# Workflow Idea To Spec > [Workflow] Use when activating the Idea-to-Spec workflow — turn a raw idea/vision/problem into ONE canonical (provisional) Feature Spec. STOPS at the reviewed spec; chain workflow-spec-to-pbi for a backlog. For code→spec use workflow-code-to-spec. - Skill: `duc01226/workflow-idea-to-spec-3` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add duc01226/workflow-idea-to-spec-3` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/duc01226/workflow-idea-to-spec-3/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Product & Planning - Author: duc01226 (https://skillmd.com/u/duc01226) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/duc01226/workflow-idea-to-spec-3 --- > **Renamed:** formerly `workflow-product-discovery` — now `/workflow-idea-to-spec`. The old name no longer resolves as a slash command. ## Quick Summary **Goal:** [Workflow] Trigger the spec-driven Idea-to-Spec workflow to convert a raw idea — a raw vision or problem → structured brainstorm framing → canonical, provisional Feature Spec (the tech-free 8-section spec + §8 test specs at `docs/specs/{Bucket}/README.{Feature}.md`, `Evidence: TBD` until code lands) → reviewed and docs-synced. This workflow **STOPS at the reviewed Feature Spec** — it does NOT produce a PBI backlog. For a backlog, chain `workflow-spec-to-pbi` afterward; for idea → full backlog in one pass use `workflow-idea-to-pbi`; for code→spec (implementation already exists) use `workflow-code-to-spec`. **Workflow:** 1. **Frame** — brainstorm the idea, analyze domain, validate the problem framing (why-review). 2. **Author** — capture the idea, then author the canonical provisional Feature Spec (`spec [mode=draft]`) + §8 test specs (`spec [mode=tests]`). 3. **Review & Sync** — review the test specs and the Feature Spec, validate rationale (why-review), sync docs. **Key Rules:** - MUST ATTENTION keep claims evidence-based (`file:line`) with confidence >80% to act. - MUST ATTENTION keep task tracking updated as each step starts/completes. - MUST ATTENTION define success criteria before execution and loop until observable verification passes. - MUST ATTENTION when creating/reviewing specs or tests, name `Business Intent / Invariant Guarded` or the protected business intent/invariant and ensure the test would fail if that intent breaks. - MUST ATTENTION author the spec via `spec [mode=draft]` — idea-sourced, no code yet → §8 `Evidence: TBD`, `Status: Planned`, frontmatter `provisional: true`. - NEVER decompose into PBIs/stories/backlog here — that is `workflow-spec-to-pbi`'s job. NEVER skip the Feature Spec authoring core. ## When to Use - PO/BA has a raw product vision, problem statement, or "we need to build X" starting point and wants a canonical Feature Spec - Team wants to capture intended behavior as a tech-free spec BEFORE any code exists (spec-first / TDD-first) - A single idea or capability needs a reviewed, AI-implementable Feature Spec as the source of truth for later implementation ## When NOT to Use - Implementation already exists and you want a spec FROM code → use `workflow-code-to-spec` - You want a full grooming-ready PBI backlog from the idea in one pass → use `workflow-idea-to-pbi` - You already have a Feature Spec and want PBIs from it → use `workflow-spec-to-pbi` - Implementation work (code writing) → use `workflow-feature` or `workflow-big-feature` - Bug fixes → use `workflow-bugfix` ## Key Mechanics ### 1. Brainstorm → Converge on the Capability to Spec The `/brainstorm` step frames the idea using the Double Diamond process: - **Problem framing:** POV statement, 5 Whys / Fishbone, JTBD job stories, HMW questions - **Opportunity framing:** Opportunity Solution Tree (enhancement) OR Lean Canvas (new product) - **Ideation:** SCAMPER, Crazy 8s, Impact Mapping - **Convergence:** pick the single feature/capability to author as a Feature Spec Output: the converged capability (or a short list if multiple distinct capabilities emerge). AI presents the framing and confirms scope: **"Which capability should we author as a Feature Spec?"