diff --git a/frontend/src/components/StagePanel.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/StagePanel.test.tsx
index 4708d8f..2fc8d39 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/StagePanel.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/StagePanel.test.tsx
@@ -101,4 +101,120 @@ describe("StagePanel", () => {
 		render(<StagePanel title="Upcoming" items={items} />);
 		expect(screen.getByText("Missing front matter")).toBeInTheDocument();
 	});
+
+	it("shows STORY badge for story items", () => {
+		const items: PipelineStageItem[] = [
+			{
+				story_id: "10_story_some_feature",
+				name: "Some Feature",
+				error: null,
+				agent: null,
+			},
+		];
+		render(<StagePanel title="Upcoming" items={items} />);
+		expect(
+			screen.getByTestId("type-badge-10_story_some_feature"),
+		).toHaveTextContent("STORY");
+	});
+
+	it("shows BUG badge for bug items", () => {
+		const items: PipelineStageItem[] = [
+			{
+				story_id: "11_bug_broken_thing",
+				name: "Broken Thing",
+				error: null,
+				agent: null,
+			},
+		];
+		render(<StagePanel title="Current" items={items} />);
+		expect(
+			screen.getByTestId("type-badge-11_bug_broken_thing"),
+		).toHaveTextContent("BUG");
+	});
+
+	it("shows SPIKE badge for spike items", () => {
+		const items: PipelineStageItem[] = [
+			{
+				story_id: "12_spike_investigate_perf",
+				name: "Investigate Perf",
+				error: null,
+				agent: null,
+			},
+		];
+		render(<StagePanel title="QA" items={items} />);
+		expect(
+			screen.getByTestId("type-badge-12_spike_investigate_perf"),
+		).toHaveTextContent("SPIKE");
+	});
+
+	it("shows no badge for unrecognised type prefix", () => {
+		const items: PipelineStageItem[] = [
+			{
+				story_id: "13_task_do_something",
+				name: "Do Something",
+				error: null,
+				agent: null,
+			},
+		];
+		render(<StagePanel title="Done" items={items} />);
+		expect(
+			screen.queryByTestId("type-badge-13_task_do_something"),
+		).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
+	it("applies green left border for story items", () => {
+		const items: PipelineStageItem[] = [
+			{
+				story_id: "20_story_green_border",
+				name: "Green Border",
+				error: null,
+				agent: null,
+			},
+		];
+		render(<StagePanel title="Upcoming" items={items} />);
+		const card = screen.getByTestId("card-20_story_green_border");
+		expect(card.style.borderLeft).toContain("rgb(63, 185, 80)");
+	});
+
+	it("applies red left border for bug items", () => {
+		const items: PipelineStageItem[] = [
+			{
+				story_id: "21_bug_red_border",
+				name: "Red Border",
+				error: null,
+				agent: null,
+			},
+		];
+		render(<StagePanel title="Current" items={items} />);
+		const card = screen.getByTestId("card-21_bug_red_border");
+		expect(card.style.borderLeft).toContain("rgb(248, 81, 73)");
+	});
+
+	it("applies blue left border for spike items", () => {
+		const items: PipelineStageItem[] = [
+			{
+				story_id: "22_spike_blue_border",
+				name: "Blue Border",
+				error: null,
+				agent: null,
+			},
+		];
+		render(<StagePanel title="QA" items={items} />);
+		const card = screen.getByTestId("card-22_spike_blue_border");
+		expect(card.style.borderLeft).toContain("rgb(88, 166, 255)");
+	});
+
+	it("applies neutral left border for unrecognised type", () => {
+		const items: PipelineStageItem[] = [
+			{
+				story_id: "23_task_neutral_border",
+				name: "Neutral Border",
+				error: null,
+				agent: null,
+			},
+		];
+		render(<StagePanel title="Done" items={items} />);
+		const card = screen.getByTestId("card-23_task_neutral_border");
+		expect(card.style.borderLeft).toContain("rgb(68, 68, 68)");
+	});
 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/StagePanel.tsx b/frontend/src/components/StagePanel.tsx
index eee562d..ebb19e9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/StagePanel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/StagePanel.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,32 @@ import { useLozengeFly } from "./LozengeFlyContext";
 
 const { useLayoutEffect, useRef } = React;
 
+type WorkItemType = "story" | "bug" | "spike" | "unknown";
+
+const TYPE_COLORS: Record<WorkItemType, string> = {
+	story: "#3fb950",
+	bug: "#f85149",
+	spike: "#58a6ff",
+	unknown: "#444",
+};
+
+const TYPE_LABELS: Record<WorkItemType, string | null> = {
+	story: "STORY",
+	bug: "BUG",
+	spike: "SPIKE",
+	unknown: null,
+};
+
+function getWorkItemType(storyId: string): WorkItemType {
+	const match = storyId.match(/^\d+_([a-z]+)_/);
+	if (!match) return "unknown";
+	const segment = match[1];
+	if (segment === "story" || segment === "bug" || segment === "spike") {
+		return segment;
+	}
+	return "unknown";
+}
+
 interface StagePanelProps {
 	title: string;
 	items: PipelineStageItem[];
@@ -137,13 +163,18 @@ export function StagePanel({
 				>
 					{items.map((item) => {
 						const itemNumber = item.story_id.match(/^(\d+)/)?.[1];
+						const itemType = getWorkItemType(item.story_id);
+						const borderColor = TYPE_COLORS[itemType];
+						const typeLabel = TYPE_LABELS[itemType];
 						return (
 							<div
 								key={`${title}-${item.story_id}`}
+								data-testid={`card-${item.story_id}`}
 								style={{
 									border: item.agent
 										? "1px solid #2a3a4a"
 										: "1px solid #2a2a2a",
+									borderLeft: `3px solid ${borderColor}`,
 									borderRadius: "8px",
 									padding: "8px 12px",
 									background: item.agent ? "#161e2a" : "#191919",
@@ -165,6 +196,20 @@ export function StagePanel({
 												#{itemNumber}
 											</span>
 										)}
+										{typeLabel && (
+											<span
+												data-testid={`type-badge-${item.story_id}`}
+												style={{
+													fontSize: "0.7em",
+													fontWeight: 700,
+													color: borderColor,
+													marginRight: "8px",
+													letterSpacing: "0.05em",
+												}}
+											>
+												{typeLabel}
+											</span>
+										)}
 										{item.name ?? item.story_id}
 									</div>
 									{item.error && (