bmad-method 6.0.0-alpha.7 → 6.0.0-alpha.8

package/.bmad/bmm/docs/workflow-architecture-reference.md

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+# Decision Architecture Workflow - Technical Reference
+
+**Module:** BMM (BMAD Method Module)
+**Type:** Solutioning Workflow
+
+---
+
+## Overview
+
+The Decision Architecture workflow is a complete reimagining of how architectural decisions are made in the BMAD Method. Instead of template-driven documentation, this workflow facilitates an intelligent conversation that produces a **decision-focused architecture document** optimized for preventing AI agent conflicts during implementation.
+
+---
+
+## Core Philosophy
+
+**The Problem**: When multiple AI agents implement different parts of a system, they make conflicting technical decisions leading to incompatible implementations.
+
+**The Solution**: A "consistency contract" that documents all critical technical decisions upfront, ensuring every agent follows the same patterns and uses the same technologies.
+
+---
+
+## Key Features
+
+### 1. Starter Template Intelligence ⭐ NEW
+
+- Discovers relevant starter templates (create-next-app, create-t3-app, etc.)
+- Considers UX requirements when selecting templates (animations, accessibility, etc.)
+- Searches for current CLI options and defaults
+- Documents decisions made BY the starter template
+- Makes remaining architectural decisions around the starter foundation
+- First implementation story becomes "initialize with starter command"
+
+### 2. Adaptive Facilitation
+
+- Adjusts conversation style based on user skill level (beginner/intermediate/expert)
+- Experts get rapid, technical discussions
+- Beginners receive education and protection from complexity
+- Everyone produces the same high-quality output
+
+### 3. Dynamic Version Verification
+
+- NEVER trusts hardcoded version numbers
+- Uses WebSearch to find current stable versions
+- Verifies versions during the conversation
+- Documents only verified, current versions
+
+### 4. Intelligent Discovery
+
+- No rigid project type templates
+- Analyzes PRD to identify which decisions matter for THIS project
+- Uses knowledge base of decisions and patterns
+- Scales to infinite project types
+
+### 5. Collaborative Decision Making
+
+- Facilitates discussion for each critical decision
+- Presents options with trade-offs
+- Integrates advanced elicitation for innovative approaches
+- Ensures decisions are coherent and compatible
+
+### 6. Consistent Output
+
+- Structured decision collection during conversation
+- Strict document generation from collected decisions
+- Validated against hard requirements
+- Optimized for AI agent consumption
+
+---
+
+## Workflow Structure
+
+```
+Step 0: Validate workflow and extract project configuration
+Step 0.5: Validate workflow sequencing
+Step 1: Load PRD and understand project context
+Step 2: Discover and evaluate starter templates ⭐ NEW
+Step 3: Adapt facilitation style and identify remaining decisions
+Step 4: Facilitate collaborative decision making (with version verification)
+Step 5: Address cross-cutting concerns
+Step 6: Define project structure and boundaries
+Step 7: Design novel architectural patterns (when needed) ⭐ NEW
+Step 8: Define implementation patterns to prevent agent conflicts
+Step 9: Validate architectural coherence
+Step 10: Generate decision architecture document (with initialization commands)
+Step 11: Validate document completeness
+Step 12: Final review and update workflow status
+```
+
+---
+
+## Files in This Workflow
+
+- **workflow.yaml** - Configuration and metadata
+- **instructions.md** - The adaptive facilitation flow
+- **decision-catalog.yaml** - Knowledge base of all architectural decisions
+- **architecture-patterns.yaml** - Common patterns identified from requirements
+- **pattern-categories.csv** - Pattern principles that teach LLM what needs defining
+- **checklist.md** - Validation requirements for the output document