** If multiple distinct capabilities are in scope, confirm with the user and author one Feature Spec per capability (sub-agent per capability for 4+ — see Scale awareness). ### 1a. Spec-Discovery (Landscape Investigation — After brainstorm, Before domain-analysis) `/spec-discovery` investigates the surrounding system BEFORE authoring: it Globs `docs/specs/**` to classify every related / overlapping / affected Feature Spec, scouts related code (graph-expanded when `.code-graph/graph.db` exists), and surfaces gaps, missing test cases / user stories, and the **invariant landscape** the idea must respect. It ends in a **BLOCKING scope-decision gate** — author a NEW spec, EXTEND an existing one, or SPLIT into N — so no duplicate / overlapping spec is authored. Greenfield (no specs + no code) short-circuits with a recorded reason. ### 2. Why-Review Gate (After domain-analysis, Before spec authoring) Before authoring the spec, validate the idea framing with `/why-review`: **Challenge prompts:** - Is this truly the right problem to solve? What was deprioritized and why? - Pre-mortem: if this is built and misses in 6 months, what was the root cause? - Are there systemic alternatives (infrastructure change, process change) that make this unnecessary? | Result | Action | | ------ | --------------------------------------------- | | PASS | Proceed to spec authoring | | WARN | Document risk, acknowledge with user, proceed | | FAIL | Revisit brainstorm framing before authoring | ### 3. Spec Authoring Flow (core mechanic — idea → provisional Feature Spec) These steps run in sequence. **Spec-driven order: idea → draft Feature Spec → test specs → review.** | Step | Purpose | Output | | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- | | `/idea` | Capture the converged idea as a structured artifact | `team-artifacts/ideas/{date}-po-idea-{slug}.md` | | `/spec [mode=draft]` | Author the canonical tech-free 8-section Feature Spec §1-7 FROM the idea text (no code grep; `provisional: true` marker) | `docs/specs/{Bucket}/README.{Feature}.md` | | `/spec [mode=tests]` | Author §8 TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN} behavioral test cases (`Evidence: TBD`, `Status: Planned` — before any code) | Feature Spec §8 Test Specifications | | `/artifact-review --type=spec-tests` | Test-spec quality check | Reviewed §8 TCs | | `/artifact-review` | Feature Spec quality check | Reviewed Feature Spec | | `/design-spec` | UI ideas only — author tech-agnostic UI specs (NO mockup/backlog; spec-only contract preserved); gated by `SYNC:existing-ui-research`. Skip for backend-only ideas | UI design specs | | `/spec-clarify` | Brainstorm open questions, audit non-obvious decisions, confirm with user (BLOCKING) | Clarified spec + Decisions Log | | `/why-review` | Validate the authored spec's rationale and completeness | Why-Review checklist | | `/docs-update` | Sync the Feature Spec (§8) and derived bucket indexes | Docs-update report | **Provisional output:** because no code exists yet, the spec is provisional — §8 TCs carry `Evidence: TBD` and `Status: Planned`, and frontmatter carries `provisional: true`. The first `workflow-code-to-spec` / `spec [mode=update]` run against real code upgrades `TBD` → real `[Source:]` anchors and clears the provisional flag. > **Spec-hub coupling (§6 interaction surface ↔ UI artifacts):** the `/design-spec` produced here is NOT a standalone artifact — it is the deep companion of the governing Feature Spec's **§6 interaction surface** (View Inventory / Navigation Map / Key UI States / per-story click-path). `design-spec` seeds from §6 and records its own path in the spec's `design_spec:` frontmatter so the spec stays the navigable hub: a reader goes spec → §6 thin intent → `design-spec` deep companion, and the two never drift. Keep deep visual fidelity (layout, tokens, pixel detail) in the `design-spec`, never in §6. See the `SYNC:ui-intent-layer` block below for the full rule — do not restate it here. Backend-only ideas (no UI) → skip `/design-spec` and state that reason. ### 4. Handoff At `/workflow-end`, AI presents: - Session summary: M Feature Specs authored (provisional), §8 TC counts, open questions (confidence < 80%) - Feature Specs authored: `docs/specs/{Bucket}/README.