add issues-as-todo-list section: assignments as coordination flags

AUTOMATED_DEV.md

@@ -29,6 +29,49 @@ human user. This matters because:
   directly, others it must fork and PR)
 - API rate limits and permissions are independent
 
+### Issues as the To-Do List
+
+Gitea issues aren't just bug reports — they're the universal task queue. Every
+piece of work, from feature requests to personal errands, lives as an issue:
+
+- **Issue = task.** If it needs doing, it's an issue. No separate task manager,
+  no Notion boards, no sticky notes.
+- **Assignment = ownership.** An issue assigned to `clawbot` means the agent is
+  responsible for the next step. An issue assigned to the human means it's in
+  their queue. An unassigned issue is unclaimed work.
+- **Assignment as coordination flag.** When the agent finishes its part of a
+  task but needs human input, it unassigns itself and assigns the human. When
+  the human delegates work, they assign the agent. The assignment field IS the
+  handoff mechanism — no need for separate status updates or "hey, this is ready
+  for you" messages.
+- **Close = done.** When an issue is closed, the work is complete. PRs reference
+  issues with "(closes #N)" so merging the PR automatically closes the issue.
+
+This means you can answer "what's on my plate?" with a single API call:
+`GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues?assignee=me&state=open`. The agent does this
+during every sitrep and heartbeat.
+
+For personal task management, we even have a dedicated issues-only repo (no
+code) that serves as a general to-do list. The agent reviews open issues there,
+suggests ways to complete tasks with minimal effort, and proactively comments
+with research or offers to handle items directly.
+
+### The Issue → PR → Deploy Lifecycle
+
+Issues drive the entire pipeline:
+
+1. Issue filed (by human or agent)
+2. Assigned to whoever should work on it
+3. Work happens on a feature branch
+4. PR created with "(closes #N)" in the title
+5. PR reviewed, checked, merged
+6. Issue auto-closes on merge
+7. Code auto-deploys to production (if applicable)
+
+The issue tracker is the single source of truth for what needs doing, who's
+doing it, and what's done. Everything else (PRs, branches, deployments) links
+back to issues.
+
 ## Real-Time Activity Feed: Gitea → Mattermost
 
 Every repo has a Gitea webhook that sends all activity (pushes, PRs, issues,