Document Type: Canon
Status: Canon
Version: v1.3
Authority: HeadOffice
Applies To: Entire MWMS Ecosystem
Parent: MWMS Canon
Last Reviewed: 2026-04-16
Purpose
This document defines the structural authority order of all canon documents within the MWMS ecosystem.
As the number of canon documents increases, it becomes essential to clearly define which documents override others in the event of conflict.
This hierarchy prevents governance ambiguity and ensures that all rules operate within a consistent chain of authority.
The Canon Hierarchy Map acts as the structural authority diagram for the MWMS constitutional system.
Its role is to ensure that canon expansion does not create conflict, duplication, or authority drift.
Scope
This canon applies to:
all MWMS canon documents
conflict resolution between governance documents
authority ordering across the MWMS ecosystem
interpretation of precedence when multiple rules appear to conflict
structural governance of future canon expansion
cross-layer canon discipline
This document governs canon precedence and override logic.
It does not govern:
operational workflow design
page-level implementation details
plugin code behaviour
specific campaign decisions
architecture document content beyond canon compliance
Architecture, protocol, framework, specification, standard, and reference documents must all comply with canon authority ordering, but they are not elevated above canon by this map unless they are explicitly classified as canon.
Definition / Rules
Core Principle
Canon operates in layers of authority.
Higher layers define foundational rules.
Lower layers must operate within the boundaries defined by the layers above them.
If a conflict occurs between two canon documents, the document higher in the hierarchy prevails.
If two canon documents appear to exist at the same layer, then the more structurally specific document governs within its scope, provided it does not contradict a broader higher-layer canon.
Canon hierarchy protects structural clarity.
Canon Authority Model
The MWMS canon operates across six authority layers aligned to the ecosystem’s structural model.
Level 1 — Constitutional Layer
This layer defines the foundational identity, purpose, philosophy, and operating model of MWMS.
Documents in this layer define the long-term nature of the ecosystem.
Examples may include:
MWMS Constitution
MWMS Canon
MWMS Canon Index
MWMS How to Start a Session Operating Guide
These documents define the highest-order constitutional logic of MWMS.
No lower-layer document may contradict this layer.
Level 2 — Governance Layer
This layer defines how authority is distributed and how governance discipline is maintained.
These documents define:
decision control
authority boundaries
canon editing discipline
AI governance
page naming discipline
document structure discipline
Examples may include:
MWMS Authority Structure
MWMS Decision Authority Matrix
MWMS Canon Editing Protocol
MWMS Canon Session Protocol
MWMS AI Governance Overview
MWMS Page Naming Standard
MWMS Document Structure Standard
MWMS Document Taxonomy
These documents govern how the ecosystem maintains discipline.
No lower-layer canon may violate governance-layer logic.
Level 3 — Organisational Layer
This layer defines the structure of the MWMS organisation itself.
It establishes:
how Brains exist
how Brains are created
how Brains are classified
how Brains evolve
how architecture layers are separated
Examples may include:
MWMS Brain Registry
MWMS Brain Lifecycle
MWMS Brain Creation Protocol
MWMS Brain Contract
MWMS Architecture Registry
MWMS System Layers Map
These documents define the organisational shape of MWMS.
They determine where system components belong.
Level 4 — Interaction and Coordination Layer
This layer defines how structured work moves across the organisation.
It governs:
brain interaction
request routing
task-based coordination
cross-brain visibility
change triage and routing
coordination discipline
Examples may include:
MWMS Brain Interaction Protocol
MWMS Request Routing Map
MWMS Brain Interaction Map
MWMS Brain to Brain Request Protocol
HeadOffice External Change Intelligence Framework
HeadOffice Change Impact Triage Model
HeadOffice Change Routing Protocol
These documents ensure that work moves through MWMS in a structured, authority-safe way.
Level 5 — Operational Governance Layer
This layer defines the governing rules applied to operational behaviour inside the ecosystem.
It governs:
operational constraints
approval pathways
control logic
stage progression discipline
recording discipline
visibility rules
Examples may include:
MWMS Decision Record System
MWMS Task Architecture Standard
MWMS Task Types Standard
MWMS Finance Decision Task Schema Standard
other canon pages defining structured operating discipline
These documents govern how action remains controlled once the organisation and routing layers are already defined.
Level 6 — Technical Governance Layer
This layer defines the technical and system standards supporting MWMS governance and interoperability.
