Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes - four-phase framework (root cause investigation, pattern analysis, hypothesis testing, implementation) that ensures understanding before attempting solutions
Test skill demonstrating progressive file loading with multiple resources
Systematic retrospective to capture decisions, lessons, and insights from completed work
Distributed transaction patterns using orchestration and choreography
TLA+ formal specification language for distributed systems and concurrent algorithms
Assess organizational doctrine and universally useful patterns
Zero Trust architecture principles including ZTNA, micro-segmentation, identity-first security, continuous verification, and BeyondCorp patterns. Use when designing network security, implementing identity-based access, or building cloud-native applications with zero trust principles.
Explain enterprise architecture concepts in practical terms. Use when learning about TOGAF, Zachman, ADRs, or any EA terminology.
Use when clarifying fuzzy boundaries, defining quality criteria, teaching by counterexample, preventing common mistakes, setting design guardrails, disambiguating similar concepts, refining requirements through anti-patterns, creating clear decision criteria, or when user mentions near-miss examples, anti-goals, what not to do, negative examples, counterexamples, or boundary clarification.
Use when designing data platforms, choosing between data lakes/lakehouses/warehouses, or implementing data mesh patterns. Covers modern data architecture approaches.
Design safe queue consumers and retries. Use when a mid-level developer needs reliable background processing.
Statechart and state machine modeling for lifecycle and behavior specification
Algorithmic decision tree enforcing test-first development via boolean conditions instead of imperatives
Map relationships between bounded contexts using DDD context mapping patterns. Use when defining upstream/downstream relationships, integration strategies (ACL, OHS, PL), or generating Context Mapper DSL output. Follows event storming for bounded context discovery.
EARS requirement pattern authoring. Use when writing requirements using EARS patterns (Ubiquitous, State-Driven, Event-Driven, Unwanted, Optional, Complex). Provides pattern templates, validation, and examples.
Use when designing content type hierarchies, defining reusable content parts, or structuring field compositions for a headless CMS. Covers the Content Type -> Content Part -> Content Field hierarchy pattern, content type inheritance, composition vs inheritance trade-offs, and schema design for maximum reusability across channels.
Use when implementing rate limiting, throttling, or API quotas. Covers algorithms like token bucket and sliding window, plus distributed rate limiting patterns.
Context packages and learning patterns. Use when managing context packages, error patterns, or strategies.
Examine code organization and identify structural patterns. Use when reviewing module design or understanding architecture.
Use when implementing circuit breakers, retries, bulkheads, or other resilience patterns. Covers failure handling strategies for distributed systems.
Use when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative exploration, and incremental validation. Don't use during clear 'mechanical' processes
Data classification framework including sensitivity levels, handling requirements, labeling, and data lifecycle management
Use when designing globally distributed systems, multi-region architectures, or disaster recovery strategies. Covers region selection, active-active vs active-passive, data replication, and failover patterns.
Use when problems involve interconnected components with feedback loops (reinforcing or balancing), delays, or emergent behavior where simple cause-effect thinking fails. Invoke when identifying leverage points for intervention (where to push for maximum effect with minimum effort), understanding why past solutions failed or had unintended consequences, analyzing system archetypes (fixes that fail, shifting the burden, tragedy of the commons, limits to growth, escalation), mapping stocks and flows (accumulations and rates of change), discovering feedback loop dynamics, finding root causes in complex adaptive systems, designing interventions that work with system structure rather than against it, or when user mentions systems thinking, leverage points, feedback loops, unintended consequences, system dynamics, causal loop diagrams, or complex systems. Apply to organizational systems (employee engagement, scaling challenges, productivity decline), product/technical systems (technical debt accumulation, performan
