[H1][DESIGN-SYNTHESIS] Skill

[H1][DESIGN-SYNTHESIS]

Dictum: Design decisions require grounded context before implementation.

Synthesize research findings into design decisions via light codebase investigation.

Workflow:

§INGEST — Load research artifact, parse original request
§SCAN — Light codebase investigation via parallel-dispatch (3-4 agents)
§EXPLORE — Generate 2-3 approaches with trade-offs
§SELECT — Commit to best approach with rationale
§OUTPUT — Structured design document

Dependencies:

parallel-dispatch — Agent orchestration for codebase scan
Research artifact — External findings from deep-research

Input:

Research: Path to research artifact (research_{slug}.md)
Request: Original user request/intent

[1][INGEST]

Dictum: Grounded context prevents speculative design.

Load and parse inputs:

| [INDEX] | Source | Extract | | :-----: | ------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | [1] | Research file | Findings, confidence levels, key sources | | [2] | Request | Intent, scope boundaries, success criteria |

Parse research structure:

## [1][FINDINGS] → Domain knowledge by category
## [2][CONFIDENCE] → High/Medium/Low ratings
## [3][SOURCES] → Attribution for decisions

[IMPORTANT]:

[ALWAYS] Extract high-confidence findings as primary input.
[ALWAYS] Note low-confidence areas as design risks.
[NEVER] Proceed without understanding request intent.

[2][SCAN]

Dictum: Pattern awareness prevents reinvention.

Dispatch 3-4 agents via parallel-dispatch for codebase context.

Agent Assignment:

| [INDEX] | [AGENT] | [SCOPE] | [RETURNS] | | :-----: | --------------- | ----------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | [1] | Patterns | Similar implementations in codebase | Conventions, reusable patterns, prior art | | [2] | Constraints | Project rules, architecture limits | Hard boundaries, style requirements | | [3] | Interfaces | Entry/exit points for feature area | Touch points, consumers, integration surface |

Agent Prompt Template:

Scope: [Specific investigation area]
Objective: Surface [patterns|constraints|interfaces] relevant to: [request summary]
Output: Bullet list of findings with file paths
Context: Research indicates: [key findings summary]
Exclusions: Do NOT analyze implementation details or specific file contents

[CRITICAL]:

[ALWAYS] Dispatch ALL agents in ONE message block.
[ALWAYS] Scope to patterns/constraints/interfaces—NOT implementation.
[NEVER] Deep-dive into file contents—that's plan's job.

[3][EXPLORE]

Dictum: Comparison reveals optimal trade-offs.

Generate 2-3 distinct approaches from research + scan findings.

Per Approach:

| [INDEX] | Aspect | Content | | :-----: | ---------- | ------------------------------------- | | [1] | Strategy | High-level implementation direction | | [2] | Alignment | How it leverages research findings | | [3] | Patterns | Which codebase conventions it follows | | [4] | Trade-offs | Pros and cons |

Approach Generation Criteria:

Approach A: Most aligned with existing patterns (conservative)
Approach B: Best leverage of research findings (optimal)
Approach C: Simplest implementation path (minimal) — optional

[IMPORTANT]:

[ALWAYS] Ground approaches in scan findings—no speculation.
[ALWAYS] Include trade-off analysis per approach.
[ALWAYS] Apply YAGNI—cut unnecessary scope from all approaches.
[NEVER] Generate approaches without codebase evidence.

[4][SELECT]

Dictum: Committed direction enables focused planning.

Select best approach via weighted criteria:

| [INDEX] | Criterion | Weight | Evaluation | | :-----: | ----------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------- | | [1] | Pattern alignment | High | Matches existing codebase conventions | | [2] | Research support | High | Backed by high-confidence findings | | [3] | Simplicity | Medium | Minimal moving parts | | [4] | Risk profile | Medium | Low-confidence areas minimized |

Selection Output:

Selected approach name
Primary rationale (1-2 sentences)
Key trade-off accepted

[CRITICAL]:

[ALWAYS] Commit to ONE approach—no hedging.
[ALWAYS] Document trade-off accepted.
[NEVER] Defer selection to downstream phases.

[5][OUTPUT]

Dictum: Downstream consumers require predictable structure.

Produce brainstorm.md with structure:

# [H1][DESIGN]: [Title]
>**Dictum:** *[Build target—refined from request]*

<br>

**Research Summary:** [Key findings relevant to design]

---
## [1][APPROACHES]

### [1.1][APPROACH_A]: [Name]

| [INDEX] | [ASPECT]  | [DETAIL]                        |
| :-----: | --------- | ------------------------------- |
|   [1]   | Strategy  | [High-level direction]          |
|   [2]   | Alignment | [Research findings leveraged]   |
|   [3]   | Patterns  | [Codebase conventions followed] |
|   [4]   | Pros      | [Benefits]                      |
|   [5]   | Cons      | [Drawbacks]                     |

---
### [1.2][APPROACH_B]: [Name]

| [INDEX] | [ASPECT]  | [DETAIL]                        |
| :-----: | --------- | ------------------------------- |
|   [1]   | Strategy  | [High-level direction]          |
|   [2]   | Alignment | [Research findings leveraged]   |
|   [3]   | Patterns  | [Codebase conventions followed] |
|   [4]   | Pros      | [Benefits]                      |
|   [5]   | Cons      | [Drawbacks]                     |

---
## [2][SELECTED_APPROACH]

| [INDEX] | [KEY]              | [VALUE]                |
| :-----: | ------------------ | ---------------------- |
|   [1]   | Choice             | [Approach name]        |
|   [2]   | Rationale          | [Why this approach]    |
|   [3]   | Trade-off Accepted | [What we're giving up] |

---
## [3][DESIGN_CONSTRAINTS]

| [INDEX] | [CONSTRAINT]    | [SOURCE]        |
| :-----: | --------------- | --------------- |
|   [1]   | [Hard boundary] | [Codebase scan] |
|   [2]   | ...             | ...             |

---
## [4][KEY_DECISIONS]

| [INDEX] | [DECISION]      | [CHOICE]          | [RATIONALE] |
| :-----: | --------------- | ----------------- | ----------- |
|   [1]   | [Design choice] | [Selected option] | [Why]       |
|   [2]   | [Design choice] | [Selected option] | [Why]       |

[CRITICAL]:

[ALWAYS] Include all sections—downstream depends on structure.
[ALWAYS] Table format for approaches and decisions.
[NEVER] Prose paragraphs—tables and lists only.

[6][VALIDATION]

Dictum: Incomplete synthesis cascades errors downstream.

[VERIFY]:

[ ] Ingest: Research parsed, request intent extracted
[ ] Scan: 3-4 agents dispatched in ONE message
[ ] Explore: 2-3 approaches with trade-offs generated
[ ] Select: ONE approach committed with rationale
[ ] Output: All sections present, table format used
[ ] YAGNI: Unnecessary scope cut from all approaches

Agent Skills: [H1][DESIGN-SYNTHESIS]

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