Minimal Workflow Example

Overview

This configuration provides the fastest possible SDD workflow with only essential phases:

  1. Specify - Create requirements
  2. Implement - Write code
  3. Done - Complete

Use Cases

  • Rapid prototyping
  • Personal projects
  • Internal tools
  • Low-compliance environments
  • Proof-of-concept development
  • Hackathons

What's Skipped

Phase Why Skipped Risk
Assessment Assumes all features suitable for SDD May waste time on simple fixes
Research Assumes requirements are clear May build wrong solution
Planning Assumes simple architecture May encounter tech debt
Validation Relies on manual testing Quality issues may slip through
Operations Relies on manual deployment Deployment errors possible

Workflow Diagram

To Do
  ↓ /flow:specify
Specified
  ↓ /flow:implement
In Implementation
  ↓ manual
Done

Usage

  1. Copy the configuration:

    cp docs/examples/workflows/minimal-workflow.yml flowspec_workflow.yml

  2. Validate:

    specify workflow validate

  3. Create a task:

    backlog task create "Build user profile page"

  4. Run the workflow:

    /flow:specify
# Creates PRD at docs/prd/{feature}.md

/flow:implement
# Engineers implement, reviewers review

backlog task edit task-123 -s Done
# Mark complete

Agents Involved

  • product-requirements-manager - Creates lightweight PRD
  • frontend-engineer - Implements UI
  • backend-engineer - Implements API/logic
  • frontend-code-reviewer - Reviews UI code
  • backend-code-reviewer - Reviews backend code

Customization

Add Basic Testing

Add a validation step before marking Done:

states:
  - "To Do"
  - "Specified"
  - "In Implementation"
  - "Tested"  # New state
  - "Done"

workflows:
  validate:
    command: "/flow:validate"
    agents:
      - name: "quality-guardian"
        # ...
    input_states: ["In Implementation"]
    output_state: "Tested"

transitions:
  - name: "validate"
    from: "In Implementation"
    to: "Tested"
    via: "validate"

  - name: "complete"
    from: "Tested"  # Changed from "In Implementation"
    to: "Done"

Add Planning Phase

For slightly more complex projects:

states:
  - "To Do"
  - "Specified"
  - "Planned"  # New state
  - "In Implementation"
  - "Done"

workflows:
  plan:
    command: "/flow:plan"
    agents:
      - name: "software-architect"
        # ...
    input_states: ["Specified"]
    output_state: "Planned"

  implement:
    input_states: ["Planned"]  # Changed from ["Specified"]
    # ...

Comparison to Full Workflow

Aspect Minimal Workflow Full SDD Workflow
Phases 2 7
States 4 9
Agents 5 16
Time to Done ~1-2 days ~1-2 weeks
Quality Assurance Manual Automated + Manual
Compliance None SOC2/SLSA ready
Best For Prototypes Production systems

Migration Path

As projects mature, gradually add phases:

  1. Start with minimal workflow
  2. Add Planning when architecture complexity increases
  3. Add Validation when quality issues appear
  4. Add Operations when deployment becomes frequent
  5. Add Research for strategic features
  6. Add Assessment for portfolio management

Limitations

  • No architecture planning (risk of tech debt)
  • No security validation (risk of vulnerabilities)
  • No compliance support (not suitable for regulated industries)
  • No deployment automation (manual deployment overhead)
  • No formal QA process (quality depends on code review)

Best Practices

  1. Still write tests - Even without formal validation phase
  2. Document architecture decisions - Even without ADRs
  3. Run security scans - Use pre-commit hooks
  4. Automate deployment - Use CI/CD even without /flow:operate
  5. Review regularly - Code review is your quality gate

When to Upgrade

Consider upgrading to a fuller workflow when:

  • Project becomes business-critical
  • Team size grows beyond 2-3 people
  • Compliance requirements emerge
  • Deployment frequency increases
  • Quality issues increase
  • Architecture becomes complex
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