Hammock

The Process

Phase 1: State the Problem

Use AskUserQuestion:

Question: "What problem are we actually solving? (Describe the pain, not the feature)"
Header: "Problem"
Options:
- [Let user type - use "Other" flow]

Question: "How will we know this is solved?"
Header: "Success"
Options:
- [Let user type - use "Other" flow]

If user gives a feature instead of a problem, probe deeper:

Question: "You mentioned [feature]. What pain or issue does this address?"
Header: "Root problem"

Write the problem statement explicitly before proceeding.

Phase 2: Understand the Problem

First, explore the codebase silently using Glob, Grep, Read tools. Then use AskUserQuestion to fill gaps:

Question: "What constraints must we respect?"
Header: "Constraints"
Options:
- Performance critical: "Has latency/throughput requirements"
- Security sensitive: "Handles auth, PII, or secrets"
- Backward compatible: "Must not break existing clients"
- Time constrained: "Has a deadline"
multiSelect: true

Question: "What's unclear that we should research?"
Header: "Unknowns"
Options:
- [Based on exploration findings, offer specific unknowns discovered]
- [Or let user type]

Document findings in categories:

Phase 3: Gather Input

Explore codebase and external sources. Then confirm with user:

Question: "I found these relevant patterns/solutions. Which should we consider?"
Header: "Patterns"
Options:
- [Pattern A found]: "[Brief description]"
- [Pattern B found]: "[Brief description]"
- [External approach]: "[Brief description]"
- Research more: "Need to look at additional solutions"
multiSelect: true

Phase 4: Analyze Tradeoffs

After generating at least 2 solutions, use AskUserQuestion:

Question: "I've identified these approaches. Which factors matter most for your decision?"
Header: "Priorities"
Options:
- Simplicity: "Easiest to understand and maintain"
- Performance: "Speed and resource efficiency"
- Flexibility: "Easy to change later"
- Speed to implement: "Fastest to build"
multiSelect: true

Question: "Initial recommendation is [Option X]. Does this direction feel right?"
Header: "Direction"
Options:
- Yes, proceed: "Develop this approach further"
- Explore alternatives: "Look at other options more"
- Combine approaches: "Mix elements from multiple options"
- Rethink problem: "Step back and reconsider the problem"

Phase 5: Hammock Time (Deep mode only)

Use AskUserQuestion:

Question: "This is a significant decision. Would you like to take hammock time before finalizing?"
Header: "Hammock"
Options:
- Continue now: "I'm ready to proceed"
- Sleep on it: "Save state, I'll return tomorrow"
- Think break: "Give me the summary, I'll think and return"

If they choose to pause, save the design document as draft with status "Hammock Time".

Prompt:

Your background mind will process this. Return with /hammock continue when ready.

Phase 6: Capture & Implement

Use AskUserQuestion for implementation planning:

Question: "How should we break down the implementation?"
Header: "Approach"
Options:
- Single PR: "All changes in one pull request"
- Phased: "Multiple PRs in sequence"
- Feature flag: "Behind a flag for gradual rollout"

Then generate the implementation plan with specific steps.

Output Document

Generate design document at [project]/.claude/designs/[name].md:

# [Problem Name] - Design Document

**Mode**: [Quick/Standard/Deep]
**Date**: [date]
**Status**: [Draft/Hammock Time/Final]

## Problem Statement
[What we're solving - not features, the actual problem]

## Understanding

### Facts
- ...

### Context
- ...

### Constraints
- ...

### Unknowns (Resolved)
- [x] [Unknown] → [What we learned]

### Unknowns (Open)
- [ ] [Still unknown]

## Research & Input
[Patterns found, solutions studied, what we learned]

## Solutions Considered

### Option A: [Name]
**Approach**: ...
**Pros**: ...
**Cons**: ...
**Sacrifices**: ...

### Option B: [Name]
**Approach**: ...
**Pros**: ...
**Cons**: ...
**Sacrifices**: ...

## Tradeoffs Matrix

| Criterion | Option A | Option B |
|-----------|----------|----------|
| ... | ... | ... |

## Recommendation
[Chosen approach]

**Reasoning**: [Why this over alternatives]

## Implementation Plan
1. ...
2. ...

## Open Questions
[Things that might make us reconsider]

Templates

For specific scenarios, see:

• references/templates/new-project.md - Starting a new project from scratch
• references/templates/new-feature.md - New feature design
• references/templates/bug-investigation.md - Bug root cause analysis
• references/templates/architecture.md - Architecture decisions
• references/templates/refactor.md - Refactoring plans
• references/templates/plan-review.md - Review existing designs/plans

Key Principles

1. Problem vs Feature: Solve problems, don't just build features
2. At Least Two: Never evaluate one solution in isolation
3. Know Your Unknowns: Document what you don't know
4. Tradeoffs Exist: Every choice sacrifices something
5. You Will Be Wrong: Plan for iteration, embrace it

AskUserQuestion Guidelines

• Batch related questions (up to 4 per call)
• Use multiSelect when choices aren't mutually exclusive
• Put recommended option first with "(Recommended)" suffix
• Keep option labels short (1-5 words)
• Use descriptions to explain implications
• For open-ended input, design options that encourage "Other" selection