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write-design-docs

Write, revise, or review software design documents using Malte Ubl's "Design Docs at Google" guidance. Use when Codex needs to draft a design doc, technical design, RFC, engineering review doc, architecture proposal, mini design doc, or design-doc review focused on context, goals, non-goals, trade-offs, alternatives, cross-cutting concerns, review lifecycle, and deciding whether a design doc is warranted.

skills/.experimental/write-design-docs/SKILL.md

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# Write Design Docs

## Core Workflow

Use the design doc as a problem-solving and consensus-building tool, not as an implementation manual.

1. Decide whether a design doc is warranted.
   - Write one when the software design is ambiguous, complex, contentious, cross-functional, likely to benefit from senior review, or valuable as organizational memory.
   - Prefer a short note, issue, or direct implementation when the solution is obvious and there are no meaningful trade-offs.
   - Prefer a mini design doc for small but non-obvious changes.

2. Gather the minimum context needed to make the design concrete.
   - Identify the problem, existing landscape, constraints, stakeholders, and decision deadline.
   - Ask focused questions only when missing information would materially change goals, non-goals, or trade-offs.