Automated PDD Design Example

!!! note "Example Only" docs/examples/presets/auto-pdd.yml is an example workflow, not a supported builtin preset.

Overview

This example automates the front half of PDD. Instead of pausing for a human to answer discovery questions, two hats simulate a requirements interview:

1. A Requirements Interviewer asks one sharp question at a time.
2. A Requirements Owner answers from the prompt, repo context, and explicit assumptions.

Once the interview is complete, a PDD Author writes the design package and a Design Critic adversarially reviews it. The loop stops only after that design package is approved.

Output

The workflow writes a PDD-style package under .agents/scratchpad/implementation/{spec_name}/:

• rough-idea.md
• idea-honing.md
• requirements.md
• design.md

It does not generate implementation tasks or write code.

Usage

ralph run --config docs/examples/presets/auto-pdd.yml --prompt "Design a resilient import pipeline for CSV uploads"

Why Use It

Use this when you want:

• an automated design pass from a rough prompt,
• explicit assumptions instead of blocked human Q&A,
• and an adversarial design gate before implementation starts.

If you want the longer supported workflow that continues through implementation, use builtin:pdd-to-code-assist instead.