BMAD-METHOD/bmad/bmm/docs/workflows-implementation.md

# BMM Implementation Workflows (Phase 4)

**Reading Time:** ~8 minutes

## Overview

Phase 4 (Implementation) workflows manage the iterative sprint-based development cycle using a **story-centric workflow** where each story moves through a defined lifecycle from creation to completion.

**Key principle:** One story at a time, move it through the entire lifecycle before starting the next.

---

## Phase 4 Workflow Lifecycle

```mermaid
%%{init: {'theme':'base', 'themeVariables': { 'primaryColor':'#fff','primaryTextColor':'#000','primaryBorderColor':'#000','lineColor':'#000','fontSize':'16px','fontFamily':'arial'}}}%%
graph TB
    subgraph Setup["<b>SPRINT SETUP - Run Once</b>"]
        direction TB
        SprintPlanning["<b>SM: sprint-planning</b><br/>Initialize sprint status file"]
    end

    subgraph EpicCycle["<b>EPIC CYCLE - Repeat Per Epic</b>"]
        direction TB
        EpicContext["<b>SM: epic-tech-context</b><br/>Generate epic technical guidance"]
        ValidateEpic["<b>SM: validate-epic-tech-context</b><br/>(Optional validation)"]

        EpicContext -.->|Optional| ValidateEpic
        ValidateEpic -.-> StoryLoopStart
        EpicContext --> StoryLoopStart[Start Story Loop]
    end

    subgraph StoryLoop["<b>STORY LIFECYCLE - Repeat Per Story</b>"]
        direction TB

        CreateStory["<b>SM: create-story</b><br/>Create next story from queue"]
        ValidateStory["<b>SM: validate-create-story</b><br/>(Optional validation)"]
        StoryContext["<b>SM: story-context</b><br/>Assemble dynamic context"]
        StoryReady["<b>SM: story-ready-for-dev</b><br/>Mark ready without context"]
        ValidateContext["<b>SM: validate-story-context</b><br/>(Optional validation)"]
        DevStory["<b>DEV: develop-story</b><br/>Implement with tests"]
        CodeReview["<b>DEV: code-review</b><br/>Senior dev review"]
        StoryDone["<b>DEV: story-done</b><br/>Mark complete, advance queue"]

        CreateStory -.->|Optional| ValidateStory
        ValidateStory -.-> StoryContext
        CreateStory --> StoryContext
        CreateStory -.->|Alternative| StoryReady
        StoryContext -.->|Optional| ValidateContext
        ValidateContext -.-> DevStory
        StoryContext --> DevStory
        StoryReady -.-> DevStory
        DevStory --> CodeReview
        CodeReview -.->|Needs fixes| DevStory
        CodeReview --> StoryDone
        StoryDone -.->|Next story| CreateStory
    end

    subgraph EpicClose["<b>EPIC COMPLETION</b>"]
        direction TB
        Retrospective["<b>SM: epic-retrospective</b><br/>Post-epic lessons learned"]
    end

    subgraph Support["<b>SUPPORTING WORKFLOWS</b>"]
        direction TB
        CorrectCourse["<b>SM: correct-course</b><br/>Handle mid-sprint changes"]
        WorkflowStatus["<b>Any Agent: workflow-status</b><br/>Check what's next"]
    end

    Setup --> EpicCycle
    EpicCycle --> StoryLoop
    StoryLoop --> EpicClose
    EpicClose -.->|Next epic| EpicCycle
    StoryLoop -.->|If issues arise| CorrectCourse
    StoryLoop -.->|Anytime| WorkflowStatus
    EpicCycle -.->|Anytime| WorkflowStatus

    style Setup fill:#e3f2fd,stroke:#1565c0,stroke-width:3px,color:#000
    style EpicCycle fill:#c5e1a5,stroke:#33691e,stroke-width:3px,color:#000
    style StoryLoop fill:#f3e5f5,stroke:#6a1b9a,stroke-width:3px,color:#000
    style EpicClose fill:#ffcc80,stroke:#e65100,stroke-width:3px,color:#000
    style Support fill:#fff3e0,stroke:#e65100,stroke-width:3px,color:#000

    style SprintPlanning fill:#90caf9,stroke:#0d47a1,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style EpicContext fill:#aed581,stroke:#1b5e20,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style ValidateEpic fill:#c5e1a5,stroke:#33691e,stroke-width:1px,color:#000
    style CreateStory fill:#ce93d8,stroke:#4a148c,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style ValidateStory fill:#e1bee7,stroke:#6a1b9a,stroke-width:1px,color:#000
    style StoryContext fill:#ce93d8,stroke:#4a148c,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style StoryReady fill:#ce93d8,stroke:#4a148c,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style ValidateContext fill:#e1bee7,stroke:#6a1b9a,stroke-width:1px,color:#000
    style DevStory fill:#a5d6a7,stroke:#1b5e20,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style CodeReview fill:#a5d6a7,stroke:#1b5e20,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style StoryDone fill:#a5d6a7,stroke:#1b5e20,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style Retrospective fill:#ffb74d,stroke:#e65100,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
```

