continue from repository records without chat history.
• Pilot measurements can compare the operating approach with a declared lightweight baseline.

Constraints and assumptions

• Constraints: use synthetic or public repository records until privacy review; evaluate action rather than template completion; include authoring cost and false confidence as adverse outcomes.
• Assumption: task reconstruction can be tested without resolving the full disciplinary boundary or claiming onboarding improvement.

Owners and decision authority

Not yet assigned.