Squad and Project Multi-Perspective Kanban: Dual-Axis Work Surfaces over One Ledger

#Abstract

To build a multi-squad and multi-project Kanban for Mupot, we mapped how industry platforms model execution units (teams/squads), strategic goals (projects/initiatives), and work items (tasks/issues). The dual-axis data model is already live in Mupot D1. This paper specifies the surface projection layer over that substrate.

#1. Industry Taxonomy

#Linear — the one-home-team invariant

Every issue belongs to exactly one team. Workflow state machines, triage rules, and cycle cadences are team-specific. Projects do not own work directly; they are cross-team aggregators. A team board shows that team’s tasks; a project board aggregates contributing teams with swimlanes by team.

#GitHub Projects v2 — matrix dimensions

Issues live in repositories. Projects exist as workspace-level metadata above repositories, with custom field projections that slice data across any dimension.

#2. Mupot Dual-Axis Model

                       ┌──────────────────────────────┐
                       │       TENANT / ORG           │
                       └──────────────┬───────────────┘
                                      │
               ┌──────────────────────┴──────────────────────┐
               ▼                                             ▼
    ╔══════════════════════╗                      ╔══════════════════════╗
    ║   EXECUTION AXIS     ║                      ║    STRATEGIC AXIS    ║
    ║      (Squads)        ║                      ║      (Projects)      ║
    ╠══════════════════════╣                      ╠══════════════════════╣
    ║ • Token Authority    ║                      ║ • Business Goal / OKR║
    ║ • RBAC Boundaries    ║                      ║ • Multi-Squad Scope  ║
    ║ • Gate Owners        ║                      ║ • Milestones         ║
    ║ • Mailbox / Spool    ║                      ║ • Cross-team Budget  ║
    ╚══════════╦═══════════╝                      ╚══════════╦═══════════╝
               │                                             │
               │         ┌─────────────────────────┐         │
               └────────►│          TASK           │◄────────┘
                         │   • squad_id (Home)     │
                         │   • project_id (Goal)   │
                         │   • status / priority   │
                         └─────────────────────────┘

Invariants:

1. Single home squad (task.squad_id NOT NULL). Guarantees RBAC, Durable Object routing, mailbox lease integrity, and token authority.
2. Nullable project (task.project_id NULLABLE). Tasks without a project are squad maintenance or untriaged discovery.
3. Cross-squad subtask inheritance. Child tasks that inherit project_id must verify the assigned child squad holds write or admin in project_squad_access. Absent access fails closed.
4. No double-homing with flights. Project boards surface tasks. The flight command deck surfaces governed release flights. Flights are not mixed into task Kanban swimlanes.

#3. Three Projections

Projection 1 — Squad board (execution). Columns by status; cards tagged with optional project and assignee.

Projection 2 — Project multi-squad board (delivery). Swimlanes by contributing squad over the same status columns.

Projection 3 — Tenant matrix (executive, deferred). Squads as columns, aggregate counts and blocked items.

#4. Authorization at Query Time

Authorization is checked using resolveAccessibleSquadIds(env, auth):

• Org admins can view any squad or project board.
• Squad members are filtered to tasks belonging to squads where the member holds an active capability grant.

SELECT
  t.id, t.squad_id, t.project_id, t.priority, t.parent_task_id,
  t.title, t.body, t.status, t.assignee_agent_id, t.github_issue_url,
  t.result, t.completed_at, t.gate_owner, t.done_when, t.created_at, t.updated_at,
  s.name AS squad_name, s.slug AS squad_slug,
  a.name AS assignee_name, a.slug AS assignee_slug
FROM tasks t
JOIN squads s ON t.squad_id = s.id
LEFT JOIN agents a ON t.assignee_agent_id = a.id
WHERE t.project_id = ?1
  AND (?2 IS NULL OR t.squad_id IN (SELECT CAST(value AS TEXT) FROM json_each(?2)))
ORDER BY s.name ASC, t.updated_at DESC;

#5. What Is Live

Phase 1 shipped:

• Web UI GET /dashboard/kanban with ?squad= and ?project= switcher and RBAC scoping.
• REST GET /api/kanban/board.
• MCP tool kanban_board.
• Seeded fixture coverage in tests/kanban-routes.test.ts.

Phase 2 deferred: tenant matrix projection, canvas flowchart wiring, automatic cross-squad project-access verification on subtask create.