docs(tracks): strip day estimates from exception_handling_audit + rag_test_failures (Tier 1 rule)

conductor/tracks/exception_handling_audit_20260616/metadata.json

@@ -149,12 +149,13 @@
   },
 
   "estimated_effort": {
-    "phase_1": "30 min - spec + plan + metadata + tracks.md",
+    "method": "Scope (per conductor/workflow.md §Tier 1 Track Initialization Rules). NO day estimates.",
-    "phase_2": "1-2 hours - audit script + verifications (script already drafted in spec phase)",
+    "phase_1": "5 artifacts (spec + plan + metadata + tracks.md update)",
-    "phase_3": "1-2 hours - 5 doc/codestyle updates (small additions)",
+    "phase_2": "792-line audit script + 4 verifications",
-    "phase_4": "30 min - final report + metadata update",
+    "phase_3": "5 doc/codestyle updates + 1 product-guidelines cross-reference",
-    "phase_5": "5 min - user manual verification (the user reviews the report)",
+    "phase_4": "370-line audit report + metadata update",
-    "total": "0.5 day Tier 2 work (2-4 hours)"
+    "phase_5": "User manual verification (the user reviews the report)",
+    "total": "~800 lines of new artifacts; 9 atomic commits; all with git notes"
   },
 
   "risk_register": {

conductor/tracks/exception_handling_audit_20260616/spec.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 **Priority:** B (informational; precedes the user's planned implementation refactor of the migration-target files)
 **Owner:** Tier 2 Tech Lead
 **Type:** audit + documentation (no production code changes; no behavior change)
-**Estimated effort:** 0.5 day Tier 2 work (2-4 hours)
+**Scope:** ~800 lines of new artifacts (792-line audit script + 5 doc/codestyle updates + 370-line report)
 **Parent tracks:** `data_oriented_error_handling_20260606` (shipped 2026-06-12), `ai_loop_regressions_20260614`, `doeh_test_thinking_cleanup_20260615`, `public_api_migration_and_ui_polish_20260615`, `rag_test_failures_20260615` (all shipped 2026-06-15)
 **Sibling tracks:** `data_structure_strengthening_20260606` (planned, parallel), `mcp_architecture_refactor_20260606` (planned, depends on convention being complete)
 

conductor/tracks/rag_test_failures_20260615/metadata.json

@@ -147,12 +147,13 @@
   },
 
   "estimated_effort": {
-    "phase_1": "1-2 hours - investigation + reproducing test",
+    "method": "Scope (per conductor/workflow.md §Tier 1 Track Initialization Rules). NO day estimates.",
-    "phase_2": "1-3 hours - fix (dependent on Phase 1 finding)",
+    "phase_1": "1 task: investigation + reproducing test",
-    "phase_3": "30 min - full + batched test verification",
+    "phase_2": "1 task: fix (2 production lines + 3 new unit tests)",
-    "phase_4": "15 min - docs update (conditional)",
+    "phase_3": "1 task: full + batched test verification",
-    "phase_5": "15 min - metadata + tracks.md",
+    "phase_4": "1 task: docs update (conditional)",
-    "total": "0.5-1 day Tier 2 work (4-8 hours)"
+    "phase_5": "1 task: metadata + tracks.md",
+    "total": "5 phases, ~10 tasks, 4 atomic commits, all with git notes"
   },
 
   "risk_register": {
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@
     "R5_takes_longer_than_estimated": {
       "likelihood": "low",
       "impact": "low",
-      "mitigation": "Even 2 days is acceptable; user's overall plan is 2 more tracks before data structure."
+      "mitigation": "The spec is a guide, not a contract. The Tier 2 reports scope growth; the user decides whether to expand the track or defer to a follow-up."
     }
   },
 

conductor/tracks/rag_test_failures_20260615/plan.md

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Per the project rule (see `AGENTS.md` "Critical Anti-Patterns"), per-task atomic
 
 ---
 
-## Phase 1: Investigation + reproducing test (1-2 hours)
+## Phase 1: Investigation + reproducing test
 
 **Focus:** Find the exact location of the `.get(None)` call. The spec §1.4 lists 5 candidate sites; the investigation will narrow to 1.
 
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ Per the project rule (see `AGENTS.md` "Critical Anti-Patterns"), per-task atomic
 
 ---
 
-## Phase 2: Fix (1-3 hours)
+## Phase 2: Fix
 
 **Focus:** Fix the root cause found in Phase 1. The fix is dependent on what the investigation reveals.
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ Per the project rule (see `AGENTS.md` "Critical Anti-Patterns"), per-task atomic
 
 ---
 
-## Phase 3: Full test suite + batched verification (30 min)
+## Phase 3: Full test suite + batched verification
 
 **Focus:** Ensure no regression in the broader test suite.
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ Per the project rule (see `AGENTS.md` "Critical Anti-Patterns"), per-task atomic
 
 ---
 
-## Phase 4: Docs update (15 min)
+## Phase 4: Docs update
 
 **Focus:** Document the fix in `docs/guide_rag.md` (if it exists).
 
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ Per the project rule (see `AGENTS.md` "Critical Anti-Patterns"), per-task atomic
 
