The pack carries brief, not stage six

Thesis: Public method stages stop at brief. A pack that shows “stage 5” reads like we invented a sixth rung. Keep the number in data; show the stage name. Packs carry brief because they are engagement delivery after the brief, not a new public stage on the methodology page.

What we shipped first

We stamped every published evidence pack with method_id: yellow-team-method and method_stage: 5. The ops card and the pack header showed the carriage. Then the label printed “stage 5.”

Readers who already knew notes → labs → repos → readiness → brief saw a fifth number and assumed we had added a sixth public stage for packs. We had not. Five is brief. The pack sits on that stage; it does not extend the public spine.

The working shape

Data stays numeric. Visible labels use the SSOT names: readiness, brief, notes — not “stage N.” Packs use the same method id and stamp brief (5). Control rows on the gap board use readiness (4) and show the word readiness. Public /proof/notes/ markers stay stage 1 / notes.

Data stays numeric; the UI shows the SSOT name. Packs stamp brief — not a sixth public stage.

// Data stays numeric; UI shows the SSOT name.
const METHOD_STAGE_NAMES = {
  1: "notes",
  2: "labs",
  3: "repos",
  4: "readiness",
  5: "brief",
};

function publicLabel(stage) {
  const name = METHOD_STAGE_NAMES[stage];
  return name
    ? `Part of the yellow theme method · ${name}`
    : "Part of the yellow theme method";
}

// Pack publish stamps brief — not a sixth public stage.
const packRef = {
  method_id: "yellow-team-method",
  method_stage: 5, // brief
};

publicLabel(packRef.method_stage);
// → "Part of the yellow theme method · brief"

Checklist

Never invent stage 6 for packs; stamp brief (5) instead.
Show stage names in UI; keep numbers in JSON and APIs.
Keep public notes / labs / repos / readiness / brief as the only public spine.
Describe the carriage in public essays — do not print vault evidence ids or contract refs.

Engineering commentary only — not audit, legal, or certification advice.