git:20260507.8dfdcb4 to git:20260507.9f5be95

---

name: systematic-debugging

description: Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes. Requires root cause investigation first.

graph:

domains: [domain:software-engineering]

skillAreas: [skill-area:agentic-loops, skill-area:orchestration-loop]

workflows: [workflow:feature-development]

topics: [topic:developer-experience]

roles: [role:tech-lead, role:backend-engineer]

2. **Pattern Analysis** - Find working examples, compare against references, identify differences

3. **Hypothesis and Testing** - Form single hypothesis, test minimally, one variable at a time

4. **Implementation** - Create failing test case, implement single fix, verify

## When 3+ Fixes Fail

Stop and question the architecture. Pattern of repeated failures indicates architectural problems, not implementation bugs.

## Red Flags (STOP and Follow Process)

- "Quick fix for now"

- "Just try changing X"

- Proposing solutions before tracing data flow

- "One more fix attempt" (when already tried 2+)

## Agents Used

- Process agents defined in `systematic-debugging.js`

## Tool Use

Invoke via babysitter process: `methodologies/superpowers/systematic-debugging`