EKGF · tonyseale · Jun 16, 2026 · Jun 16, 2026
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@ Source: 19da58f8 (full proposal in recurrence-redesign.md).
 - Decision: **(a)** Change `dprod-shapes:DataContractShape` `dprod:acceptsOffer` to `sh:minCount 1` only (drop `sh:maxCount`), accepting the basket model. Or **(b)** Keep `1`, document the workaround (one mega-offer + selective obligation refs). Or **(c)** Add a sibling property `dprod:acceptsOffers` (plural, basket) and keep `acceptsOffer` as the single-offer shorthand.
 - Coupling: depends on 5.8. Whatever is decided here, the formal-semantics resolve algorithm (norm matching across the contract's offers) needs an explicit rule.
 
+## TSNOTE:  for now we're rejecting 5.8 and 5.9 as it seems to increase complexity rather than reduce it. Interest here from Stephen on the justifications. 
 ---
 
 ## Bucket 6 — Deferred / needs more info

@@ -396,18 +396,8 @@ ex:contract a dprod:DataOffer ;
     odrl:permission [
         a odrl:Permission ;
         odrl:action odrl:read ;
-        odrl:target ex:marketPrices
     ] ;
-    odrl:permission [
-        a odrl:Permission ;
-        odrl:action odrl:read ;
-        odrl:target ex:referenceData
-    ] ;
-    odrl:permission [
-        a odrl:Permission ;
-        odrl:action odrl:read ;
-        odrl:target ex:riskMetrics
-    ] .
+.
 ```
 
 ---

@@ -161,15 +161,40 @@ ex:subscription a dprod:DataContract ;
 
 ## 4. Property Definitions
 
-### 4.1 dprod:offerLifeCycleStatus, dprod:contractLifeCycleStatus, dprod:dutyState
+### 4.1 Lifecycle status properties
 
-| Property | Domain | Range | Cardinality | Definition |
-|----------|--------|-------|-------------|------------|
-| `dprod:offerLifeCycleStatus` | `dprod:DataOffer` | `skos:Concept` | 0..1 | Administrative lifecycle status of a data offer (not evaluated at request time) |
-| `dprod:contractLifeCycleStatus` | `dprod:DataContract` | `skos:Concept` | 0..1 | Administrative lifecycle status of a data contract (not evaluated at request time) |
-| `dprod:dutyState` | `odrl:Duty` | `skos:Concept` | 0..1 | Evaluated state of a duty (set by the standard evaluation algorithm; see §5 of formal-semantics.md) |
+DPROD uses a single abstract super-property — **`dprod:lifeCycleStatus`** — as the default pattern for "where is this resource in its lifecycle" properties. Concrete lifecycle statuses pin the property to a specific resource class via `rdfs:domain` and keep `skos:Concept` as the range, so each domain can plug in an appropriate `skos:ConceptScheme` without re-closing the value set.
 
-All three properties are `owl:ObjectProperty`. The four DPROD-defined canonical concepts (`dprod:Pending`, `dprod:Active`, `dprod:Fulfilled`, `dprod:Violated`) form the default vocabulary for each; profiles MAY introduce further `skos:Concept` values.
+| Property | Super-property | Domain | Range | Cardinality | Definition |
+|----------|---------------|--------|-------|-------------|------------|
+| `dprod:lifeCycleStatus` | — (abstract) | — | `skos:Concept` | 0..1 | Abstract: position of any DPROD resource in its lifecycle |
+| `dprod:offerLifeCycleStatus` | `dprod:lifeCycleStatus` | `dprod:DataOffer` | `skos:Concept` | 0..1 | Publication lifecycle position of a data offer; assigned by the publisher |
+| `dprod:contractLifeCycleStatus` | `dprod:lifeCycleStatus` | `dprod:DataContract` | `skos:Concept` | 0..1 | Administrative lifecycle position of a data contract; assigned by the contract management process |
+| `dprod:lifecycleStatus` | `dprod:lifeCycleStatus` | `dprod:DataProduct` | `dprod:DataProductLifecycleStatus` (⊆ `skos:Concept`) | 0..1 | Development lifecycle of a data product (main DPROD; pre-existing) |
+
+The data-product property `dprod:lifecycleStatus` predates the SKOS-based pattern; it is folded into the family by two compatibility axioms in `dprod-contracts.ttl`: `dprod:lifecycleStatus rdfs:subPropertyOf dprod:lifeCycleStatus` and `dprod:DataProductLifecycleStatus rdfs:subClassOf skos:Concept`. Existing data-product values remain valid.
+
+The `dprod:DataContractLifeCycleStatus` concept scheme (§3.1) is the default vocabulary for `offerLifeCycleStatus` and `contractLifeCycleStatus`; the `dprod:DataProductLifecycleStatus` enumeration is the default for `lifecycleStatus`. Profiles MAY use either as-is, extend them via `skos:inScheme`, or supply their own scheme.
