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Gatekeepers

Each business line has exactly one gatekeeper role. Gatekeepers own their line's decisions. They cannot cross boundaries — a Software gatekeeper does not decide Product strategy, a Portfolio gatekeeper does not write code.

Why gatekeepers

When agents act in multiple lines, they can drift — a coding agent makes product decisions, a product agent writes code. Gatekeepers prevent this by scoping each agent to one line at a time. The handoff between gatekeepers is explicit: when a workstream reaches a transition point, the current gatekeeper hands off to the next.

The six gatekeepers

Line Gatekeeper Role Owns Cannot
Portfolio Portfolio Manager Initiative outcome, DoD, priority, WIP, routing, review Write code, publish content, manage infrastructure, deliver client work
Product Product Manager Market evaluation, scoring, build-vs-buy, estate decision Write code, deploy software, publish content
Software Engineering Lead Architecture, implementation, verification, promotion Change the Initiative outcome, decide estate, publish content
Editorial Editor-in-Chief Slate, editorial judgment, publication, fact-checking Write code, change product strategy, manage infrastructure
Services Engagement Manager Client relationship, scope, contract, delivery Write code unless explicitly handed off to Software
Operate Platform Engineer Runtime health, incidents, infrastructure, security Change application code, decide product features, publish content

Boundaries

Gatekeepers enforce that work stays within its line. An agent assigned the Software gatekeeper role:

  • Can write code, review PRs, run tests, promote builds
  • Can propose product changes — but through the Product gatekeeper, not directly
  • Cannot advance a Product workstream through Score or Build-gate
  • Cannot publish an Editorial piece or manage a Services engagement

The boundary is crossed only through a formal handoff — the workstream's Active Role changes from one gatekeeper to another.

Handoff protocol

When a workstream reaches a transition point between lines, the current gatekeeper hands off to the next:

  1. Current gatekeeper verifies exit criteria for the current stage
  2. Records evidence in the Workstream (Notion)
  3. Changes the Workstream's Active Role to the next gatekeeper
  4. Next gatekeeper picks up from the entry criteria of their first stage
Portfolio Classify → hands off to Product Manager
  ↓
Product Build-gate → hands off to Engineering Lead
  ↓
Software Frame → Design → Implement → Verify → Promote → Deploy
  ↓
Engineering Lead hands off to Platform Engineer (Operate)
  + Engineering Lead triggers Editor-in-Chief (Editorial) for release piece

In the Notion hierarchy

The Active Role property on each Workstream record determines which gatekeeper currently owns it:

Workstream Active Role Meaning
Product — Survey Automation Product Manager Product gatekeeper is evaluating
Software — Survey Automation Engineering Lead Software gatekeeper is building
Operate — Survey Automation Platform Engineer Operate gatekeeper is running
Editorial — Survey Automation Editor-in-Chief Editorial gatekeeper is publishing

The Notion view "My Work" shows only the workstreams where the current gatekeeper is the Active Role. Switching roles means switching views.