---

## Quick Reference

| Workflow                       | Agent | When                             | Purpose                                     |
| ------------------------------ | ----- | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **sprint-planning**            | SM    | Once at Phase 4 start            | Initialize sprint tracking file             |
| **epic-tech-context**          | SM    | Per epic                         | Generate epic-specific technical guidance   |
| **validate-epic-tech-context** | SM    | Optional after epic-tech-context | Validate tech spec against checklist        |
| **create-story**               | SM    | Per story                        | Create next story from epic backlog         |
| **validate-create-story**      | SM    | Optional after create-story      | Independent validation of story draft       |
| **story-context**              | SM    | Optional per story               | Assemble dynamic story context XML          |
| **validate-story-context**     | SM    | Optional after story-context     | Validate story context against checklist    |
| **story-ready-for-dev**        | SM    | Optional per story               | Mark story ready without generating context |
| **develop-story**              | DEV   | Per story                        | Implement story with tests                  |
| **code-review**                | DEV   | Per story                        | Senior dev quality review                   |
| **story-done**                 | DEV   | Per story                        | Mark complete and advance queue             |
| **epic-retrospective**         | SM    | After epic complete              | Review lessons and extract insights         |
| **correct-course**             | SM    | When issues arise                | Handle significant mid-sprint changes       |
| **workflow-status**            | Any   | Anytime                          | Check "what should I do now?"               |

---

## Agent Roles

### SM (Scrum Master) - Primary Implementation Orchestrator

**Workflows:** sprint-planning, epic-tech-context, validate-epic-tech-context, create-story, validate-create-story, story-context, validate-story-context, story-ready-for-dev, epic-retrospective, correct-course

**Responsibilities:**

- Initialize and maintain sprint tracking
- Generate technical context (epic and story level)
- Orchestrate story lifecycle with optional validations
- Mark stories ready for development
- Handle course corrections
- Facilitate retrospectives

### DEV (Developer) - Implementation and Quality

**Workflows:** develop-story, code-review, story-done

**Responsibilities:**

- Implement stories with tests
- Perform senior developer code reviews
- Mark stories complete and advance queue
- Ensure quality and adherence to standards

---

## Story Lifecycle States

Stories move through these states in the sprint status file:

1. **TODO** - Story identified but not started
2. **IN PROGRESS** - Story being implemented (create-story → story-context → dev-story)
3. **READY FOR REVIEW** - Implementation complete, awaiting code review
4. **DONE** - Accepted and complete

---

## Typical Sprint Flow

### Sprint 0 (Planning Phase)

- Complete Phases 1-3 (Analysis, Planning, Solutioning)
- PRD/GDD + Architecture + Epics ready

### Sprint 1+ (Implementation Phase)

**Start of Phase 4:**

1. SM runs `sprint-planning` (once)

**Per Epic:**

1. SM runs `epic-tech-context`
2. SM optionally runs `validate-epic-tech-context`

**Per Story (repeat until epic complete):**

1. SM runs `create-story`
2. SM optionally runs `validate-create-story`
3. SM runs `story-context` OR `story-ready-for-dev` (choose one)
4. SM optionally runs `validate-story-context` (if story-context was used)
5. DEV runs `develop-story`
6. DEV runs `code-review`
7. If code review passes: DEV runs `story-done`
8. If code review finds issues: DEV fixes in `develop-story`, then back to code-review

**After Epic Complete:**

- SM runs `epic-retrospective`
- Move to next epic (start with `epic-tech-context` again)

**As Needed:**

- Run `workflow-status` anytime to check progress
- Run `correct-course` if significant changes needed

---

## Key Principles

### One Story at a Time

Complete each story's full lifecycle before starting the next. This prevents context switching and ensures quality.

### Epic-Level Technical Context

Generate detailed technical guidance per epic (not per story) using `epic-tech-context`. This provides just-in-time architecture without upfront over-planning.

### Story Context (Optional)

Use `story-context` to assemble focused context XML for each story, pulling from PRD, architecture, epic context, and codebase docs. Alternatively, use `story-ready-for-dev` to mark a story ready without generating context XML.

### Quality Gates

Every story goes through `code-review` before being marked done. No exceptions.

### Continuous Tracking

The `sprint-status.yaml` file is the single source of truth for all implementation progress.

---

## Common Patterns

### Level 0-1 (Quick Flow)

```
tech-spec (PM)
  → sprint-planning (SM)
  → story loop (SM/DEV)
```

### Level 2-4 (BMad Method / Enterprise)

```
PRD + Architecture (PM/Architect)
  → solutioning-gate-check (Architect)
  → sprint-planning (SM, once)
  → [Per Epic]:
      epic-tech-context (SM)
      → story loop (SM/DEV)
      → epic-retrospective (SM)
  → [Next Epic]
```

---

## Related Documentation

- [Phase 2: Planning Workflows](./workflows-planning.md)
- [Phase 3: Solutioning Workflows](./workflows-solutioning.md)
- [Quick Spec Flow](./quick-spec-flow.md) - Level 0-1 fast track
- [Scale Adaptive System](./scale-adaptive-system.md) - Understanding project levels

---

## Troubleshooting

**Q: Which workflow should I run next?**
A: Run `workflow-status` - it reads the sprint status file and tells you exactly what to do.

**Q: Story needs significant changes mid-implementation?**
A: Run `correct-course` to analyze impact and route appropriately.

**Q: Do I run epic-tech-context for every story?**
A: No! Run once per epic, not per story. Use `story-context` or `story-ready-for-dev` per story instead.

**Q: Do I have to use story-context for every story?**
A: No, it's optional. You can use `story-ready-for-dev` to mark a story ready without generating context XML.

**Q: Can I work on multiple stories in parallel?**
A: Not recommended. Complete one story's full lifecycle before starting the next. Prevents context switching and ensures quality.

**Q: What if code review finds issues?**
A: DEV runs `develop-story` to make fixes, re-runs tests, then runs `code-review` again until it passes.

**Q: When do I run validations?**
A: Validations are optional quality gates. Use them when you want independent review of epic tech specs, story drafts, or story context before proceeding.

---

_Phase 4 Implementation - One story at a time, done right._