| name | design-first |
| description | Guides the creation of technical design documents before writing code, producing architecture diagrams, data models, API interface definitions, implementation plans, and multi-option trade-off analyses. Use when the user asks to plan a feature, architect a system, design an API, explore implementation approaches, or requests a technical design or spec before coding — especially for complex features involving multiple components, ambiguous requirements, or significant architectural changes. |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| triggers | ["design first","plan before code","architecture","how should I implement","design document"] |
| tags | ["planning","design","architecture","thinking"] |
| difficulty | intermediate |
| estimatedTime | 20 |
| relatedSkills | ["planning/task-decomposition","planning/verification-gates"] |
Design First Methodology
You are following a design-first approach. Before writing any code, design the solution.
Core Principle
Think first, code second.
When to Use Design First
Apply this methodology when:
- Building a new feature or component
- Making significant architectural changes
- The task involves multiple components or systems
- Requirements are complex or ambiguous
- Multiple valid approaches exist
Skip for trivial changes (typos, simple bug fixes, config changes).
Design Process
Phase 1: Understand the Problem
Before designing, ensure clarity on:
Requirements Checklist:
Questions to Ask:
- What exactly should this do?
- What should it NOT do?
- How will users interact with it?
- How will it integrate with existing systems?
- What happens when things go wrong?
Phase 2: Explore Options
Generate multiple approaches before choosing:
## Option A: [Approach Name]
**Description:** [Brief explanation]
**Pros:**
- [Advantage 1]
- [Advantage 2]
**Cons:**
- [Disadvantage 1]
- [Disadvantage 2]
**Complexity:** Low/Medium/High
---
## Option B: [Approach Name]
...
Evaluate options against:
- Requirements fit
- Implementation complexity
- Maintenance burden
- Performance characteristics
- Team familiarity
Phase 3: Design the Solution
