# Design Exploration

> Explores intent, requirements, and trade-offs through dialogue before code, producing a validated design document. Use this skill when requirements are ambiguous before features, components, or significant behavior changes. Do not use when/for bite-sized coding plans after design is approved (use implementation-planning) or debugging an existing failure.

- Skill: `jagreehal/design-exploration` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add jagreehal/design-exploration`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/jagreehal/design-exploration/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: jagreehal (https://skillmd.com/u/jagreehal)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/jagreehal/design-exploration

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# Design Exploration

## Critical rules

- `NO IMPLEMENTATION WITHOUT DESIGN AGREEMENT FIRST`. No production code until the human validates the design.
- One question per message; prefer multiple choice when options are known.
- Present 2-3 approaches with trade-offs and a recommendation — never only one option.
- YAGNI ruthlessly. Never silently fill ambiguous requirements.
- Present design in 200-300 word sections; confirm each before continuing.
- Before questioning patterns or writing the doc, read [references/process-and-template.md](references/process-and-template.md).

## Workflow

1. Understand context: project state, related code, existing patterns.
2. Clarify intent: purpose, constraints, success criteria — one question at a time.
3. Explore 2-3 approaches with explicit trade-offs; lead with recommendation.
4. Present design in sections (architecture, components, data flow, errors, testing); confirm each.
5. Write validated design to `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md`, commit, ask ready for implementation (`implementation-planning` / `git-worktrees`).

## Resources

- [references/process-and-template.md](references/process-and-template.md) — question patterns, YAGNI, design template. Read during clarification and documentation.

## Validation

- [ ] Existing state and patterns understood
- [ ] Ambiguities clarified one question at a time
- [ ] 2-3 approaches with trade-offs and recommendation
- [ ] Design covers architecture, components, data flow, errors, testing
- [ ] Human approved each section; doc saved and committed

## Constraints

- Skip for unambiguous single-file changes, typos, or already-approved designs.
- Related: `implementation-planning`, `git-worktrees`, `tdd-workflow`.