systematic-feature-design

name	systematic-feature-design
description	Rigorous 11-step methodology for designing new features and systems. Use when starting new feature design, planning major refactoring, designing developer-facing tools or APIs, or any work requiring architectural decisions. Covers research, compare, refine, ideate, discover, implement, critique, double-back, consolidate, and document steps.

Systematic Feature Design

Apply a rigorous 11-step methodology for designing new features and systems, ensuring fundamentals are addressed before polish.

Steps: Research, Compare, Refine (qualitative to quantitative), Design Documentation Ontology, Ideate, Discover (existing codebase), Implement (detailed paths), Critique, Double Back, Consolidate, Document Decisions.

Key principles:

• Steps 7-8 (Critique and Double Back) create the most value
• Level 0 (platform) before Level 2 (polish)
• Concrete over abstract -- every feature needs examples
• Additive documentation -- never delete research
• Vertical slices -- ship value incrementally
• Existing RFCs are first-class design evidence: when an open design question appears, search repo-local RFCs/ADRs/proposals/decision notes for a pre-existing path and raise matching artifacts to the user as candidate directions before inventing a new answer.

Uses the Phase Framework for document versioning (PHASE_1_RESEARCH.md, etc.) and the Level Framework (Level 0: Platform, Level 1: Workflow, Level 2: Polish).