| 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).