Shaping
Overview
Core principle: Understand the work and get the human's buy-in before building anything. The
cheapest place to fix a design is in conversation; the most expensive is in code you've already
written. Shaping is where you subtract features, choose an approach, and earn a "yes."
The Iron Gate
NO CODE, NO SCAFFOLDING, NO IMPLEMENTATION SKILL UNTIL THE HUMAN HAS APPROVED THE INTENT
This gate is not negotiable and it does not shrink under time pressure. "It's obviously what they
want" is exactly the assumption that builds the wrong thing fast. Say what you intend to build; wait
for an explicit yes.
Classify, and Announce It
State the path out loud so the human can correct you. Complexity only upgrades the path.
- Spike — "can this even be done?" → shaping is one line: state the question, then go probe (spike-and-stabilize).
- Bounded — a clear, contained change → a short in-chat design, one approval, then build.
- Architectural — new system, real choices → the full dialogue below, ending in a written design and the planning skill.
How to Shape
- Ask one question at a time. A wall of ten questions gets skimmed and half-answered. One
sharp question per message, and prefer multiple-choice — it's faster for the human and
surfaces options they hadn't named. Wait for the answer before the next.
- Propose 2–3 approaches with a recommendation. Not one (looks like you didn't think) and not
five (offloads the decision). Name the trade-offs; say which you'd pick and why.
- Subtract ruthlessly (YAGNI). For every feature, ask "does the first real version need this?"
Default to no. The smallest thing that delivers the core is the thing to build.
- Present the design in sections, approve as you go. Don't dump a monolith. Goal → approach →
the shape of the pieces, checking in at each. Course-correction is cheap here.
What Shaping Produces
- Spike/Bounded: a short, agreed description of what you're about to build — captured as a bead.
- Architectural: a written design (goal, chosen approach, the pieces and how they fit, what's
explicitly out of scope), self-reviewed for gaps/placeholders/scope-creep, then approved by the
human. The only next step is planning.
File the work as beads (using-beads) as it firms up — the shape is the initial backlog.
When Stuck on the Idea Itself
If the design has real, hard trade-offs you can't resolve, this is a good moment for an outside
voice — consulting-codex for a second opinion — before committing to a direction.
Common Mistakes
- Building during the conversation. "I'll just scaffold while we talk" breaks the gate. Talk first.
- Ten questions in one message. One at a time, multiple-choice where you can.
- Presenting one approach as fait accompli. Give options and a recommendation; let the human choose.
- Gold-plating the design. Every "wouldn't it be nice if…" is scope you'll pay for. Cut it now.
- Treating a nod as approval of everything. Approve section by section; a vague "sounds good" isn't a yes to specifics.
1---2name: shaping3description: Use at the very start of any non-trivial build, BEFORE writing code or scaffolding — turning a rough idea into an understood, agreed direction. "let's build X", "I want to make Y", "how should I approach Z", or any request where the goal isn't yet pinned down. Not for turning an already-agreed design into ordered tasks — that's planning4---56# Shaping78## Overview910**Core principle:** Understand the work and get the human's buy-in *before* building anything. The11cheapest place to fix a design is in conversation; the most expensive is in code you've already12written. Shaping is where you subtract features, choose an approach, and earn a "yes."1314## The Iron Gate1516```17NO CODE, NO SCAFFOLDING, NO IMPLEMENTATION SKILL UNTIL THE HUMAN HAS APPROVED THE INTENT18```1920This gate is not negotiable and it does not shrink under time pressure. "It's obviously what they21want" is exactly the assumption that builds the wrong thing fast. Say what you intend to build; wait22for an explicit yes.2324## Classify, and Announce It2526State the path out loud so the human can correct you. Complexity only *upgrades* the path.2728- **Spike** — "can this even be done?" → shaping is one line: state the question, then go probe (**spike-and-stabilize**).29- **Bounded** — a clear, contained change → a short in-chat design, one approval, then build.30- **Architectural** — new system, real choices → the full dialogue below, ending in a written design and the **planning** skill.3132## How to Shape33341. **Ask one question at a time.** A wall of ten questions gets skimmed and half-answered. One35 sharp question per message, and **prefer multiple-choice** — it's faster for the human and36 surfaces options they hadn't named. Wait for the answer before the next.372. **Propose 2–3 approaches with a recommendation.** Not one (looks like you didn't think) and not38 five (offloads the decision). Name the trade-offs; say which you'd pick and why.393. **Subtract ruthlessly (YAGNI).** For every feature, ask "does the first real version need this?"40 Default to no. The smallest thing that delivers the core is the thing to build.414. **Present the design in sections, approve as you go.** Don't dump a monolith. Goal → approach →42 the shape of the pieces, checking in at each. Course-correction is cheap here.4344## What Shaping Produces4546- **Spike/Bounded:** a short, agreed description of what you're about to build — captured as a **bead**.47- **Architectural:** a written design (goal, chosen approach, the pieces and how they fit, what's48 explicitly out of scope), self-reviewed for gaps/placeholders/scope-creep, then **approved by the49 human**. The only next step is **planning**.5051File the work as beads (**using-beads**) as it firms up — the shape *is* the initial backlog.5253## When Stuck on the Idea Itself5455If the design has real, hard trade-offs you can't resolve, this is a good moment for an outside56voice — **consulting-codex** for a second opinion — *before* committing to a direction.5758## Common Mistakes5960- **Building during the conversation.** "I'll just scaffold while we talk" breaks the gate. Talk first.61- **Ten questions in one message.** One at a time, multiple-choice where you can.62- **Presenting one approach as fait accompli.** Give options and a recommendation; let the human choose.63- **Gold-plating the design.** Every "wouldn't it be nice if…" is scope you'll pay for. Cut it now.64- **Treating a nod as approval of everything.** Approve section by section; a vague "sounds good" isn't a yes to specifics.
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