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ABoK Governance and Canonical Authority

02.900.010 v20260728.001

Change Log

Define governance for the Alescent Body of Knowledge (ABoK), its principal Alescent Strategic Framework, and the canonical authority of accepted Alescent-specific content.

The ABoK includes Alescent-specific identity, strategy, Canon, operating models, Applied Value Library, brand, communications, website and derivative assets, governance, and the distinct Alescent Legal Framework.

Governing Architecture

  • ABoK. The complete governed Alescent-specific institutional and applied knowledge corpus.
  • Alescent Strategic Framework. The principal organizing Framework within the ABoK.
  • Alescent Canon. The content formally accepted as authoritative within the Alescent-specific scope.
  • Applied Value Library. Curated reusable applied knowledge objects whose authority and lifecycle status must be explicit.
  • Alescent Legal Framework. A distinct operative framework informed by the ABoK and selected VRBoK concepts.
  • VRBoK. The portable and generalized Value Realization knowledge corpus on which Alescent-specific application depends.

Governance Principles

  • Alescent placement. Alescent-specific doctrine belongs in the ABoK and is principally organized through the Alescent Strategic Framework.
  • Portable placement. Portable Value Realization doctrine belongs in the VRBoK and is principally organized through the Value Realization Framework.
  • No silent redefinition. ABoK content must not silently redefine portable VRBoK Canon.
  • Explicit authority. Repository inclusion, Library placement, publication, or repetition does not make an artifact canonical.
  • Applied distinction. Applied Value Library artifacts may be canonical, draft, proposed, perspective, reference, illustrative, derivative, deprecated, or superseded. Status must be explicit or governed.
  • Derivative distinction. Websites, decks, proposals, templates, meeting summaries, and other derivative assets must not be treated as canonical doctrine.
  • Source distinction. Source Material must be preserved as evidence and intake rather than merged uncritically into Canon.
  • Perspective distinction. Perspectives are collaborative and exploratory. They do not override Canon.
  • Semantic separation. Semantic models must separate canonical definitions from examples, rationale, exceptions, drafting guidance, and source evidence.
  • Legal distinction. The Alescent Legal Framework is operative and distinct. Applicable executed instruments govern within their legal scope.
  • System of record. GitHub main remains authoritative for repository-governed ABoK content unless a governing artifact explicitly designates another system.
  • Governance numbering. Governance directories should use 900 consistently.

Change Management

Changes to Alescent-specific canonical content should be recorded in the Alescent Change Register and, where appropriate, the Canonical Decision Register.

Material unresolved matters spanning the VRBoK, ABoK, Legal Framework, Applied Value Library, publishing system, or source-intake workflow should be routed through the Canonical Review Backlog.

Changes that affect portable Value Realization doctrine must also be recorded in the Value Realization Framework Change Register and reviewed through VRBoK canonical governance before being treated as general Canon.

Authority Status

Preferred authority-status values are:

  • canonical;
  • draft;
  • proposed;
  • perspective;
  • reference;
  • illustrative;
  • derivative;
  • deprecated;
  • superseded.

Authority status is separate from workflow status such as implementing or closed.

Review Checks

A material ABoK change should identify:

  • the governing Framework and artifact class;
  • authority and lifecycle status;
  • whether the content is Alescent-specific or portable;
  • VRBoK dependencies and possible portable-doctrine implications;
  • Legal Framework implications;
  • Applied Value Library and derivative-asset impacts;
  • source evidence and decision rationale;
  • required Change Register, Canonical Decision Register, and CRB actions.