Workflow Overview

SpecSafe splits every project into two distinct phases: Planning and Development. Planning removes ambiguity. Development enforces discipline. Neither is optional.

The Two Phases

Phase 1: Planning (7 Steps)

Planning moves from wide-open exploration to a concrete, validated plan. Each step narrows the funnel:

Brainstorm --> Principles --> Brief --> PRD --> UX --> Architecture --> Readiness
   (wide)                                                              (narrow)

1. Brainstorm -- Divergent exploration. No evaluation yet.
2. Principles -- Product principles, non-goals, quality priorities.
3. Brief -- One-page product/business framing.
4. PRD -- Testable requirements with user journeys.
5. UX -- Design tokens, components, flows, accessibility.
6. Architecture -- System design with Architecture Decision Records.
7. Readiness -- Coherence gate: GO / NEEDS REVISION / BLOCKED.

Development cannot begin until the Readiness gate returns GO.

Phase 2: Development (5 Stages)

Development follows a strict linear pipeline. Every spec passes through all five stages in order:

SPEC --> TEST --> CODE --> QA --> COMPLETE

1. SPEC -- Define what will be built. Purpose, scope, requirements, test strategy.
2. TEST -- Generate tests from the spec. All tests start skipped.
3. CODE -- TDD loop: unskip one test, write minimum code to pass, refactor.
4. QA -- Full validation. Evidence-based GO/NO-GO recommendation.
5. COMPLETE -- Human approval gate. Spec is archived.

Key Invariants

These rules are non-negotiable. SpecSafe enforces them automatically:

• No stage skipping. Every spec must pass through SPEC, TEST, CODE, QA, and COMPLETE in order.
• Tests define implementation. Code is written to satisfy tests, never the reverse.
• Evidence required for QA. Assertions are not enough. Lyra (Warden) demands proof.
• One spec at a time. Focus is enforced. Finish what you started before moving on.
• Planning precedes development. The Readiness gate must pass before any spec is created.
• UX before architecture. User experience decisions inform technical decisions, not the other way around.

Visual Flow

Phase 1: Planning
=================

  Brainstorm -----> Principles -----> Brief
       |                                 |
       v                                 v
      PRD <--------------------------  (feeds)
       |
       v
      UX ---------> Architecture -----> Readiness
                                           |
                                     GO / NO-GO
                                           |
                                           v
Phase 2: Development (per spec)
===============================

  SPEC -----> TEST -----> CODE -----> QA -----> COMPLETE
                           ^    |
                           |    v
                        (red-green-refactor)

When the Readiness gate returns GO, you enter Phase 2 and work through specs one at a time until the project is done.