Notion hierarchy¶
How Conductor's work model maps to Notion databases. Approximates the Azure DevOps Epic → Feature → User Story hierarchy using Notion's relational databases.
The hierarchy¶
text
Azure DevOps Notion
───────────── ──────
Epic = Initiatives database
Feature = Workstreams database
User Story = Deliverables database
Task = Checklist items inside Deliverables
Three databases linked by relations. Boards, calendars, and timelines are views over these databases, not separate structures.
Initiatives database¶
The spine. One record per Initiative. Equivalent to an Azure DevOps Epic.
| Property | Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Text | Initiative name | Survey Automation Platform |
| Outcome | Text | Why this exists | Self-serve quantitative survey platform |
| Definition of Done | Text | Observable completion criteria | 5 paying customers running monthly surveys |
| Path | Select | A/B/C/D | B (Lab) |
| Portfolio Status | Select | intake / active / parked / done / killed | active |
| Priority | Select | P1 / P2 / P3 | P1 |
| Review Date | Date | Next Portfolio review | Sep 1, 2026 |
| Workstreams | Relation → Workstreams | Active line contributions | (linked) |
Views: - All Active — table filtered by status = active - Review Due — calendar view by Review Date - By Priority — kanban grouped by Priority
Workstreams database¶
One record per line contribution to an Initiative. Equivalent to an Azure DevOps Feature. Multiple Workstreams can link to the same Initiative.
| Property | Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Text | Line + Initiative | Product — Survey Automation |
| Initiative | Relation → Initiatives | Which Initiative this belongs to | Survey Automation Platform |
| Line | Select | portfolio / product / software / editorial / services / operate | software |
| Stage | Select | Current stage in the line's workflow | implement |
| Estate | Select | Software only: prototype / lab / portfolio-org | lab |
| Active Role | Select | Role responsible for current stage | Engineering Lead |
| Status | Select | planned / active / blocked / waiting / done | active |
| Evidence | Text | What was produced at this stage | PR #12-#19 linked, tests pass |
| Next Action | Text | Concrete next step | "Verify: run test suite, check acceptance criteria" |
| Deliverables | Relation → Deliverables | User Stories in this workstream | (linked) |
| Due Date | Date | Target for current stage completion | Aug 15, 2026 |
Views: - By Line — kanban grouped by Line, then by Stage - My Work — filtered by Active Role = current user - Software Board — filtered to Line = software, kanban by Stage (Frame | Design | Implement | Verify | Promote | Deploy | Document) - Due This Week — calendar view by Due Date - Blocked — filtered by Status = blocked
Deliverables database¶
One record per concrete output. Equivalent to an Azure DevOps User Story. Links to a parent Workstream.
| Property | Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Text | What to build or produce | Build survey editor UI |
| Workstream | Relation → Workstreams | Parent workstream | Software — Survey Automation |
| Stage | Rollup from Workstream | Which stage this belongs to | implement |
| Effort Hours | Number | Estimated work | 8 |
| Due Date | Date | Target completion | Aug 10, 2026 |
| Status | Select | todo / in-progress / review / done | in-progress |
| Evidence | Text | Proof of completion | PR #14 merged, tests pass |
| Assignee | Person | Who's doing it | sdhector |
| Checklist | Checklist (inline) | Sub-tasks | [ ] Drag-and-drop builder, [ ] Response types schema |
Views: - My Deliverables — filtered by Assignee = current user, kanban by Status - Sprint Board — kanban by Status, shows Effort sum per column - Calendar — calendar view by Due Date (synced to Google Calendar) - By Stage — grouped by Stage, shows what's in progress per workstream
Relations at a glance¶
text
Initiatives ←── Workstreams ←── Deliverables
│ │ │
│ (1:N) │ (1:N) │
│ │ │
One Initiative One Workstream One Deliverable
has many has many belongs to one
Workstreams Deliverables Workstream
Filters and rollups cascade: viewing an Initiative shows all its Workstreams. Viewing a Workstream shows all its Deliverables. Changing a Deliverable's status rolls up to the Workstream's evidence.
Calendar sync¶
Three date fields generate Google Calendar events via Notion's native integration:
| Field | Creates |
|---|---|
| Initiative Review Date | "Review: Survey Automation" |
| Workstream Due Date | "SW Implement: Survey Automation" |
| Deliverable Due Date | "Build survey editor UI — 8h" |
Notion's Google Calendar integration syncs any database with a Date property. Two-way sync: check off a Deliverable in the calendar and Notion updates.
How it compares to Azure DevOps¶
| Concept | Azure DevOps | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Hierarchy depth | Epic → Feature → Story → Task | 3 databases (Task is inline checklist) |
| Stage tracking | Custom field + board columns | Select property + kanban view |
| Sprint planning | Built-in iterations | Calendar view + Due Date grouping |
| Evidence linking | PR links in work item | URL property + text evidence |
| Calendar | Via Power Automate | Native Google Calendar sync |
| Query flexibility | Queries + charts | Filters + views per database |
| Setup complexity | Pre-built Agile template | 3 databases, defined here |
Setup¶
- Create the three databases in Notion with the properties above
- Create the relations: Initiatives ↔ Workstreams, Workstreams ↔ Deliverables
- Create the views listed under each database
- Enable Google Calendar sync for the Workstreams database
- Populate with existing Initiatives from
docs/registry/initiatives.md