 ---
 
-## Phase 5: Metadata + tracks.md (15 min)
+## Phase 5: Metadata + tracks.md
 
 **Focus:** Mark the track complete in the project registry.
 
@@ -161,8 +161,8 @@ Per the project rule (see `AGENTS.md` "Critical Anti-Patterns"), per-task atomic
 ## Summary
 
 - **Total tasks:** ~10 (across 5 phases)
-- **Total atomic commits:** ~5-7 (1 diagnostic + 1 reproducing test + 1 fix + 1 diag removal + 1 defensive guard + 1 docs + 1 metadata)
+- **Total atomic commits:** 4 (1 fix + 1 docs + 1 metadata + 1 final-state)
-- **Total estimated effort:** 0.5-1 day Tier 2 work (4-8 hours)
+- **All commits have git notes**
 - **Dependencies:** None (independent track)
 - **Out of scope (deferred):** `send_result` → `send` mass rename (user's manual refactor); 23 lower-impact weak-type files (data_structure_strengthening); live_gui_mock_injection infrastructure
 

conductor/tracks/rag_test_failures_20260615/spec.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 **Priority:** A (foundational; precedes `data_structure_strengthening_20260606` and the user's planned `send_result` → `send` mass rename)
 **Owner:** Tier 2 Tech Lead
 **Type:** bugfix + test_fix
-**Estimated effort:** 0.5-1 day Tier 2 work (4-8 hours)
+**Scope:** 3 test failures (tier-3 live_gui RAG tests) + 1 production bug in 2 lines + 3 new unit tests
 **Parent tracks:** `data_oriented_error_handling_20260606` (shipped 2026-06-12), `ai_loop_regressions_20260614` (shipped 2026-06-15), `doeh_test_thinking_cleanup_20260615` (shipped 2026-06-15), `public_api_migration_and_ui_polish_20260615` (shipped 2026-06-15)
 
 ---
@@ -263,11 +263,11 @@ If the implementer can't find the bug from the error message alone:
 
 This is a small bug-fix track. The phases are simple:
 
-1. **Phase 1: Investigation + reproducing test (1-2 hours)**
+1. **Phase 1: Investigation + reproducing test**
-2. **Phase 2: Fix (1-3 hours)**
+2. **Phase 2: Fix**
-3. **Phase 3: Full test suite + batched verification (30 min)**
+3. **Phase 3: Full test suite + batched verification**
-4. **Phase 4: Docs update (15 min)**
+4. **Phase 4: Docs update**
-5. **Phase 5: Metadata + tracks.md (15 min)**
+5. **Phase 5: Metadata + tracks.md**
 
 The order doesn't matter much (it's all one fix); the implementer can iterate between Phase 1 and 2 as needed.
 
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ The order doesn't matter much (it's all one fix); the implementer can iterate be
 | **R2** | The bug is in a hard-to-reach code path (deep in IO pool worker) | Medium | Medium | Add diagnostic traceback in the except clause; capture the actual error site; document in the commit message. |
 | **R3** | The fix is in the test (subprocess state pollution) not the production code | Low | Low | If the fix is in the test, document this in the commit message. Consider adding a teardown reset in the test. |
 | **R4** | The fix introduces a regression in `test_rag_engine_ready_status_bug.py` | Low | Medium | Run the full RAG test suite after the fix. |
-| **R5** | The implementation takes longer than estimated (1 day) | Low | Low | This is a 0.5-1 day track; even 2 days is acceptable. The user's overall plan is to do 2 more tracks (this + a `send_result` → `send` rename) before the data structure track. |
+| **R5** | The implementation is larger than the 2-line fix suggested by the spec | Low | Low | The spec is a guide, not a contract. If the fix is larger (e.g., a larger refactor is needed), the Tier 2 reports and the user decides whether to expand scope. The user's overall plan is 2 more tracks (this + a `send_result` → `send` rename) before the data structure track. |
 
 ---
 
@@ -331,13 +331,13 @@ The track is DONE when **ALL** of the following are true:
 **No external blockers.** This track can start immediately after the Tier 1 review approves the spec.
 
 **Execution order (the plan):**
-1. Phase 1: Investigation + reproducing test (1-2 hours)
+1. Phase 1: Investigation + reproducing test
-2. Phase 2: Fix (1-3 hours)
+2. Phase 2: Fix
-3. Phase 3: Full test suite + batched verification (30 min)
+3. Phase 3: Full test suite + batched verification
-4. Phase 4: Docs update (15 min)
+4. Phase 4: Docs update
-5. Phase 5: Metadata + tracks.md (15 min)
+5. Phase 5: Metadata + tracks.md
 
-**Total:** 0.5-1 day Tier 2 work (4-8 hours)
+**Total:** 5 phases, ~10 tasks, 4 atomic commits (1 fix + 1 docs + 1 metadata + 1 final-state); all with git notes.
 
 **Followed by:** the user can do the `send_result` → `send` mass rename themselves, then start `data_structure_strengthening_20260606` track.