AutoGineer summary
Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author
The RPI (Research, Design, and Implement) skill provides a systematic workflow for managing software development tasks. It guides users through a series of defined phases—from initial research and design discussions to PRD creation, technical design, and final implementation. By enforcing a consistent directory structure and documentation standard, it ensures that project context, design decisions, and implementation plans are clearly tracked and easily accessible throughout the development lifecycle.
What it does
- Facilitates structured research to define project requirements and technical constraints.
- Manages design discussions by presenting options, tradeoffs, and recommendations to the user.
- Generates standardized documentation for PRDs, TDDs, and implementation outlines.
- Maintains a task-specific directory for all workflow artifacts and supporting diagrams.
- Provides a clear path for iterative updates to existing design and requirement documents.
- Coordinates the transition between development phases with clear handoff instructions.
When to use it
- When starting a new software feature or complex technical change.
- When you need to document design decisions and architectural choices clearly.
- When you want to follow a repeatable, step-by-step process for software development.
- When you need to track the evolution of a task from research to implementation.
Advantages
- Ensures consistent documentation and project structure across different tasks.
- Promotes informed decision-making by presenting clear tradeoffs and recommendations.
- Keeps design and implementation plans synchronized with the codebase.
- Reduces ambiguity by requiring explicit user confirmation for design choices.
Usage examples
- “rpi”
- The agent initiates the RPI workflow, asks for the task description, and prompts the user to choose between research, design, or implementation phases.
- “rpi create-design-discussion”
- The agent begins the design discussion phase, analyzing existing research and codebase context to draft a design document with proposed architectural choices.
Install
Download the skill as a ZIP:
https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/humanlayer/rpi/downloadUnzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:
mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip rpi.zip -d .agents/skills
Documentation by HumanLayer
Research, Design, and Implement
Help the user research a change, work through its design, and implement it. Follow their requested step, using the phase instructions below.
$SKILLBASE means the directory containing this SKILL.md.
<rpi-invocation> in templates means the host's skill command: $rpi in Codex, /rpi in Claude Code, or its plugin-qualified name when the host exposes one. Render next commands with that native invocation.
Choose the Step
Follow the user's requested step. Read $SKILLBASE/references/workflow.md when choosing or explaining a flow or what comes next.
For a task description with no requested step, start with research questions. Ask which flow the user wants: research followed by design discussion, PRD, or TDD, or research only. Wait for their choice before starting the phase, then carry it into suggested next commands.
When asking the user to choose a flow, read $SKILLBASE/references/workflow-choice.md and show its box-and-line chart with the question.
Create writes a new document; iterate updates an existing document in place using the user's feedback or resumes the workflow for a partially finished document.
Load the matching process from $SKILLBASE/references/<step>/process.md:
| Request | Step |
|---|---|
| Research questions | create-research-questions or iterate-research-questions |
| Research | create-research or iterate-research |
| Design discussion | create-design-discussion or iterate-design-discussion |
| Product requirements / PRD | create-prd or iterate-prd |
| Technical design / TDD | create-tdd or iterate-tdd |
| Implementation outline | create-structure-outline or iterate-structure-outline |
| Implement | implement-outline |
| Implementation feedback or fixes | iterate-implementation |
Update an existing document by default; create one when needed or requested. When several match, use the newest and name the chosen file.
Use the Task Directory
Use the directory supplied by the user.
Otherwise, look for existing task directories in .agents/artifacts/ whose names and workflow filenames match the request or current task branch. Reuse an obvious match without asking. If a directory looks close but could belong to a different task, or several directories look plausible, ask the user which to use before writing. Read only documents allowed by the selected phase when checking a match.
When no existing directory fits, use .agents/artifacts/<branch-name> with / replaced by - if the branch identifies the task. On main, or when no branch identifies the task, choose a short kebab-case slug from the request and use .agents/artifacts/<task-slug> without asking for approval. State the selected path and reuse or create the directory as needed.
Save at the selected path. If the sandbox blocks writes there, ask for scoped write access or a writable task directory and wait for the user's choice.
The RPI framework authors recommend not committing the artifacts.
Number new workflow documents using the next available NN- prefix in the task directory. Keep the existing path when updating a document. Save supporting mockups and diagrams beside the documents and link them as ordinary local files.
Workflow document frontmatter includes repos, a list of zero or more repositories with identifier and sha for each entry. Use repos: [] when none apply. Quote string values as needed for valid YAML.
Review the Document
After writing or updating a workflow document, read $SKILLBASE/references/prose.md and $SKILLBASE/references/show-me.md, then review the document against both. Make it shorter, more visual, and easier for a person to digest: cut words and sections that do not earn their place, replace dense prose with the smallest view that makes the point, and keep each visual beside the short text it supports.
Suggest the Next Step
Use the phase's handoff instructions and $SKILLBASE/references/workflow.md to choose what comes next. Users run each phase in a separate context window by default. When suggesting a next command, include the task directory and chosen flow. Say they can run it here, after compaction, or in a new session.
Use artifact filenames to locate the current phase when asked what's next, then read its document for unfinished work and settled choices. Recognize prd or product-requirements, tdd or tech-design, and structure-outline or outline.
Use Subagents
Use the bundled agent instructions for codebase-locator, codebase-analyzer, codebase-pattern-finder, web-search-researcher, and outline-implementer-agent as directed by each phase.
