design-solution

Design Solution

Converge from multiple options to a single recommended approach.

Position in Workflow

Step 3 of development workflow:

1. /research - Understand problem and constraints
2. /brainstorm-solutions - Explore solution space
3. /design-solution - Converge on a single solution (THIS)
4. Plan, code, review, ship

Core Principle

Decide deliberately. Evaluate trade-offs, align to constraints, and pick the best fit.

Input

Default: Use the options from the current conversation.

If argument provided:

• File path: Read the file for brainstorming output
• GitHub issue number/URL: Fetch with scripts/gh_issue_phase.sh get-issue $ARG

Workflow

1. Reconfirm Context

• Restate the problem, constraints, and success criteria.
• Identify any missing information that blocks a decision.

2. Evaluate Options

For each option, assess:

• Pros: Benefits and what it enables
• Cons: Risks and complexity
• Codebase fit: Alignment with existing patterns
• Effort: Low/Medium/High
• Reversibility: Easy/Moderate/Hard to change later

3. Decide

• Rank options against success criteria.
• Select a recommended option.
• State conditions that would change the decision.

4. Capture Open Questions

List unknowns that must be resolved before planning.

Output Format

## Solution Decision

### Context Summary
[Brief restatement of problem and key constraints]

### Decision Criteria
[What matters most: performance, time, simplicity, extensibility, etc.]

---

### Option Evaluation

#### Option 1: [Name] - Recommended
[Description]

**Pros:**
- ...

**Cons:**
- ...

**Codebase fit:** [How it aligns with existing patterns]
**Effort:** [Low/Medium/High]
**Reversibility:** [Easy/Moderate/Hard]

#### Option 2: [Name]
[Same structure]

#### Option 3: [Name]
[Same structure]

---

### Recommendation
[Why the recommended option wins, and when you would choose differently]

### Open Questions
[Anything that could change the recommendation]

### Next Step
Ready to plan implementation. Enter Plan Mode or run `/plan`.

GitHub Issue Tracking

If a GitHub issue was provided or is available from prior phases:

Post design decision as a phase comment and set the label:

echo "$DESIGN_SUMMARY" | scripts/gh_issue_phase.sh post-phase $ISSUE design
scripts/gh_issue_phase.sh set-label $ISSUE phase:design

Pass the issue number to the next skill (e.g., /make-plan #42).

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Skipping decision criteria	State criteria before evaluating
Over-weighting novelty	Prefer codebase fit and simplicity
Ignoring reversibility	Consider how hard it is to change later
Decision without evidence	Call out unknowns explicitly

What NOT to Do

• Do NOT re-brainstorm options
• Do NOT proceed to planning without a chosen option
• Do NOT hide assumptions or uncertainties
• Do NOT ignore codebase constraints