It governs:
schema discipline
naming discipline at system level
data structure consistency
append-only or integrity-safe technical governance rules
Examples may include:
MWMS Supabase Task Schema Standard
MWMS Supabase Naming Standard
MWMS RLS and Append Only Enforcement
other technical canon documents explicitly classified as canon
These documents govern the technical foundations supporting MWMS.
They must comply with all higher layers.
Architecture Documents vs Canon
MWMS contains many documents that describe system architecture, dashboards, reporting surfaces, workflows, or operational systems.
Examples may include:
Ads Brain Dashboard Architecture
MWMS Offer Lifecycle Dashboard
HeadOffice UI Signals Dashboard (Spec)
Affiliate Brain operational pages
Offer Intelligence templates
These documents may be highly important, but they are not automatically constitutional authority.
Rule:
Architecture, reference, standard, protocol, framework, specification, and operational pages must comply with canon authority ordering.
Canon always overrides non-canon.
A non-canon document cannot override a canon document regardless of operational usefulness.
Conflict Resolution Rule
If two documents conflict, the hierarchy resolves the conflict automatically.
Examples:
if an operational protocol contradicts a governance rule, the governance rule prevails
if a technical standard contradicts a constitutional principle, the constitutional principle prevails
if a routing page contradicts the Brain authority structure, the authority structure prevails
if a dashboard specification implies execution authority, canon governance boundaries prevail
This ensures consistent governance across the entire MWMS ecosystem.
Scope Specificity Rule
Where two canon documents sit close together in authority, the following rule applies:
higher layer wins first
within the same layer, the more scope-specific canon governs within its own explicit domain
provided it does not contradict the broader canon above it
This prevents false conflict where one canon is broad and another is domain-specific.
Governance Enforcement
HeadOffice is responsible for enforcing the canon hierarchy.
SIT Brain may assist by detecting:
structural conflicts
rule violations
document inconsistencies
authority drift
However, final authority remains with:
HeadOffice
Human Executive Authority
Humans remain the ultimate authority.
Mental Model
The MWMS canon operates like a constitutional government.
Level 1 — Constitutional Layer
foundational law
Level 2 — Governance Layer
government authority and discipline
Level 3 — Organisational Layer
government departments and structural design
Level 4 — Interaction and Coordination Layer
how departments communicate and route work
Level 5 — Operational Governance Layer
how governed procedures operate
Level 6 — Technical Governance Layer
infrastructure standards supporting the system
This hierarchy allows MWMS to grow without losing structural discipline.
Outcome
The Canon Hierarchy Map ensures that all MWMS canon documents operate within a clearly defined authority structure.
It prevents:
rule conflict
structural ambiguity
document drift
accidental override confusion
unsafe canon expansion
As MWMS grows, this hierarchy allows new canon documents to be added without weakening governance coherence.
Drift Protection
The system must prevent:
lower-layer documents overriding higher-layer canon
architecture pages being treated as constitutional authority
governance ambiguity caused by missing precedence rules
conflicting canon pages being interpreted without hierarchy reference
uncontrolled canon expansion without authority placement
interaction-layer pages being mistaken for constitutional law
technical standards being treated as governance law outside their scope
All canon interpretation must respect hierarchy order.
Final Rule
If a canon document cannot be placed clearly within the hierarchy, its authority is not yet safe to rely on.
Placement must be explicit before conflict resolution can be trusted.
No canon page should be promoted without known hierarchy placement.
Architectural Intent
The MWMS Canon Hierarchy Map exists to preserve a clear constitutional order across the growing MWMS governance system.
Its role is to ensure that as new canon pages are added, they enter a known authority structure so conflicts can be resolved consistently and the ecosystem can expand without losing governance coherence.
This version aligns canon hierarchy more closely with the modern MWMS layered ecosystem while preserving the original purpose of constitutional ordering.
Change Log
Version: v1.3
Date: 2026-04-16
Author: MWMS HeadOffice
Change:
Updated the canon hierarchy from a five-level model to a six-level model.
Aligned canon authority ordering more closely with the broader MWMS structural layering now used across the ecosystem.
Added explicit distinction between:
Organisational Layer
Interaction and Coordination Layer
Operational Governance Layer
Technical Governance Layer
Clarified relationship between canon and non-canon documents.
Added scope specificity rule for resolving apparent same-layer conflicts.
Strengthened alignment with MWMS Architecture Registry and expanded HeadOffice change-intelligence governance model.
END – MWMS CANON HIERARCHY MAP v1.3