Maintenance track for sub-cycle issue work #48

Transition framing

This issue supersedes the migrated card from docs/method/backlog/cool-ideas/PROCESS_maintenance-track-for-sub-cycle-work.md.

The core idea remains valid, but the trigger should now be a small GitHub Issue or direct issue-maintenance action, not a filesystem backlog card.

Contract

Define a Method maintenance track for work too small to justify a full design/playback/retro cycle.

Examples:

• typo fixes
• dependency bumps
• label/title/body cleanup
• low-risk docs repairs
• small release hygiene chores

Maintenance work may use a branch such as maint-fix-typos when repo files change. Pure GitHub issue cleanup may happen without a branch if no repository files change.

Acceptance criteria

• The docs define when maintenance is allowed and when a full cycle is still required.
• Maintenance work still leaves enough evidence: issue comment, commit message, or PR body.
• Small issue-label/title/body cleanup does not require fake cycle ceremony.
• The track does not become an escape hatch for risky product or process changes.