<NOTE> Use the $activate-memories skill if you have not already to get an overview of the project before proceeding. </NOTE> <objective> 1. If the `design-docs` folder does not already exist, create a repo-local `design-docs/` workspace (templates + active docs + index). - If the `design-docs` folder already exists, stop and ask the user how to proceed. 2. Create a **project-specific** design doc template. If the user does not specify a specific type of design doc they want to create, we will be creating a general design document template called `base-design-doc.md` for the overall project. 3. Generate a **project-specific** design-doc skill for authoring design docs with: - explicit specs (interfaces, signatures, types) - mandatory test-data acquisition plan for ETL / HTTP / WebSocket work - enforceable guardrails against common agent failure modes - Example: The user wants to make a design doc skill for the ETL pipeline creations in the project. Then your task would be to create a `$etl-design-doc` skill. 4. Support repeated runs to create additional templates (variants) without breaking existing docs.

For the rest of this document {DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME} will refer to the name of the skill we will make that will later be used to generate design docs for this project. Default: creating-design-doc. Once you create the base design doc template and skill, you must ask questions to the user to help clarify anything you are unsure of. This is a joint user-agent process: ask targeted questions when unsure; do not finalize templates without user review. </objective>

<outputs> Create (idempotent; do not overwrite without preserving history):

<file_list>

•design-docs/README.md - How design docs are written, reviewed, and used for delegated execution.
•design-docs/active/ - Directory for active design documents.
•design-docs/agents/ - Directory for agent-executable XML subtasks.
•.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/SKILL.md - The generated ${DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME} skill.
•.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/README.md - Lists available templates and when to use them.
•.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/base.md - Meta "base" design doc template (guardrails + structure).
•.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/<variant>.md - Project-specific templates (e.g., etl-pipeline.md, feature.md). </file_list>

Note: Templates are bundled with the skill (not in design-docs/) per Agent Skills progressive disclosure pattern.

<output_format> Design docs are written in markdown - not XML. Markdown is easier for humans to read/edit and for agents to parse during collaboration. Agent-executable subtasks use XML in a separate file under design-docs/agents/. </output_format>

<agent_name_resolution> Replace {AGENT_NAME} with the agent's config directory:

•.aider/ - Aider
•.claude/ - Claude Code
•.codex/ - OpenAI Codex CLI
•.copilot/ - GitHub Copilot
•.cursor/ - Cursor

If the repo has an existing agent config directory, use it. If multiple exist, prefer the current agent's. If none exist, create one. </agent_name_resolution> </outputs>

<preconditions> Before asking questions, scan the repo to ground defaults: If you have not already, run the $activating-memories skill to get an overview of the project. <scan_targets> 1. **Languages/frameworks/build files** 2. **CI entrypoints** 3. **Project Specific Utility modules** 4. **DB/migrations** 5. **Style rules** </scan_targets> </preconditions>

<generation_steps>

•
Create folder structure (if missing):
- •design-docs/
- •design-docs/active/
- •design-docs/agents/
- •.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/
- •.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/
•
Write design doc skill and bundled templates:
- •design-docs/README.md (workflow + approvals)
- •.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/SKILL.md (the skill)
- •.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/README.md (template index)
- •.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/base.md (meta template with guardrails)
- •.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/skill.md (skill creation template)
- •.{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/feature.md (feature template)
•
Run Adaptive Questioning Protocol:
- •Produce "Detected Defaults Summary"
- •Ask triggered questions
- •Stop for answers before proceeding
•
Idempotency:
- •Never overwrite existing templates without timestamped backup
- •Add new variants to .{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/README.md </generation_steps>

<questioning_protocol> Ask only questions that materially influence template contents.

