A documentation-driven development methodology that turns ideas into working software through a structured, repeatable pipeline.
SOW → User Journey → Use Cases → Business Rules → Test Cases → Solution Draft → Implementation
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ └─ Protocol 004
│ │ │ │ │ └─ Protocol 003
│ │ │ │ └─ Protocol 002
│ │ │ │
└─────────┴──────────────┴─────────────┴──────────────── Protocol 001 (stages 1-4)
Every feature follows this pipeline. No stage may be skipped. Each stage feeds the next.
Protocols define how to do each thing:
| # | Protocol | Governs |
|---|---|---|
| 001 | Documentation-Driven Development | The full pipeline — stages 1 through 7 |
| 002 | Test-Driven Business Rules | Stage 5 — writing test cases from BRs |
| 003 | Solution Architecture | Stage 6 — designing the technical solution |
| 004 | Red-Green-Refactor | Stage 7 — implementing with strict TDD |
Prompts are executable instructions — give them to an AI assistant or follow them yourself:
| # | Prompt | Pipeline Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 001 | Create SOW | Stage 1 |
| 002 | Create User Journey | Stage 2 |
| 003 | Create Use Cases | Stage 3 |
| 004 | Create Business Rules | Stage 4 |
| 005 | Create BR Test Cases | Stage 5 |
| 006 | Create Solution Draft | Stage 6 |
| 007 | Implement (Red-Green-Refactor) | Stage 7 |
- Start a new feature: Run Prompt 001 to create a Statement of Work
- Walk through the pipeline: Run each subsequent prompt in order (002 → 007)
- Gate each stage: Don't proceed until the current stage's gate conditions are met
- Adapt the templates: Replace
PROJwith your project identifier (e.g.,BR-MYAPP-001)
The methodology is language-agnostic and framework-agnostic. The examples use generic placeholders — adapt the test file extensions, build commands, and tooling to your stack.
- No code without documentation — every line traces back to a use case and business rule
- Tests are the specification — written before implementation, in a failing state
- One test at a time — strict Red-Green-Refactor discipline
- Cross-references are mandatory — use cases reference business rules and vice versa
- Prompts drive execution — reproducible, auditable stage transitions
MIT