---
name: design
description: |
  Use in pre-implementation (idea-to-design) stages to understand spec/requirements and create a correct implementation plan before writing actual code.
  Turns ideas into a fully-formed PRD/design/specification and implementation-plan. Creates design docs and task lists in docs/feat/wip/.
---

# Task Analysis Process

**Goal: Before writing any code, make sure you understand the requirements and have an implementation plan ready.**

## Conventions

- **Read capy knowledge base conventions** at [shared-capy-knowledge-protocol.md](shared-capy-knowledge-protocol.md).
- **Read profile detection** at [shared-profile-detection.md](shared-profile-detection.md). When an active profile contributes a `design/` subdirectory (e.g., `${TOOLBOX_PLUGIN_ROOT}/profiles/k8s/design/`), its `questions.md` feeds the idea-refinement question pool and its `sections.md` lists required sections the design document must cover. Both the idea-to-design and continue-WIP flows consult the shared procedure; see each flow's workflow file for the specific integration points.

For fresh ideas, two reference files provide methodology and evaluation rubric: [frameworks.md](./frameworks.md) (ideation lenses for the diverge phase) and [refinement-criteria.md](./refinement-criteria.md) (evaluation dimensions and MVP scoping for the converge phase). These are loaded during the instruction-load step and consumed by idea-process.md Step 3 sub-phases.

## Workflow

**Mandatory order — understanding before engagement.** The flow below is strictly sequential. Do not engage with idea prose beyond a keyword scan, read WIP document content, ask refinement questions, or write design content until all instructions — this SKILL.md, the relevant process file, the shared protocols including [shared-document-clarity.md](shared-document-clarity.md), every resolved profile's `design/` content, and the fresh-idea references below when applicable — are fully loaded. Bounded signal inspection for profile detection is the only content-read exception.

The `/kk:design` skill has two entry points; each has its own process file with a detailed workflow. Both follow the same mandatory ordering:

1. **Keyword scan only.** The idea prose (or WIP feature directory) is scanned at the keyword/filename level — enough to drive profile detection, not enough to engage with the content.
2. **Load instructions.** Read the relevant process file ([idea-process.md](./idea-process.md) or [existing-task-process.md](./existing-task-process.md)), the shared protocols above, [shared-document-clarity.md](shared-document-clarity.md) and [example-tasks.md](./example-tasks.md) (task format), even on an unchanged resume. For WIP, also load the drafting guidelines in idea-process.md for potential refinement, without running its fresh-idea sub-phases. For fresh ideas, also read [frameworks.md](./frameworks.md) (ideation lenses) and [refinement-criteria.md](./refinement-criteria.md) (evaluation rubric).
3. **Detect active profiles.** Delegate to [shared-profile-detection.md](shared-profile-detection.md). For fresh ideas, this uses the design interaction pattern (token matching against idea prose). For WIP features, this uses file-based detection with design-pattern fallback.
4. **Load profile content.** For each active profile contributing a `design/` subdirectory, read its `index.md` and all always-load and matching conditional entries. These feed the refinement question pool and required design sections.
5. **Engage with subject matter.** Follow the selected process file's content-reading, refinement and drafting steps.
6. **Clarify completed outputs.** Apply the loaded shared procedure once after all design, implementation and task artifacts are drafted; on resume, apply it only to documents changed by refinement. Supply the intended implementer/reviewer, selected outputs, accepted requirements and applicable source context. Preserve required sections, profile topics, decisions, task state and links. An unchanged resume skips the pass. The process file places this before review recommendation or implementation handoff.

Use the shared procedure directly, without invoking `/kk:clarify-docs` or another writing skill. Its comparison is in-session; retain the `/kk:review-design` recommendation, without claiming independent verification or automatically running that review.

## Ideas and Prototypes

_Use this for ideas that are not fully thought out and do not have a fully-formed design/specification and/or implementation-plan._

**For example:** I've got an idea I want to talk through with you before we proceed with the implementation.

**Your job:** Help me turn it into a fully formed design, spec, implementation plan, and task list.

See [idea-process.md](./idea-process.md).

## Continue WIP Feature

_Use this to resume work on a feature that already has design docs and a task list in `/docs/feat/wip/`._

**For example:** Let's continue working on the auth system.

**Your job:** Review the current state of the feature, understand what's been done and what's next, then proceed with implementation.

See [existing-task-process.md](./existing-task-process.md).