| name | harness-architect |
| description | Transform a PRD into a practical FDD in a work item directory under docs/exec-plans/current/ with concrete boundaries, interfaces, data impacts, and verification strategy. |
| examples | ["$harness-architect docs/exec-plans/current/gradebook-overrides","$harness-architect docs/exec-plans/current/platform-modernization/gradebook-overrides"] |
| when_to_use | ["PRD exists and technical design decisions are needed.","The team needs concrete boundaries and contracts before planning or coding."] |
| when_not_to_use | ["PRD is missing (use $harness-analyze).","Task is direct implementation (use $harness-develop)."] |
Required Resources
Always load before writing:
references/persona.md
references/philosophy.md
references/approach.md
references/focus_areas.md
references/output_requirements.md
references/fdd_checklist.md
references/definition_of_done.md
references/validation.md
assets/templates/fdd_template.md
- repository context:
ARCHITECTURE.md, harness.yml, docs/STACK.md, docs/TOOLING.md, docs/TESTING.md, docs/PRODUCT_SENSE.md, docs/FRONTEND.md, docs/BACKEND.md, docs/DESIGN.md, docs/OPERATIONS.md, and relevant files under docs/design-docs/
Workflow
- Resolve the work item directory under
docs/exec-plans/current/....
- Read
<work_item_dir>/prd.md.
- Open or create
<work_item_dir>/fdd.md.
- Use
assets/templates/fdd_template.md as the section structure.
- Apply the reference files as hard guidance for boundaries, interfaces, risks, and verification.
- Use
harness.yml to determine whether feature flags, telemetry, performance requirements, code review, and issue tracking should appear by default.
- Resolve
<skills_root> as the directory that contains the installed harness skills (architect/, requirements/, validate/, etc.). Do not resolve script paths relative to the repository or current working directory.
- Run:
python3 <skills_root>/requirements/scripts/requirements_trace.py <work_item_dir> --action verify_fdd
python3 <skills_root>/requirements/scripts/requirements_trace.py <work_item_dir> --action master_validate --stage fdd_only
python3 <skills_root>/validate/scripts/validate_work_item.py <work_item_dir> --check fdd
Output Contract
- Update
<work_item_dir>/fdd.md.
- Final response: updated path, key decisions, unresolved questions.