Two Workflows

The toolkit operates two primary workflows, each designed for a different type of work.

At a glance

graph TB
    subgraph design["Product Design"]
        direction LR
        P0["/pd-0-start"] --> P1["/pd-1-research"] --> P2["/pd-2-prd"] --> P3["/pd-3-prototype"] --> P4["/pd-4-validate"] --> P6["/pd-6-handoff"]
    end

    subgraph bridge["Spec Generation"]
        direction LR
        SFP["/specs-from-prd"]
        SFR["/spec-from-requirements"]
        ACT["/activate"]
        SFP --> ACT
        SFR --> ACT
    end

    subgraph dev["Development"]
        direction LR
        D1["/1-bootstrap"] --> D2["/2-plan"] --> D3["/3-build"] --> D4["/4-review"] --> D5["/5-finalize"] --> D6["/6-operate"]
    end

    P6 -->|"PRD ready"| SFP
    ACT --> D2
    SFR -.->|"No PRD?<br/>Direct entry"| ACT

    subgraph kw["Knowledge Work (legacy)"]
        direction LR
        K0["/kw-0-start"] --> K1["/kw-1-plan"] --> K2["/kw-2-execute"] --> K3["/kw-3-review"] --> K4["/kw-4-publish"]
    end

Which workflow should I use?

If you're...	Use	Start with
Building a product (research, design, build, deploy)	Unified Product Development	/vt-c-pd-0-start
Already have a validated design, jumping straight to code	Unified Product Development	/vt-c-0-start
Creating non-code deliverables (docs, research, processes)	Unified Product Development (with document deliverable_type) or Knowledge Work (legacy)	/vt-c-pd-0-start or /vt-c-kw-0-start

Not sure?

Start with /vt-c-pd-0-start or /vt-c-kw-0-start. Each shows the full workflow for its type and validates that your project is ready.

Unified Product Development

A single end-to-end workflow spanning product design, implementation, and operations. Design artifacts flow directly into implementation planning — no handoff friction.

Design Phase (6 phases + iterative loop)

Phase	Command	What happens
0. Start	/vt-c-pd-0-start	See the workflow, validate readiness
1. Research	/vt-c-pd-1-research	User interviews, personas, analysis
2. PRD	/vt-c-pd-2-prd	Product Requirements Document
3. Prototype	/vt-c-pd-3-prototype	Deployable HTML/React prototype
4. Validate	/vt-c-pd-4-validate	Usability testing with real users
5. Handoff	/vt-c-pd-6-handoff	Development handoff package

The design phase includes an iterative design loop (/vt-c-pd-inbox-scan → /vt-c-pd-analyze-changes → /vt-c-pd-route-decision) that lets you respond to new feedback without restarting.

Spec Generation (bridge between design and development)

Entry point	Command	When to use
From PRD	/vt-c-specs-from-prd	You have a completed PRD — generates all feature specs automatically
From requirements	/vt-c-spec-from-requirements	No formal PRD — create specs from documents, notes, or a topic description
Activate	/vt-c-activate	Load generated specs, see the wave dashboard, start building

Implementation Phase (7 phases)

Phase	Command	What happens
0. Start	/vt-c-0-start	See the workflow, validate readiness
1. Bootstrap	/vt-c-1-bootstrap	Scaffold project structure
2. Plan	/vt-c-2-plan	Architecture and spec via conceptual orchestrator
3. Build	/vt-c-3-build	Implementation with knowledge capture
4. Review	/vt-c-4-review	6 parallel code reviewers
5. Finalize	/vt-c-5-finalize	Final quality verification
6. Operate	/vt-c-6-operate	Bug investigation and incident response

See Development Workflow and Product Design Workflow for the full guides.

Knowledge Work

Unified model

Knowledge Work phases are functional but deprecated as a standalone workflow. New projects should use Unified Product Development with deliverable_types dispatch in spec frontmatter. The KW skills remain available for legacy projects and pure documentation work.

5 phases for non-code deliverables like documentation, research, and processes.

Phase	Command	What happens
0. Start	/vt-c-kw-0-start	See the workflow, validate readiness
1. Plan	/vt-c-kw-1-plan	Define approach, structure, and risks
2. Execute	/vt-c-kw-2-execute	Do the work with learning capture
3. Review	/vt-c-kw-3-review	Quality review without code assumptions
4. Publish	/vt-c-kw-4-publish	Finalize and deliver

See Knowledge Work Workflow for the full guide.

How workflows connect

A typical product might use both workflows:

1. Unified Product Development — research users, design, build, deploy, operate
2. Knowledge Work — create user guides, training materials, process docs alongside or after development