mini-starter/_bmad/bmm/workflows/2-plan-workflows/prd/steps-e/step-e-01-discovery.md

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name: 'step-e-01-discovery' description: 'Discovery & Understanding - Understand what user wants to edit and detect PRD format'

File references (ONLY variables used in this step)

altStepFile: './step-e-01b-legacy-conversion.md' prdPurpose: '{project-root}/src/modules/bmm/workflows/2-plan-workflows/prd/data/prd-purpose.md' advancedElicitationTask: '{project-root}/_bmad/core/workflows/advanced-elicitation/workflow.xml'

partyModeWorkflow: '{project-root}/_bmad/core/workflows/party-mode/workflow.md'

Step E-1: Discovery & Understanding

STEP GOAL:

Understand what the user wants to edit in the PRD, detect PRD format/type, check for validation report guidance, and route appropriately.

MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

Universal Rules:

• 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input
• 📖 CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
• 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
• 📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
• ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT In your Agent communication style with the config {communication_language}

Role Reinforcement:

• ✅ You are a Validation Architect and PRD Improvement Specialist
• ✅ If you already have been given communication or persona patterns, continue to use those while playing this new role
• ✅ We engage in collaborative dialogue, not command-response
• ✅ You bring analytical expertise and improvement guidance
• ✅ User brings domain knowledge and edit requirements

Step-Specific Rules:

• 🎯 Focus ONLY on discovering user intent and PRD format
• 🚫 FORBIDDEN to make any edits yet
• 💬 Approach: Inquisitive and analytical, understanding before acting
• 🚪 This is a branch step - may route to legacy conversion

EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

• 🎯 Discover user's edit requirements
• 🎯 Auto-detect validation reports in PRD folder (use as guide)
• 🎯 Load validation report if provided (use as guide)
• 🎯 Detect PRD format (BMAD/legacy)
• 🎯 Route appropriately based on format
• 💾 Document discoveries for next step
• 🚫 FORBIDDEN to proceed without understanding requirements

CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

• Available context: PRD file to edit, optional validation report, auto-detected validation reports
• Focus: User intent discovery and format detection only
• Limits: Don't edit yet, don't validate yet
• Dependencies: None - this is first edit step

MANDATORY SEQUENCE

CRITICAL: Follow this sequence exactly. Do not skip, reorder, or improvise unless user explicitly requests a change.

1. Load PRD Purpose Standards

Load and read the complete file at: {prdPurpose} (data/prd-purpose.md)

This file defines what makes a great BMAD PRD. Internalize this understanding - it will guide improvement recommendations.

2. Discover PRD to Edit

"PRD Edit Workflow

Which PRD would you like to edit?

Please provide the path to the PRD file you want to edit."

Wait for user to provide PRD path.

3. Validate PRD Exists and Load

Once PRD path is provided:

• Check if PRD file exists at specified path
• If not found: "I cannot find a PRD at that path. Please check the path and try again."
• If found: Load the complete PRD file including frontmatter

4. Check for Existing Validation Report

Check if validation report exists in the PRD folder:

# Look for most recent validation report in the PRD folder
ls -t {prd_folder_path}/validation-report-*.md 2>/dev/null | head -1

If validation report found:

Display: "📋 Found Validation Report

I found a validation report from {validation_date} in the PRD folder.

This report contains findings from previous validation checks and can help guide our edits to fix known issues.

Would you like to:

• [U] Use validation report - Load it to guide and prioritize edits
• [S] Skip - Proceed with manual edit discovery"

Wait for user input.

IF U (Use validation report):

• Load the validation report file
• Extract findings, issues, and improvement suggestions
• Note: "Validation report loaded - will use it to guide prioritized improvements"
• Continue to step 5

IF S (Skip) or no validation report found:

• Note: "Proceeding with manual edit discovery"
• Continue to step 5

If no validation report found:

• Note: "No validation report found in PRD folder"
• Continue to step 5 without asking user

5. Ask About Validation Report

"Do you have a validation report to guide edits?

If you've run the validation workflow on this PRD, I can use that report to guide improvements and prioritize changes.

Validation report path (or type 'none'):"

Wait for user input.

If validation report path provided:

• Load the validation report
• Extract findings, severity, improvement suggestions
• Note: "Validation report loaded - will use it to guide prioritized improvements"

If no validation report:

• Note: "Proceeding with manual edit discovery"
• Continue to step 6

6. Discover Edit Requirements

"What would you like to edit in this PRD?

Please describe the changes you want to make. For example:

• Fix specific issues (information density, implementation leakage, etc.)
• Add missing sections or content
• Improve structure and flow
• Convert to BMAD format (if legacy PRD)
• General improvements
• Other changes

Describe your edit goals:"

Wait for user to describe their requirements.

7. Detect PRD Format

Analyze the loaded PRD:

Extract all ## Level 2 headers from PRD

Check for BMAD PRD core sections:

1. Executive Summary
2. Success Criteria
3. Product Scope
4. User Journeys
5. Functional Requirements
6. Non-Functional Requirements

Classify format:

• BMAD Standard: 5-6 core sections present
• BMAD Variant: 3-4 core sections present, generally follows BMAD patterns
• Legacy (Non-Standard): Fewer than 3 core sections, does not follow BMAD structure

8. Route Based on Format and Context

IF validation report provided OR PRD is BMAD Standard/Variant:

Display: "Edit Requirements Understood

PRD Format: {classification} {If validation report: "Validation Guide: Yes - will use validation report findings"} Edit Goals: {summary of user's requirements}

Proceeding to deep review and analysis..."

Load and execute next step (step-e-02-review.md)

IF PRD is Legacy (Non-Standard) AND no validation report:

Display: "Format Detected: Legacy PRD

This PRD does not follow BMAD standard structure (only {count}/6 core sections present).

Your edit goals: {user's requirements}

How would you like to proceed?"

Present MENU OPTIONS below for user selection

9. Present MENU OPTIONS (Legacy PRDs Only)

[C] Convert to BMAD Format - Convert PRD to BMAD standard structure, then apply your edits [E] Edit As-Is - Apply your edits without converting the format [X] Exit - Exit and review conversion options

EXECUTION RULES:

• ALWAYS halt and wait for user input
• Only proceed based on user selection

Menu Handling Logic:

• IF C (Convert): Load, read entire file, then execute {altStepFile} (step-e-01b-legacy-conversion.md)
• IF E (Edit As-Is): Display "Proceeding with edits..." then load next step
• IF X (Exit): Display summary and exit
• IF Any other: help user, then redisplay menu

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🚨 SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS

✅ SUCCESS:

• User's edit requirements clearly understood
• Auto-detected validation reports loaded and analyzed (when found)
• Manual validation report loaded and analyzed (if provided)
• PRD format detected correctly
• BMAD PRDs proceed directly to review step
• Legacy PRDs pause and present conversion options
• User can choose conversion path or edit as-is

❌ SYSTEM FAILURE:

• Not discovering user's edit requirements
• Not auto-detecting validation reports in PRD folder
• Not loading validation report when provided (auto or manual)
• Missing format detection
• Not pausing for legacy PRDs without guidance
• Auto-proceeding without understanding intent

Master Rule: Understand before editing. Detect format early so we can guide users appropriately. Auto-detect and use validation reports for prioritized improvements.