+
+#### Why `dprod:dutyState` is not part of this hierarchy
+
+`dprod:dutyState` is **not** a sub-property of `dprod:lifeCycleStatus`. Lifecycle statuses are *authored* — the value is assigned by a known actor (publisher, contract manager, data product owner) and stays put until that actor changes it. `dprod:dutyState`, by contrast, is *computed* — the value is the latest output of an evaluator running against observable facts. Mixing the two under a common super-property would obscure the most useful distinction: who owns the value and when it changes.
+
+### 4.1.1 Pattern for new lifecycle status properties
+
+When a new DPROD resource needs a lifecycle status, follow this pattern:
+
+```turtle
+dprod:someResourceLifeCycleStatus
+  a owl:ObjectProperty ;
+  rdfs:subPropertyOf dprod:lifeCycleStatus ;
+  rdfs:domain dprod:SomeResource ;
+  rdfs:range skos:Concept ;
+  rdfs:label "some resource life cycle status" ;
+.
+```
+
+A matching `skos:ConceptScheme` SHOULD be supplied as the default vocabulary, but the property MUST NOT re-close its range as an `owl:Class` enumeration — the open `skos:Concept` range is what lets profiles plug in their own concepts without breaking conformance.
 
 ### 4.2 dprod:deadline
 

@@ -159,8 +159,27 @@ dprod:Violated
 #############################  DPROD Contracts Properties ################
 
 
+# Abstract super-property establishing the default DPROD pattern for lifecycle
+# status properties. Concrete lifecycle statuses (offer, contract, data product)
+# are sub-properties of this one with the same skos:Concept range but a
+# domain-specific class. New DPROD properties expressing "where is this thing
+# in its lifecycle" SHOULD follow this pattern.
+dprod:lifeCycleStatus
+  a owl:ObjectProperty ;
+  dct:description "Abstract: the current position of a DPROD resource in its lifecycle."@en ;
+  rdfs:comment
+    """Default DPROD pattern for lifecycle status properties. A concrete
+    sub-property pins the property to a specific resource class via
+    rdfs:domain and SHOULD keep skos:Concept as its range — letting each
+    domain plug in an appropriate skos:ConceptScheme."""@en ;
+  rdfs:isDefinedBy dprod: ;
+  rdfs:range skos:Concept ;
+  rdfs:label "life cycle status" ;
+.
+
 dprod:offerLifeCycleStatus
   a owl:ObjectProperty ;
+  rdfs:subPropertyOf dprod:lifeCycleStatus ;
   dct:description "Where this offer sits in its publication lifecycle — typically drafted, published, withdrawn, or superseded; assigned by the publisher."@en ;
   rdfs:comment
     """Value is any skos:Concept; dprod:DataContractLifeCycleStatus is one
@@ -173,6 +192,7 @@ dprod:offerLifeCycleStatus
 
 dprod:contractLifeCycleStatus
   a owl:ObjectProperty ;
+  rdfs:subPropertyOf dprod:lifeCycleStatus ;
   dct:description "Where this contract sits in its administrative lifecycle — typically pre-effective, in force, completed, or breached; assigned by the contract management process."@en ;
   rdfs:comment
     """Value is any skos:Concept; dprod:DataContractLifeCycleStatus is one
@@ -360,3 +380,21 @@ dprod:currentDateTime
   rdfs:label "current date time" ;
   rdfs:seeAlso odrl:dateTime ;
 .
+
+
+############################# Compatibility axioms against main DPROD ################
+# These axioms fold pre-existing main-DPROD terms into the lifecycle-status pattern
+# established above. They live here (rather than in main dprod-ontology.ttl) because
+# this file is the contract for "additional axioms against the DPROD ontology", and
+# the pattern itself was introduced with dprod-contracts.
+
+# Make the existing dprod:lifecycleStatus (data product) a sub-property of the new
+# abstract dprod:lifeCycleStatus. The existing property's range (dprod:DataProductLifecycleStatus)
+# is narrower than skos:Concept, so the next axiom is needed to keep values valid
+# under both the existing and the inherited range constraints.
+dprod:lifecycleStatus rdfs:subPropertyOf dprod:lifeCycleStatus .
+
+# Fold the existing enumeration class into SKOS so that any
+# dprod:DataProductLifecycleStatus individual is also a skos:Concept (and therefore
+# a valid value of dprod:lifeCycleStatus and any sub-property thereof).
+dprod:DataProductLifecycleStatus rdfs:subClassOf skos:Concept .