{Feature}.md` paths - Provisional note: these specs carry `Evidence: TBD` + `provisional: true` until code lands — reconcile via `workflow-code-to-spec` / `spec [mode=update]` once implemented - Recommended next workflow: `/start-workflow workflow-spec-to-pbi` (decompose the Feature Spec(s) into a grooming-ready PBI backlog) OR `/start-workflow workflow-feature` (implement directly from the spec) ## Conditional Skip Rules | Step | Skip When | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `/domain-analysis` | No new domain entities or aggregates involved | | `/why-review` (gate) | User has already validated the idea rationale; no alternatives available | --- **IMPORTANT MANDATORY Steps:** /web-research -> /deep-research -> /brainstorm -> /spec-discovery -> /domain-analysis -> /why-review -> /idea -> /spec [mode=draft] -> /spec [mode=tests] -> /artifact-review --type=spec-tests -> /artifact-review -> /design-spec -> /spec-clarify -> /why-review -> /docs-update -> /feature-presentation -> /workflow-end -> /watzup > **[BLOCKING]** Each step MUST ATTENTION invoke its `Skill` tool — marking a task `completed` without skill invocation is a workflow violation. NEVER batch-complete validation gates. Activate the `workflow-idea-to-spec` workflow. Run `/start-workflow workflow-idea-to-spec` with the user's prompt as context. **Steps:** /web-research → /deep-research → /brainstorm → /spec-discovery → /domain-analysis → /why-review → /idea → /spec [mode=draft] → /spec [mode=tests] → /artifact-review --type=spec-tests → /artifact-review → /design-spec → /spec-clarify → /why-review → /docs-update → /feature-presentation → /workflow-end → /watzup > **Scale awareness:** When the brainstorm converges on multiple distinct capabilities, this workflow authors one Feature Spec per capability. For 4+ capabilities, spawn one `spec` sub-agent per capability in ONE message (each gets the framing context + output path); the main context assembles and reviews. Use incremental-write patterns to prevent context overrun. > **AI Mistake Prevention** — Failure modes to avoid on every task: > > **Re-read files after context changes.** Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting. > **Verify generated content against source evidence.** AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing. > **Check downstream references before deleting or renaming.** Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first. > **Trace the full impact chain after edits.** Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done. > **Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first.** One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect. > **Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing OR flagging one as a defect.** Before changing or reporting a constant, limit, flag, cutoff, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history, the CALLER's ordering, and 2+ sibling call sites of the same convention. A doc stating WHAT without WHY is missing rationale, not proof of a missing guard. > **Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently.** Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk. > **Assert the outcome your system owns, not the intermediate state your infrastructure owns.** When verifying async work, assert the final business state — never the delivery/retry bookkeeping held in shared infrastructure that any co-running process can write. Such a check passes when run alone and flakes the moment anything else shares that infrastructure. > **Keep shared guidance role-relevant.** Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols. > **Nested Task Expansion Contract** — For workflow-step invocation, the `[Workflow] ...` row is only a parent container; the child skill still creates visible phase tasks. > > 1. Call `TaskList` first. If a matching active parent workflow row exists, set `nested=true` and record `parentTaskId`; otherwise run standalone. > 2. Create one task per declared phase before phase work. When nested, prefix subjects `[N.M] $skill-name — phase`. > 3. When nested, link the parent with `TaskUpdate(parentTaskId, addBlockedBy: [childIds])`. > 4. Orchestrators must pre-expand a child skill's phase list and link the workflow row before invoking that child skill or sub-agent. > 5. Mark exactly one child `in_progress` before work and `completed` immediately after evidence is written. > 6. Complete the parent only after all child tasks are completed or explicitly cancelled with reason. > > **Blocked until:** `TaskList` done, child phases created, parent linked when nested, first child marked `in_progress`. > **Critical Thinking