rdr-propose

name	rdr-propose
metadata	{"argument-hint":"<NNNN> [--commit | --no-commit]"}
description	Use to move a seeded RDR from problem statement to chosen approach with alternatives weighed. Runs Stage 2 and re-validates stale seeds. Trigger for propose approach, $rdr-propose, or /rdr-propose.

rdr-propose — Stage 2 (Propose)

Move from a problem statement to a chosen approach with the seriously-considered alternatives recorded and rejected, so the draft has one coherent solution for Refine to tighten. Doubles as the front-half resume point: its freshness check re-validates a seed that sat idle and went stale.

Usage

Codex: $rdr-propose <NNNN>
Claude: /rdr-propose <NNNN>

1. Read rdr-common.md; run §seam-bind + §rdr-resolve to bind $RDR_RESOURCES, RDR_PATH.
2. Run the prompt 02-propose.prompt.md. Propose owns selection (which approach wins, read from prior art), not verification (deep spikes / full corpora) — that stays at Resolve, by design. The split is depth, not avoidance. It runs the freshness check (step 0), then reads prior art, enumerates 2–4 grounded approaches, recommends one, premortems it, and writes Proposed Solution / Alternatives / Decision Rationale + a Pending Critical Assumptions list into the draft. Retrieval-first: prior art is read before approaches are named (an LLM that enumerates first anchors on its training prior), with a cite-check — every prior-art claim the choice rests on is quoted/anchored from source, not paraphrased (the guard against the inverted-citation defect that overturned an approach three stages late). No prior art found → an explicit ⚠ no prior-art coverage line. large/foundational also build a scored Questions-Options-Criteria matrix so the choice falls out of an explicit comparison, not prose.

Review gate (Stage 02-propose.md)

• The seed was still current (step 0 ran; stale refs/scope fixed; any prior "retained as history" note acted on and deleted).
• Real alternatives weighed (not one option or strawmen).
• Prior art read before the approaches (grounds the set; ⚠ no prior-art coverage if none), and the choice's prior-art claims are quoted/anchored, not paraphrased.
• large/foundational: the choice falls out of a scored Q-O-C matrix, not prose.
• The chosen approach solves the user's problem; the premortem ran and the choice survived it.
• Load-bearing assumptions named (Pending is fine) — Stage 4's worklist.
• Technical Design proportionate — enough to commit, not a full implementation.

Next step (rdr-common §next-step)

• If autocommit is on, run §commit for propose first (see the rdr-common table).
• Next: /rdr-refine NNNN — remove contradiction, redundancy, bloat.
• A surfaced contradiction is a real design hole → iterate this stage (re-run /rdr-propose NNNN) before refining.
• /rdr-status NNNN to re-orient.