What is Planning Design?

A process to convert a spec into a concrete technical plan, including architecture decisions, tech stack, implementation strategy, and risk assessment.

How is traceability ensured?

All decisions are linked back to specification requirements using a traceability approach, ensuring compliance with constitution constraints.

When should I involve humans?

After architecture and strategy are drafted and before task breakdown or implementation begins.

planning-design

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npx machina-cli add skill a5c-ai/babysitter/planning-design --openclaw

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Planning Design

Overview

Convert a specification into a concrete technical plan with architecture decisions, technology selections, implementation strategy, and risk assessment. All decisions must trace back to specification requirements and comply with constitution constraints.

When to Use

After specification is approved, before task decomposition
When evaluating technology stack options for a feature
When designing system architecture for new components
When assessing implementation risks and defining mitigations

Key Principle

Architecture decisions must be traceable to specification requirements. Technology choices must comply with constitution constraints. Trade-offs must be documented for every significant decision.

Process

Assess technology stack - Evaluate options against constitution requirements
Design architecture - Components, interfaces, data model, integration points
Define strategy - Phases, milestones, testing strategy, deployment approach
Assess risks - Identify risks and define mitigations
Human review - Approve architecture and strategy before task breakdown

Tool Use

Invoke via babysitter process: methodologies/spec-kit/spec-kit-planning Full pipeline: methodologies/spec-kit/spec-kit-orchestrator

Source

git clone https://github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter/blob/main/plugins/babysitter/skills/babysit/process/methodologies/spec-kit/skills/planning-design/SKILL.md

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Overview

Planning Design turns a specification into a concrete technical plan, covering architecture decisions, technology selections, implementation strategy, and risk assessment. All decisions must trace back to requirements and comply with constitution constraints.

How This Skill Works

The process evaluates options against constitution requirements, designs architecture with components and interfaces, and defines phased strategy and mitigations. Critical decisions are documented and reviewed by humans before task breakdown; tool workflows can be invoked via babysitter processes to run spec-kit-planning or spec-kit-orchestrator.

When to Use It

After specification approval and before task decomposition
While evaluating technology stack options for a feature
During system architecture design for new components
To assess risks and define mitigations
To secure human approval of architecture and strategy

Quick Start

Step 1: Assess technology options against constitution constraints and spec requirements
Step 2: Design architecture with components, interfaces, and data model
Step 3: Define rollout strategy, testing plan, and risk mitigations; obtain human sign-off

Best Practices

Trace decisions to requirements with a traceability matrix
Document all trade-offs for major decisions
Ensure technology choices comply with constitution constraints
Involve a human review before proceeding to implementation
Define a clear phased implementation strategy with milestones

Example Use Cases

Choosing a tech stack for a new microservice after spec approval
Designing architecture for a data ingestion pipeline
Assessing deployment strategies and risk mitigations for a feature
Evaluating options for scaling a feature under constraint
Conducting a human review of the architecture before task breakdown

Frequently Asked Questions

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