Abstract to Concrete Design
An agentic CLI workflow that moves designers from scattered context to evidence-based design brief — before they open Figma.
The Problem: Scattered Context
Designers face a common challenge:
- MoMs in Slack threads
- Research in Notion
- Stakeholder feedback in email
- Competitive intel in random docs
- Design critiques in head
Context lives everywhere. The designer holds it all in their head — or doesn't. Important insights get lost. Decisions get made without full picture.
This system brings context together, validates understanding, and surfaces gaps — before design begins.
How It Works
/design:new → Create project workspace
↓
/design:feed → Paste MoMs, emails, docs, Slack threads
↓
/design:validate → Verify understanding, detect conflicts
↓
/design:run → Run agents (Research → Competitive → Critique)
↓
/design:validate → Validate research synthesis
↓
/design:brief → Get your evidence-based brief
↓
Open Figma
The Scattered Context Solution
| Before | After |
|---|
| MoMs in Slack | All context in .design/BRIEF.md |
| Research in Notion | Synthesized in RESEARCH.md |
| Competitive intel scattered | Mapped in COMPETITIVE.md |
| Feedback in emails | Traced to source in BRIEF.md |
| "What do we know?" | Check GAPS.md or run /design:status |
Key Features
1. Context Centralization
Paste anything — MoMs, emails, research docs, Slack threads. The system accumulates all context in one place, traceable to source.
2. Validation Gates
Before agents run, validate your understanding:
- Stakeholder mapping: Who said what?
- Conflict detection: Do stakeholders contradict each other?
- Context freshness: How old is this information?
3. Gap Detection
The system surfaces what's missing:
- No user research data?
- No engineering constraints?
- Missing competitive context?
You'll know what you don't know.
4. Learning Loop
The system remembers past issues:
- "URL was unreachable last time"
- "This context contradicted earlier input"
Future runs learn from history.
Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|
/design:new | Create project workspace |
/design:feed | Add context (MoM, email, docs, Slack) |
/design:validate | Verify understanding, detect conflicts, check freshness |
/design:run | Execute research agents |
/design:brief | Generate design brief |
/design:status | Check current state and next step |
Workspace Structure
.design/
BRIEF.md ← All context, traceable to source
GAPS.md ← What we know vs missing
DESIGN-STATE.md ← Workflow state tracker
VALIDATION-REPORT.md ← Problem validation results
PROBLEM-REFLECTION.md ← Your confirmed understanding
LEARNING-LOG.md ← Past issues learned
research/
RESEARCH.md ← Problem statement
COMPETITIVE.md ← Landscape analysis
CRITIQUE.md ← UX audit
IDEATION.md ← Design tensions
DESIGN-BRIEF.md ← Final output for Figma
Validation: Before Agents Run
/design:feed
> Paste MoM from product sync...
/design:validate
> ## Stakeholders
> | Source | Role | Key Input |
> |--------|------|-----------|
> | MoM - Product Sync | PM | Users can't find export |
>
> ## Conflicts
> None detected
>
> ## Context Age
> 2026-03-14 (today) ✅ Fresh
>
> ## Problem Reflection
> What problem are we solving? [Your answer]
>
> Ready to proceed? (yes)
Validation: After Research
/design:run (Wave 1 complete)
/design:validate
> ## Research Validation
> Research says: "Users struggle to locate export..."
>
> Your earlier reflection: "Users can't find export button"
>
> ✓ Matches my understanding
> ✓ Worth solving
> ✓ Enough evidence
>
> Proceed to Ideation? (yes)
The Agents
Research Agent
"What problem are we actually solving?" — Synthesizes context into a clear problem statement with user needs and constraints.
Competitive Agent
"What does the landscape look like?" — Maps competitors, table stakes, gaps, and opportunities. Descriptive, not prescriptive.
Critique Agent
"Where is the current experience failing?" — Audits your product via URL/screenshot. Severity-rated findings + what's working.
Ideation Agent
"What tensions must we navigate?" — Synthesizes into design tensions and provocations. Ends with questions, not answers.
Design Philosophy
- Agents surface evidence — not directions
- Competitive shows what exists — not what to copy
- Critique references specifics — not vague opinions
- Ideation opens thinking — doesn't close it
The designer brings the solutions. Agents provide the raw material.
Platforms
Installation