Mindset** — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. > **Anti-hallucination:** Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination. > **Incremental Result Persistence** — MANDATORY for all sub-agents or heavy inline steps processing >3 files. > > 1. **Before starting:** Create report file `plans/reports/{skill}-{date}-{slug}.md` > 2. **After each file/section reviewed:** Append findings to report immediately — never hold in memory > 3. **Return to main agent:** Summary only (per SYNC:subagent-return-contract) with `Full report:` path > 4. **Main agent:** Reads report file only when resolving specific blockers > > **Why:** Context cutoff mid-execution loses ALL in-memory findings. Each disk write survives compaction. Partial results are better than no results. > > **Report naming:** `plans/reports/{skill-name}-{YYMMDD}-{HHmm}-{slug}.md` > **Sub-Agent Return Contract** — When this skill spawns a sub-agent, the sub-agent MUST return ONLY this structure. Main agent reads only this summary — NEVER requests full sub-agent output inline. > > ```markdown > ## Sub-Agent Result: [skill-name] > > Status: ✅ PASS | ⚠️ PARTIAL | ❌ FAIL > Confidence: [0-100]% > > ### Findings (Critical/High only — max 10 bullets) > > - [severity] [file:line] [finding] > > ### Actions Taken > > - [file changed] [what changed] > > ### Blockers (if any) > > - [blocker description] > > Full report: plans/reports/[skill-name]-[date]-[slug].md > ``` > > Main agent reads `Full report` file ONLY when: (a) resolving a specific blocker, or (b) building a fix plan. > Sub-agent writes full report incrementally (per SYNC:incremental-persistence) — not held in memory. > > **Context budget** — the return payload is a SUMMARY, not a transcript: ≤10 finding bullets, no raw file contents / full diffs / verbatim logs inline, no re-pasted source. Everything beyond the summary lives in the `Full report` on disk. A sub-agent that would exceed the summary shape MUST write the detail to its report and return only the pointer — the orchestrator's context is the scarce resource the whole map-reduce protects. > **[BLOCKING] Capture a tech-agnostic UI/UX intent layer in every UI-bearing spec — a reader must be able to visualize how the feature works without naming any technology.** When the feature has a user interface, the spec MUST ATTENTION carry an interaction-surface section so the application — not just its API — can be rebuilt on any stack: > > 1. **View Inventory** — list each view/screen by its UX ROLE and purpose (e.g. "list of items", "item editor", "confirmation step") and what information it presents. Describe by role, never by an implementation name. > 2. **Navigation Map** — how a user moves between views: entry points, transitions, and exits. Trace how this surface connects to neighboring features already in the system. > 3. **Key observable UI States** — the distinct states a user can observe per view (empty, loading, populated, error, success, permission-denied, etc.) — described as what the user perceives, not how it is rendered. > 4. **Per-story interaction flow** — for each user story, the step-by-step click/action path from intent to outcome, cross-referenced to the logical IDs the spec already owns (`US-`/`OP-`/`BR-`). > 5. **Couple to the companion design artifact** — keep deep visual fidelity (layout, tokens, pixel detail) OUT of the spec; it lives in the linked `design-spec`/mockup. Record that companion's path in the spec frontmatter so the spec stays the navigable hub. > > **M1-clean (NON-NEGOTIABLE):** the prose names ZERO frameworks, routes/URLs, CSS, or component-class names — only roles, information, states, and flows. Technology detail belongs in the companion design artifact, never here. > > **Skip ONLY** when the feature is backend-only (no UI) — state that reason explicitly in the section. **MUST ATTENTION** apply critical + sequential thinking — every claim needs appropriate traced evidence (`file:line` for repo/code claims; source URL or artifact section for research, product, content, and docs claims); confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact, admit uncertainty freely, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence. **MUST ATTENTION** apply AI mistake prevention — verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references