Writing Design Docs
Major changes need written plans.
When to Write a Design Doc
- Large feature (> 2 weeks of work)
- Architectural change
- API modifications
- Security-related changes
- Cross-team impact
Design Doc Template
# Design Doc: [Feature Name]
## Problem
[What problem does this solve?]
## Proposed Solution
[How you'll solve it]
## Architecture
[Diagrams, components, interactions]
## Timeline
[Rough estimate]
## Risks & Mitigations
[What could go wrong and how to handle it]
## Alternatives Considered
[Other approaches and why this is better]
## Questions for Community
[What feedback do you need?]Benefits
Before:
"Let's implement X"
[Weeks of work]
[Doesn't fit with project]
[Wasted effort]
After:
[Design doc circulates]
[Community provides feedback]
[Issues caught early]
[Smooth implementation]Design docs save time. Get agreement on approach before coding.