---
slug: "ScopeFreeze"
name: "ScopeFreeze"
type: "Inference"
layer: "Mind"
ref: "ScopeFreeze#548e"
sema_id: "sema:ScopeFreeze#mh:SHA-256:548e48a88048b5383250dbf480e0b52ed61ed9cc2fd947d89fac68edc9737d21"
tags: ["Mind","Inference"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json
url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/ScopeFreeze/
related: ["AcceptSpec","Agent","Decompose","Satisfice","Task","TimeboxThink","Transition"]
---

# ScopeFreeze

Lock requirements to prevent scope creep

Layer: Mind · Category: Inference

## Mechanism

Phase [Transition](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Transition.md) Control. Defines a discrete point (T_freeze) after which the `[AcceptSpec](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/AcceptSpec.md)` and `Goal` of a [Task](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Task.md) become Immutable. Any new requirements discovered after T_freeze must be rejected or moved to a 'Backlog' object for future execution. It locks the [Task](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Task.md) requirements, forcing the agent to [Satisfice](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Satisfice.md) within the remaining [TimeboxThink](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/TimeboxThink.md) rather than [Decompose](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Decompose.md) further.

## Invariants

- Immutability: After freeze, [Task](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Task.md).[AcceptSpec](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/AcceptSpec.md) cannot be modified.
- Rejection: New SubTasks created after freeze must serve EXISTING goals only (no new features).

## Preconditions

- Initial requirements defined
- [Task](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Task.md) is active

## Postconditions

- New requirements routed to Backlog
- [Task](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Task.md) marked as Frozen (Read-Only Requirements)

## Failure modes

- Feature Creep: [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) discovers 'nice to have' sub-tasks and attempts to execute them during the closing phase.
- Perfectionism Spiral: Continuous refinement of the [AcceptSpec](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/AcceptSpec.md) prevents task completion.

## Parameters

- `exception_policy` (Enum, {Reject, Queue, CostAnalysis}): Default: Queue
- `freeze_trigger` (Enum, {Time, Progress, Manual}): Default: Manual

## Builds on

- [AcceptSpec](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/AcceptSpec.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) (Mind; References)
- [Decompose](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Decompose.md) (Mind; References)
- [Satisfice](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Satisfice.md) (Mind; References)
- [Task](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Task.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [TimeboxThink](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/TimeboxThink.md) (Mind; References)
- [Transition](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Transition.md) (Infrastructure; References)

## Used by

—

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:ScopeFreeze#mh:SHA-256:548e48a88048b5383250dbf480e0b52ed61ed9cc2fd947d89fac68edc9737d21`
- Ref: `ScopeFreeze#548e`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:ScopeFreeze#mh:SHA-256:d8c15a8a91ccbfcdb54d00cb1c4a386969867716b402ae638e5822742cd1d2d4`
  - `sema:ScopeFreeze#mh:SHA-256:939dd7b6c88e74dc272db73678bb54612061126969e3a08a960c45189b1a7cfd`
  - `sema:ScopeFreeze#mh:SHA-256:a5fba4646fccc10c48b48fd440def9dc483ddd9c143d2468181c1063103ca707`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/ScopeFreeze/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/#ScopeFreeze)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/ScopeFreeze.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json)