before deleting or renaming, verify all affected outputs, re-read files after context loss, and surface ambiguity before acting. - **MANDATORY** Parent workflow rows do not replace child phase tracking; expand phases and link the parent when nested. - **MANDATORY** Orchestrators pre-expand child skill phases before invocation; use `[N.M] $skill-name — phase` prefixes and one-`in_progress` discipline. - **MANDATORY** For UI-bearing specs, author/maintain the tech-agnostic interaction-surface layer (View Inventory + Navigation Map + observable UI States + per-story `US-/OP-/BR-`-traced flow); keep deep visual fidelity in the linked `design-spec`/mockup recorded in frontmatter; name ZERO frameworks/routes/CSS/component classes; skip ONLY for backend-only features with a stated reason. > **Parallel Sub-Agent Dispatch** — Plan parallelism the moment a task breakdown exists, BEFORE executing it — running provably independent tasks sequentially wastes wall-clock. Applies to every multi-step job: workflow steps, planning, batch updates, investigation, research, scans, reviews, doc sync. **Plan execution is metadata-gated, NEVER default-parallel** — fan-out follows ONLY what the plan declares (`PAR`/`SEQ` tags + per-phase write set); an untagged plan runs sequentially — why: a derived write set cannot see cascade or generated writes. > > 1. **Tag every task `PAR` or `SEQ`.** `PAR` = inputs exclude every pending task's output AND write set disjoint from every other `PAR`. Else `SEQ` — MUST ATTENTION name the dependency forcing it. > 2. **Group `PAR` into waves.** No edge between members. Two writers of one file NEVER share a wave. Read-only work (search, investigation, review, research) parallelizes freely. > 3. **Declare before dispatch:** `Parallel plan: wave 1 = [...] · wave 2 = [...] · SEQ = [...] (reason)`. > 4. **Spawn each wave in ONE message** — every `Agent` call in one response, NEVER dripped per turn. Route each task to its specialist (`.claude/skills/shared/sub-agent-selection-guide.md`); NEVER `code-reviewer` as catch-all. > 5. **Brief each sub-agent self-contained:** goal · scope + owned files · reference docs · return contract (summary + `Full report:` path, per SYNC:subagent-return-contract) · incremental persistence to `plans/reports/` (per SYNC:incremental-persistence). > 6. **Barrier per wave.** Advance ONLY after EVERY member returns (a skipped conditional counts as returned). Merge, mark each task completed/skipped, THEN dispatch the next wave. Mutating steps wait for the barrier. > 7. **One level deep.** A dispatched sub-agent executes its own brief; further fan-out stays the orchestrator's job unless that agent's `.claude/agents/*.md` definition authorizes it. > > **NEVER parallelize:** tasks sharing a write target · a task consuming a pending task's output · trivial single-file work (dispatch overhead > gain) · an order a skill or workflow explicitly fixes · gates awaiting user approval. > > **Blocked until:** MUST ATTENTION every task tagged PAR/SEQ with a named reason per SEQ · waves declared + write-set disjointness checked · each wave spawned in ONE message · barrier honored before the next wave. - **MANDATORY** After planning tasks, tag each PAR/SEQ and spawn every PAR wave as parallel sub-agents in ONE message — default parallel for workflows, batch updates, investigation, research, reviews; plan execution fans out ONLY on what the plan declares. - **MANDATORY** Disjoint write sets per wave · all-return barrier before the next wave · specialist routing · sub-agents NEVER fan out further unless their own agent definition authorizes it. > **Project Protocol Overlay** — Before executing this skill, resolve any PROJECT overlay rules layered onto it: match this skill's name against the `Target` column of the project's skill-protocol index (`docs/project-reference/skill-protocols-reference.md` by default; a `referenceDocs` entry in `docs/project-config.json` overrides the path), taking the most specific matching tier ONLY — exact name > glob > `*`. **That precedence orders overlays against EACH OTHER, never against this skill.