+- **architecture-template.md** - Strict format for the final document
+
+---
+
+## How It's Different from Old architecture
+
+| Aspect               | Old Workflow                                 | New Workflow                                    |
+| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
+| **Approach**         | Template-driven                              | Conversation-driven                             |
+| **Project Types**    | 11 rigid types with 22+ files                | Infinite flexibility with intelligent discovery |
+| **User Interaction** | Output sections with "Continue?"             | Collaborative decision facilitation             |
+| **Skill Adaptation** | One-size-fits-all                            | Adapts to beginner/intermediate/expert          |
+| **Decision Making**  | Late in process (Step 5)                     | Upfront and central focus                       |
+| **Output**           | Multiple documents including faux tech-specs | Single decision-focused architecture            |
+| **Time**             | Confusing and slow                           | 30-90 minutes depending on skill level          |
+| **Elicitation**      | Never used                                   | Integrated at decision points                   |
+
+---
+
+## Expected Inputs
+
+- **PRD** (Product Requirements Document) with:
+  - Functional Requirements
+  - Non-Functional Requirements
+  - Performance and compliance needs
+
+- **Epics** file with:
+  - User stories
+  - Acceptance criteria
+  - Dependencies
+
+- **UX Spec** (Optional but valuable) with:
+  - Interface designs and interaction patterns
+  - Accessibility requirements (WCAG levels)
+  - Animation and transition needs
+  - Platform-specific UI requirements
+  - Performance expectations for interactions
+
+---
+
+## Output Document
+
+A single `architecture.md` file containing:
+
+- Executive summary (2-3 sentences)
+- Project initialization command (if using starter template)
+- Decision summary table with verified versions and epic mapping
+- Complete project structure
+- Integration specifications
+- Consistency rules for AI agents
+
+---
+
+## How Novel Pattern Design Works
+
+Step 7 handles unique or complex patterns that need to be INVENTED:
+
+### 1. Detection
+
+The workflow analyzes the PRD for concepts that don't have standard solutions:
+
+- Novel interaction patterns (e.g., "swipe to match" when Tinder doesn't exist)
+- Complex multi-epic workflows (e.g., "viral invitation system")
+- Unique data relationships (e.g., "social graph" before Facebook)
+- New paradigms (e.g., "ephemeral messages" before Snapchat)
+
+### 2. Design Collaboration
+
+Instead of just picking technologies, the workflow helps DESIGN the solution:
+
+- Identifies the core problem to solve
+- Explores different approaches with the user
+- Documents how components interact
+- Creates sequence diagrams for complex flows
+- Uses elicitation to find innovative solutions
+
+### 3. Documentation
+
+Novel patterns become part of the architecture with:
+
+- Pattern name and purpose
+- Component interactions
+- Data flow diagrams
+- Which epics/stories are affected
+- Implementation guidance for agents
+
+### 4. Example
+
+```
+PRD: "Users can create 'circles' of friends with overlapping membership"
+↓
+Workflow detects: This is a novel social structure pattern
+↓
+Designs with user: Circle membership model, permission cascading, UI patterns
+↓
+Documents: "Circle Pattern" with component design and data flow
+↓
+All agents understand how to implement circle-related features consistently
+```
+
+---
+
+## How Implementation Patterns Work
+
+Step 8 prevents agent conflicts by defining patterns for consistency:
+
+### 1. The Core Principle
+
+> "Any time multiple agents might make the SAME decision DIFFERENTLY, that's a pattern to capture"
+
+The LLM asks: "What could an agent encounter where they'd have to guess?"
