What it does
Forces a structured interview before any creative or implementation work begins. Explores intent, constraints, and edge cases through dialogue, then presents a design for explicit approval. The "this is too simple to need a design" instinct is exactly when it matters most.
Use it before building any feature, component, or workflow. Treat the gate as load-bearing. The five-minute interview saves the three-day rebuild.
Outputs a written design with requirements, approach, and open questions. Pairs with `writing-plans` (turns the approved design into an implementation plan) and `executing-plans` (executes the plan with checkpoints).