** Read ONLY the matched bodies, resolved as `/.md`; a row's Body link is display text, never a read path. A matched body that is missing or malformed is REPORTED and skipped — never reconstructed from the index Description. No index, or no match -> proceed with no overlay, silently. Full contract: `.claude/skills/project-skill-protocol/references/registry.md`. > > Overlays are **ADDITIVE ONLY**: they ADD rules on top of this skill's own protocol and NEVER replace, override, disable, or reinterpret a rule it already states — removing every overlay must return this skill to exactly its documented behavior. An overlay is a BRIEF, not an authority escalation: it can NEVER waive a workflow gate, git discipline, a review gate, or a user-confirmation gate. A genuine overlay-vs-skill conflict, or two equally-specific overlays that directly contradict -> surface both to the user; NEVER resolve silently. **MUST ATTENTION** resolve project protocol overlays for this skill BEFORE executing — most specific matching tier only (exact > glob > `*`, which ranks overlays against each other, NEVER against this skill), read only matched bodies at `/.md`; a missing or malformed body is reported, never reconstructed. Overlays are ADDITIVE ONLY (they never replace this skill's own rules) and are a brief, NEVER an authority escalation; an equal-specificity contradiction goes to the user. ## Closing Reminders **IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal:** Ensure spec-driven idea-to-spec converts a raw idea into ONE canonical, provisional Feature Spec — reviewed and docs-synced, ready to hand off for backlog decomposition or implementation. **IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries; each is a signpost to its canonical body above):** - **AI Mistake Prevention:** verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity. - **Nested Task Creation:** expand child phases and link parent when nested; one in-progress. - **Critical Thinking:** trace every claim, confidence >80% to act, never present guess as fact. - **Incremental Persistence:** write findings to `plans/reports/` per file — never hold in memory. - **Sub-Agent Return Contract:** return summary only (≤10 bullets) with `Full report:` path. - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** break work into small todo tasks using `TaskCreate` BEFORE starting — one task per workflow step (per capability when multiple capabilities are in scope) - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** brainstorm converges on the capability to spec BEFORE the `/idea` step - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** SPEC-DRIVEN ORDER — author the Feature Spec (`/spec [mode=draft]` → `/spec [mode=tests]`) and review it; this workflow STOPS at the reviewed spec - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** PROVISIONAL OUTPUT — §8 carries `Evidence: TBD` / `Status: Planned` and frontmatter `provisional: true`; reconcile against code later via `workflow-code-to-spec` - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** NEVER decompose into PBIs/stories/backlog here — chain `workflow-spec-to-pbi` for a backlog - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** why-review runs after domain-analysis — FAIL revisits framing, WARN requires user acknowledgment - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** validate decisions with user via `AskUserQuestion` — never auto-select scope - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** add a final review todo task to verify the authored Feature Spec(s) - **Parallel Sub-Agent Dispatch:** Tag tasks PAR/SEQ, group PAR into disjoint-write-set waves, spawn each wave in ONE message, barrier before advancing. **[TASK-PLANNING]** Before acting, analyze task scope and systematically break it into small todo tasks and sub-tasks using TaskCreate. > **[IMPORTANT]** Analyze how big the task is and break it into many small todo tasks systematically before starting — this is very important. > **Anti-Rationalization:** | Evasion | Rebuttal | | ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | "Purpose obvious" | Anchor it anyway — primacy/recency keeps outcome active through long prompts. | | "Existing reminders enough" | Echo Goal in Closing Reminders — bottom anchor prevents drift. | | "Skip evidence for prompt edits" | Cite changed file evidence and verify no stale protocol text remains. | | "Decompose into PBIs while I'm here" | Out of scope — this workflow STOPS at the spec. Chain workflow-spec-to-pbi. |