myclaude/docs/WORKFLOW-SIMPLIFICATION.md

Workflow Simplification Summary

Date: 2025-10-20
Status: Simplified v6 implementation

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What Changed

Before (Over-Engineered)

• ❌ 9 commands (workflow-status, code-spec, mini-sprint, architect-epic, sm-draft-story, sm-approve-story, sm-context, retrospective, bmad-pilot)
• ❌ 4,261 lines of command documentation
• ❌ Complex state machine (BACKLOG → TODO → IN PROGRESS → DONE)
• ❌ User has to choose: "Which command should I use?"
• ❌ Ceremony and cognitive overhead

After (Simplified)

• ✅ 1 primary command: /bmad-pilot (intelligent and adaptive)
• ✅ Smart complexity detection built into workflow
• ✅ Automatic phase skipping for simple tasks
• ✅ No state machine ceremony - just get work done
• ✅ Clear: "Just use /bmad-pilot"

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Core Philosophy

KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

• One entry point, not nine
• Intelligence in system behavior, not user choices
• Less to learn, more to accomplish

YAGNI (You Aren't Gonna Need It)

• Removed speculative features (state machine, context injection commands)
• Deleted unused workflow paths (code-spec, mini-sprint)
• Eliminated ceremony (draft-story, approve-story)

SOLID Principles

• Single Responsibility: bmad-pilot coordinates entire workflow
• Open/Closed: Can enhance bmad-pilot without changing interface
• Dependency Inversion: Intelligence abstracted from user interaction

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What We Kept from v6 Analysis

The v6 BMAD-METHOD had ONE good insight:

"Adapt workflow to project complexity"

We implement this by making /bmad-pilot intelligent:

• Analyzes task complexity from description
• Skips unnecessary phases automatically
• Uses appropriate documentation depth
• No user decision required

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Current Workflow

Single Command: /bmad-pilot "your request"

What Happens Internally (automatic):

1. Scan repository (understand context)
2. Analyze complexity (simple fix vs large feature)
3. Route to appropriate workflow depth:
   • Simple (< 1 day): Skip PRD, minimal spec, implement
   • Medium (1-2 weeks): Lightweight PRD, implement
   • Complex (2+ weeks): Full PRD + Architecture + Sprint Planning
4. Execute with quality gates
5. Deliver working code

User Experience:

• Describe what you want
• System figures out how to do it
• Get working code

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Deleted Files

Commands (8 files, 3,900+ lines):

• workflow-status.md
• code-spec.md
• mini-sprint.md
• bmad-architect-epic.md
• bmad-sm-draft-story.md
• bmad-sm-approve-story.md
• bmad-sm-context.md
• bmad-retrospective.md

Documentation (2 files, 1,153 lines):

• V6-WORKFLOW-ANALYSIS.md
• V6-FEATURES.md

Total Removed: 5,053 lines of unnecessary complexity

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Future Enhancements (If Needed)

Only add complexity if real user pain exists:

1. If users need status visibility: Add /.claude/workflow-status.md auto-generated file (no new command)

2. If retrospectives prove valuable: Auto-generate retrospectives at epic completion (no user command needed)

3. If context reduction needed: Generate story-context.xml automatically during dev (no user command needed)

Key principle: Features should be automatic/invisible, not additional commands users must learn and invoke.

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Lessons Learned

What Went Wrong:

• Took v6 analysis and implemented features as NEW commands
• Added complexity instead of simplifying
• Created ceremony and cognitive overhead
• Focused on completeness rather than simplicity

What We Fixed:

• Deleted everything that wasn't essential
• Moved intelligence into existing workflow
• Reduced user-facing surface area dramatically
• Focused on "one simple entry point"

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Conclusion

v6 wasn't about adding 9 new commands.

v6 was about making workflow SMARTER and SIMPLER.

We now have that: One command (/bmad-pilot) that intelligently adapts to your needs.

Result: Same power, dramatically less complexity.

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Last Updated: 2025-10-20