Backlog

Backlog Management

Manage the project's backlog of future work items via the Notion "OpenSpec Changes" database. The backlog is a column/status in the existing task board, not a separate system.

Notion Database Details

• Data source: collection://61973df7-c1a4-49d0-8baf-7fbf2d714968
• Database name: OpenSpec Changes
• Parent page: "Data Israel" (31d6dd80-0603-81c9-8114-c4444cd24106)

Status Values

Required Properties

Core Operations

Add a Backlog Item

Use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-create-pages with:

parent: { type: "data_source_id", data_source_id: "61973df7-c1a4-49d0-8baf-7fbf2d714968" }
pages: [{
  properties: {
    "Name": "Descriptive title",
    "Change ID": "kebab-case-id",
    "Category": "Backend",        // or Frontend, Full Stack, etc.
    "Priority": "Medium",         // High, Medium, or Low
    "Status": "Backlog"
  },
  icon: "emoji",                  // relevant emoji
  content: "## Overview\n\nDescription of the work item...\n\n## Value\n\n- Why this matters...\n\n## Notes\n\n- Implementation considerations..."
}]

Content guidelines for backlog items:

• Start with ## Overview — what the work item is
• Include ## Value — why it matters, what user need it serves
• Include ## Notes — technical considerations, API details, discovery context
• Keep content concise but informative enough for future implementation

Fetch All Backlog Items

Use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-search to find backlog items:

query: "Backlog"

Or use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-fetch with the data source ID to get the full database schema and then filter.

For targeted lookups, search by name or Change ID keywords.

Fetch a Specific Backlog Item

Use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-fetch with the page ID or URL:

id: "page-uuid-here"

Or search by Change ID using mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-search:

query: "add-land-authority-planning"

Move Item Out of Backlog

Use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-update-page to change status:

page_id: "page-uuid"
properties: { "Status": "To Do" }

This promotes a backlog item to active work. Optionally update Priority at the same time.

Update a Backlog Item

Use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-update-page to modify any property or content:

page_id: "page-uuid"
properties: { "Priority": "High" }
content: "Updated content..."

Workflow Patterns

Research → Backlog

When discovering a new API, data source, or feature opportunity during research:

1. Document findings in the backlog item's content (endpoint URLs, auth requirements, sample responses)
2. Set priority based on user value
3. Include discovery context (how it was found, which repo/project revealed it)

Backlog → OpenSpec Proposal

When promoting a backlog item to active work:

1. Change status from Backlog to To Do
2. Create an OpenSpec proposal in openspec/changes/{change-id}/
3. Update the Notion page content with the task checklist from tasks.md

Backlog Review

When the user asks to review the backlog:

1. Fetch all items with Backlog status
2. Present them grouped by Category or sorted by Priority
3. Suggest which items to promote based on current project context

Best Practices

• Always set a Change ID — enables linking between Notion and openspec/changes/ later
• Include technical details — API endpoints, auth requirements, sample data
• Reference discovery source — GitHub repos, documentation URLs, research sessions
• Keep priorities honest — High = blocks current work or high user demand; Medium = valuable but not urgent; Low = nice-to-have
• Use relevant emojis for icons — helps visual scanning in the Notion board

Additional Resources

Reference Files

• references/notion-schema.md — Complete Notion database schema, SQL definition, and property option IDs for programmatic access