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 Org-level autonomous flow protocol for OMT-Global issues, PRs, worker lanes, and merge gates.
 
+For the high-level relationship between `flow`, `bootstrap`, `.github`, individual repos, Pheidon, and worker lanes, see [OMT-Global Operating Map](docs/omt-global-operating-map.md).
+
 Use `project.bootstrap.yaml` as the control plane for repo-local scaffolding, GitHub governance, CI policy, and portable Codex profile sync. Plan first, then apply repo, GitHub, and home targets deliberately.
 
 ## What The Bootstrap Owns
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+# OMT-Global Operating Map
+
+This map defines where the organization-level operating rules live and how they reach individual repositories.
+
+## Repository Roles
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart TD
+    Flow["OMT-Global/flow<br/>Org operating protocol"]
+    Bootstrap["OMT-Global/bootstrap<br/>Repo/project projection tool"]
+    OrgProfile["OMT-Global/.github<br/>Org profile and defaults"]
+    Repo["Individual OMT-Global repo<br/>Code, issues, PRs, checks, CODEOWNERS"]
+    Pheidon["Pheidon<br/>Controller and gate"]
+    Workers["Worker lanes<br/>Athena, Daedalus, Ares, Hephaestus, Apollo, Hermes"]
+
+    Flow -->|defines states, labels, lane contracts, review/repair rules| Bootstrap
+    Bootstrap -->|applies manifests, workflows, templates, branch rules| Repo
+    OrgProfile -->|publishes org-facing profile/default community files| Repo
+    Repo -->|live issues, PRs, checks, reviews| Pheidon
+    Pheidon -->|assigns bounded work| Workers
+    Workers -->|PRs, reviews, repairs, validation evidence| Repo
+    Repo -->|state changes feed the next loop| Flow
+```
+
+## Mental Model
+
+- `OMT-Global/flow` is the operating protocol for the organization. It defines how work moves through issues, PRs, reviews, repairs, checks, merge gates, and worker lanes.
+- `OMT-Global/bootstrap` is the tool and control plane used to project that policy into repositories. It should run against repos/projects to reconcile managed files, GitHub settings, workflow policy, labels, templates, and portable agent profiles.
+- `OMT-Global/.github` is the organization profile/defaults repo. It is not the primary source for every per-repo workflow. Per-repo `.github/workflows/*` files are managed as repo-local surfaces by bootstrap policy unless a repo intentionally opts out.
+- Individual repos remain the source of live product work: code, issues, PRs, checks, reviews, branch protection, CODEOWNERS, and repo-local manifests.
+
+## Ownership Boundary
+
+Flow owns the vocabulary and state machine. Bootstrap owns projection. Repos own live execution.
+
+That split matters because it prevents three common failures:
+
+- changing one repo without updating the org policy;
+- documenting policy that the bootstrap tool cannot apply;
+- letting local worker state drift away from live GitHub truth.
+
+## Expected Loop
+
+1. Update or clarify policy in `flow`.
+2. Encode applicable repo changes in `bootstrap`.
+3. Run bootstrap against each target repo in plan mode first.
+4. Apply repo/GitHub/home targets deliberately.
+5. Let GitHub issues, PRs, checks, labels, CODEOWNERS, and reviews become the visible control plane.
+6. Let Pheidon and the worker lanes consume live GitHub state before local queue files.
+
+## Rule Of Thumb
+
+If the question is "how should OMT-Global work?", start in `flow`.
+
+If the question is "how do we stamp that into repos?", use `bootstrap`.
+
+If the question is "what is actually happening now?", read the individual repo's live GitHub state first.