<question_tags> Every question must be tagged:

•[blocking] - must be answered to generate correct template or enforce safety
•[important] - significantly improves template quality / reduces future rework
•[optional] - preference-level; safe defaults exist </question_tags>

<question_budget>

•Max 10 questions total.
•Each question includes a one-line "why" tying to a template section, guardrail, or convention. </question_budget>

<triggered_questions> Ask only what applies based on scan:

•Migrations tooling detected -> ask DB reset/backfill/rollback/testing policy
•HTTP/WS dependencies detected -> ask record/replay + fixture storage constraints
•Monorepo structure detected -> ask where templates live and how commands differ
•No tests/CI detected -> ask what canonical verification commands should be </triggered_questions>

<template_delta_preview> Before writing files, show:

•Which variants will be created
•Repo-specific defaults that will be baked in
•Any tightened guardrails derived from project norms
•Any unresolved [blocking] items

Stop and ask for [blocking] answers before proceeding. </template_delta_preview> </questioning_protocol>

<common_questions> Ask only what you cannot infer from the scan: <question_examples>

•
[blocking] Template variants desired
- •"Which templates do you want generated? (e.g., feature, etl_http_ws, db_migration, refactor)"
- •Why: determines templates bundled with skill.
•
[blocking] Test integrity policy
- •"What is your rule on mocks? (only mock boundaries; prefer record/replay; never mock core transforms)"
- •Why: populates guardrails + testing strategy.
•
[blocking] Data capture constraints
- •"Can we store captured payloads under tests/fixtures/? Any size/licensing/PII constraints?"
- •Why: populates test-data acquisition plan.
•
[blocking] Destructive actions boundary
- •"What DB reset patterns are allowed in tests? (transactions/temp schema/containers). Forbidden actions?"
- •Why: prevents unsafe "delete DB to pass tests" behavior.
•
[important] Type discipline
- •"For Python projects, what is your stance on Optional/None? (forbid unless justified; require invalid states unrepresentable)"
- •Why: shapes interface-contract requirements.
•
[important] Review workflow
- •"Stop at Template Delta Preview for approval, or write files and you review diffs?"
- •Why: controls collaboration checkpoint. </question_examples> </common_questions>

<base_template_sections> The base template MUST include these sections (in order):

•Identity and lifecycle
•Context
•Problem
•Goals / Non-goals
•Requirements (FRs / NFRs)
•Constraints and invariants (include DB + test integrity)
•Proposed design (architecture, contracts, schemas, idempotency/retries)
•Project common utilities that will be used.
•Project common utilities that will be created.
•Interface contracts (explicit signatures; Optional/None justification required)
•Alternatives considered (>=2)
•Test data acquisition plan (mandatory for external I/O / ETL)
•Testing and verification strategy (commands + CI gates + test integrity rules)
•Rollout / migration / ops (flags, backfills, observability, runbook)
•Open questions / follow-ups
•Subtasks (human-readable checklist for review)

Subtasks Section Format:

markdown

## Subtasks

### T1: [Task Title]
- **Summary**: One sentence objective
- **Scope**: What's in / what's out
- **Acceptance**: Binary pass/fail criteria
- **Status**: [ ] Not started / [~] In progress / [x] Complete

### T2: [Task Title]
...

</base_template_sections>

<guardrails> Include verbatim in the design doc skill you create under "Engineering Guardrails for Agent Execution":

•Reuse-first rule (anti-duplication): search existing utilities; record decision per task.
•No destructive shortcuts: never delete dev/prod data to pass tests; destructive actions require confirmation.
•Test integrity (anti-mock-cheating): mock boundaries only; prefer record/replay; do not change tests without spec change approval.
•Signature discipline (anti-vagueness): explicit types/invariants; Optional/None requires justification and handling strategy.
•Alternatives requirement: evaluate >=2 alternatives + "do nothing".
•Uncertainty protocol: ask [blocking] questions when unsure; do not proceed. </guardrails>

<completion_criteria>

•design-docs/ exists with README + active/ + agents/ subdirectories
•name of ${DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME} confirmed with user.
•${DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME} skill exists at .{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/
•Templates bundled at .{AGENT_NAME}/skills/{DESIGN_DOC_SKILL_NAME}/templates/
•base.md includes guardrails and human-readable subtasks section format
•At least one project-specific template variant exists with repo-specific test commands
•Skill workflow: human-readable subtasks in main doc -> user approval -> XML in design-docs/agents/ </completion_criteria>

<decision_points>

•No existing config directory -> create one for current agent
•Multiple templates requested -> generate each as separate variant file
•User wants immediate write vs preview -> honor preference from question 6 </decision_points>

<failure_modes>

•Scan finds nothing -> ask user for stack/commands explicitly
•Conflicting conventions -> note in template as "resolve before use"
•Overwriting existing templates -> create backup with timestamp first </failure_modes>