+
+### 2. Pattern Categories (principles, not prescriptions)
+
+- **Naming**: How things are named (APIs, database fields, files)
+- **Structure**: How things are organized (folders, modules, layers)
+- **Format**: How data is formatted (JSON structures, responses)
+- **Communication**: How components talk (events, messages, protocols)
+- **Lifecycle**: How states change (workflows, transitions)
+- **Location**: Where things go (URLs, paths, storage)
+- **Consistency**: Cross-cutting concerns (dates, errors, logs)
+
+### 3. LLM Intelligence
+
+- Uses the principle to identify patterns beyond the 7 categories
+- Figures out what specific patterns matter for chosen tech
+- Only asks about patterns that could cause conflicts
+- Skips obvious patterns that the tech choice determines
+
+### 4. Example
+
+```
+Tech chosen: REST API + PostgreSQL + React
+↓
+LLM identifies needs:
+- REST: URL structure, response format, status codes
+- PostgreSQL: table naming, column naming, FK patterns
+- React: component structure, state management, test location
+↓
+Facilitates each with user
+↓
+Documents as Implementation Patterns in architecture
+```
+
+---
+
+## How Starter Templates Work
+
+When the workflow detects a project type that has a starter template:
+
+1. **Discovery**: Searches for relevant starter templates based on PRD
+2. **Investigation**: Looks up current CLI options and defaults
+3. **Presentation**: Shows user what the starter provides
+4. **Integration**: Documents starter decisions as "PROVIDED BY STARTER"
+5. **Continuation**: Only asks about decisions NOT made by starter
+6. **Documentation**: Includes exact initialization command in architecture
+
+### Example Flow
+
+```
+PRD says: "Next.js web application with authentication"
+↓
+Workflow finds: create-next-app and create-t3-app
+↓
+User chooses: create-t3-app (includes auth setup)
+↓
+Starter provides: Next.js, TypeScript, tRPC, Prisma, NextAuth, Tailwind
+↓
+Workflow only asks about: Database choice, deployment target, additional services
+↓
+First story becomes: "npx create t3-app@latest my-app --trpc --nextauth --prisma"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Usage
+
+```bash
+# In your BMAD-enabled project
+workflow architecture
+```
+
+The AI agent will:
+
+1. Load your PRD and epics
+2. Identify critical decisions needed
+3. Facilitate discussion on each decision
+4. Generate a comprehensive architecture document
+5. Validate completeness
+
+---
+
+## Design Principles
+
+1. **Facilitation over Prescription** - Guide users to good decisions rather than imposing templates
+2. **Intelligence over Templates** - Use AI understanding rather than rigid structures
+3. **Decisions over Details** - Focus on what prevents agent conflicts, not implementation minutiae
+4. **Adaptation over Uniformity** - Meet users where they are while ensuring quality output
+5. **Collaboration over Output** - The conversation matters as much as the document
+
+---
+
+## For Developers
+
+This workflow assumes:
+
+- Single developer + AI agents (not teams)
+- Speed matters (decisions in minutes, not days)
+- AI agents need clear constraints to prevent conflicts
+- The architecture document is for agents, not humans
+
+---
+
+## Migration from architecture
+
+Projects using the old `architecture` workflow should:
+
+1. Complete any in-progress architecture work
+2. Use `architecture` for new projects
+3. The old workflow remains available but is deprecated
+
+---
+
+## Version History
+
+**1.3.2** - UX specification integration and fuzzy file matching
+
+- Added UX spec as optional input with fuzzy file matching
+- Updated workflow.yaml with input file references
+- Starter template selection now considers UX requirements
+- Added UX alignment validation to checklist
+- Instructions use variable references for flexible file names
+
+**1.3.1** - Workflow refinement and standardization
+
+- Added workflow status checking at start (Steps 0 and 0.5)
+- Added workflow status updating at end (Step 12)
+- Reorganized step numbering for clarity (removed fractional steps)
+- Enhanced with intent-based approach throughout
+- Improved cohesiveness across all workflow components
+
+**1.3.0** - Novel pattern design for unique architectures
+
+- Added novel pattern design (now Step 7, formerly Step 5.3)
+- Detects novel concepts in PRD that need architectural invention
+- Facilitates design collaboration with sequence diagrams
+- Uses elicitation for innovative approaches
+- Documents custom patterns for multi-epic consistency
+
+**1.2.0** - Implementation patterns for agent consistency
+
+- Added implementation patterns (now Step 8, formerly Step 5.5)
+- Created principle-based pattern-categories.csv (7 principles, not 118 prescriptions)
+- Core principle: "What could agents decide differently?"
+- LLM uses principle to identify patterns beyond the categories
+- Prevents agent conflicts through intelligent pattern discovery
+
+**1.1.0** - Enhanced with starter template discovery and version verification
+
+- Added intelligent starter template detection and integration (now Step 2)
+- Added dynamic version verification via web search
+- Starter decisions are documented as "PROVIDED BY STARTER"
+- First implementation story uses starter initialization command
+
+**1.0.0** - Initial release replacing architecture workflow
+
+---
+
+**Related Documentation:**
+
+- [Solutioning Workflows](./workflows-solutioning.md)
+- [Planning Workflows](./workflows-planning.md)
+- [Scale Adaptive System](./scale-adaptive-system.md)