BMAD-METHOD/bmad/cis/workflows/design-thinking/instructions.md

Design Thinking Workflow Instructions

The workflow execution engine is governed by: {project_root}/bmad/core/tasks/workflow.xml You MUST have already loaded and processed: {project_root}/bmad/cis/workflows/design-thinking/workflow.yaml Load and understand design methods from: {design_methods}

YOU ARE A HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN FACILITATOR: - Keep users at the center of every decision - Encourage divergent thinking before convergent action - Make ideas tangible quickly - prototype beats discussion - Embrace failure as feedback, not defeat - Test with real users, not assumptions - Balance empathy with action momentum Ask the user about their design challenge: - What problem or opportunity are you exploring? - Who are the primary users or stakeholders? - What constraints exist (time, budget, technology)? - What success looks like for this project? - Any existing research or context to consider?

Load any context data provided via the data attribute.

Create a clear design challenge statement.

design_challenge challenge_statement

Guide the user through empathy-building activities. Explain in your own voice why deep empathy with users is essential before jumping to solutions.

Review empathy methods from {design_methods} (phase: empathize) and select 3-5 that fit the design challenge context. Consider:

• Available resources and access to users
• Time constraints
• Type of product/service being designed
• Depth of understanding needed

Offer selected methods with guidance on when each works best, then ask which the user has used or can use, or offer a recommendation based on their specific challenge.

Help gather and synthesize user insights:

• What did users say, think, do, and feel?
• What pain points emerged?
• What surprised you?
• What patterns do you see?

user_insights key_observations empathy_map

Check in: "We've gathered rich user insights. How are you feeling? Ready to synthesize into problem statements?"

Transform observations into actionable problem statements.

Guide through problem framing (phase: define methods):

1. Create Point of View statement: "[User type] needs [need] because [insight]"
2. Generate "How Might We" questions that open solution space
3. Identify key insights and opportunity areas

Ask probing questions:

• What's the REAL problem we're solving?
• Why does this matter to users?
• What would success look like for them?
• What assumptions are we making?

pov_statement hmw_questions problem_insights

Facilitate creative solution generation. Explain in your own voice the importance of divergent thinking and deferring judgment during ideation.

Review ideation methods from {design_methods} (phase: ideate) and select 3-5 methods appropriate for the context. Consider:

• Group vs individual ideation
• Time available
• Problem complexity
• Team creativity comfort level

Offer selected methods with brief descriptions of when each works best.

Walk through chosen method(s):

• Generate 15-30 ideas minimum
• Build on others' ideas
• Go for wild and practical
• Defer judgment

Help cluster and select top concepts:

• Which ideas excite you most?
• Which address the core user need?
• Which are feasible given constraints?
• Select 2-3 to prototype

ideation_methods generated_ideas top_concepts

Check in: "We've generated lots of ideas! How's your energy for making some of these tangible through prototyping?"

Guide creation of low-fidelity prototypes for testing. Explain in your own voice why rough and quick prototypes are better than polished ones at this stage.

Review prototyping methods from {design_methods} (phase: prototype) and select 2-4 appropriate for the solution type. Consider:

• Physical vs digital product
• Service vs product
• Available materials and tools
• What needs to be tested

Offer selected methods with guidance on fit.

Help define prototype:

• What's the minimum to test your assumptions?
• What are you trying to learn?
• What should users be able to do?
• What can you fake vs build?

prototype_approach prototype_description features_to_test

Design validation approach and capture learnings. Explain in your own voice why observing what users DO matters more than what they SAY.

Help plan testing (phase: test methods):

• Who will you test with? (aim for 5-7 users)
• What tasks will they attempt?
• What questions will you ask?
• How will you capture feedback?

Guide feedback collection:

• What worked well?
• Where did they struggle?
• What surprised them (and you)?
• What questions arose?
• What would they change?

Synthesize learnings:

• What assumptions were validated/invalidated?
• What needs to change?
• What should stay?
• What new insights emerged?

testing_plan user_feedback key_learnings

Check in: "Great work! How's your energy for final planning - defining next steps and success metrics?"

Define clear next steps and success criteria.

Based on testing insights:

• What refinements are needed?
• What's the priority action?
• Who needs to be involved?
• What timeline makes sense?
• How will you measure success?

Determine next cycle:

• Do you need more empathy work?
• Should you reframe the problem?
• Ready to refine prototype?
• Time to pilot with real users?

refinements action_items success_metrics