<important if="you do not have an Agent() or Task() or other tool for running subagents"> read the subagent instructions from $SKILLBASE/references/subagents/SUBAGENT_NAME.md </important>
<important if="you have a tool for running subagents or delegated sessions, but the named subagents are not available"> read the subagent instructions from $SKILLBASE/references/subagents/SUBAGENT_NAME.md and pass them into the subagent with your main prompt, with <instructions> REFERENCE_CONTENTS </instructions> <message> YOUR_MESSAGE ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR OR BUILD </message> </important>
Files
- ATTRIBUTION.mdAdded by AutoGineer847 B
- LICENSELicence file added by AutoGineer1.0 KiB
- SKILL.md5.2 KiB
- references/create-design-discussion/process.md4.0 KiB
- references/create-design-discussion/references/design_discussion_final_answer.md258 B
- references/create-design-discussion/references/design_discussion_final_answer_resolved.md461 B
- references/create-design-discussion/references/design_discussion_template.md1.0 KiB
- references/create-prd/process.md3.5 KiB
- references/create-prd/references/prd_final_answer_resolved.md438 B
- references/create-prd/references/prd_template.md853 B
- references/create-research-questions/process.md3.3 KiB
- references/create-research-questions/references/request_template.md312 B
- references/create-research-questions/references/research_questions_final_answer.md471 B
- references/create-research-questions/references/research_questions_template.md462 B
- references/create-research/process.md5.4 KiB
- references/create-research/references/research_final_answer.md651 B
- references/create-research/references/research_template.md1.6 KiB
- references/create-structure-outline/process.md3.2 KiB
- references/create-structure-outline/references/structure_outline_final_answer.md342 B
- references/create-structure-outline/references/structure_outline_template.md1.0 KiB
- references/create-tdd/process.md3.6 KiB
- references/create-tdd/references/tdd_final_answer_resolved.md451 B
- references/create-tdd/references/tdd_template.md776 B
- references/implement-outline/process.md2.9 KiB
- references/implement-outline/references/implement_outline_final_answer.md504 B
- references/iterate-design-discussion/process.md2.6 KiB
- references/iterate-design-discussion/references/design_discussion_final_answer.md258 B
- references/iterate-design-discussion/references/design_discussion_final_answer_resolved.md461 B
- references/iterate-design-discussion/references/design_discussion_template.md915 B
- references/iterate-implementation/process.md1.5 KiB
- references/iterate-implementation/references/iterate_implementation_final_answer.md382 B
- references/iterate-prd/process.md2.4 KiB
- references/iterate-prd/references/prd_final_answer_resolved.md438 B
- references/iterate-prd/references/prd_template.md853 B
- references/iterate-research-questions/process.md2.5 KiB
- references/iterate-research-questions/references/research_questions_final_answer.md473 B
- references/iterate-research-questions/references/research_questions_template.md462 B
- references/iterate-research/process.md4.4 KiB
- references/iterate-research/references/research_final_answer.md710 B
- references/iterate-research/references/research_template.md1.4 KiB
- references/iterate-structure-outline/process.md2.2 KiB
- references/iterate-structure-outline/references/structure_outline_final_answer.md344 B
- references/iterate-structure-outline/references/structure_outline_template.md1.0 KiB
- references/iterate-tdd/process.md2.7 KiB
- references/iterate-tdd/references/tdd_final_answer_resolved.md451 B
- references/iterate-tdd/references/tdd_template.md776 B
- references/prose.md1.5 KiB
- references/show-me.md3.2 KiB
- references/subagents/codebase-analyzer.md5.5 KiB
- references/subagents/codebase-locator.md4.7 KiB
- references/subagents/codebase-pattern-finder.md6.8 KiB
- references/subagents/outline-implementer-agent.md4.3 KiB
- references/subagents/web-search-researcher.md5.8 KiB
- references/workflow-choice.md2.5 KiB
- references/workflow.md3.7 KiB
references/create-prd/process.md
Create a Product Requirements Document
Work with the user to define what they want to build and why: the problem, success measure, user experience, functionality, and behavior. Keep implementation questions for the TDD.
Follow these steps in order, running the interview in the main conversation.
1. Read the Available Context
Read the task directory's workflow documents and named sources in full. Work from the inputs present, whether that is research, a design discussion, or a short request. Reference upstream documents for facts and surface missing product context as questions.
When the conversation depends on current code behavior, use the research agents to establish it. Wait for the results and update the research document when one exists.
For UI work, use the research's design-system findings. Investigate components, colors, typography, spacing, and theming when more context is needed for mockups.
2. Read the Templates and Write a Small Starting Document
Read $SKILLBASE/references/create-prd/references/prd_template.md and $SKILLBASE/references/show-me.md.
Write NN-prd-<description>.md using the next available number. Start with frontmatter, the title, a first-draft Problem to Solve, and empty Success, Proposed Solution, and Solution Details sections. Fill repos with the relevant identifiers and SHAs, or use repos: [].
Quote the drafted problem statement and ask the user one question to confirm or correct it. Keep this opening short so the interview starts promptly.
3. Settle the Problem and Success Measure
First agree on the problem. Rework its section once the user settles the wording.
Then discuss how to tell whether the change helps users after it ships. Propose a measure suited to the work: adoption, a benchmark, errors, latency, or a qualitative result. For small work with no useful measure, record that choice with the user's agreement.
Ask one question per message and wait for the answer. Once the problem and success measure are settled, open the solution interview.
4. Interview the User About the Solution
Present one product decision at a time with two or three options, tradeoffs, and a recommendation. Give the user time to answer and clarify the choice. Update the document once the decision is settled.
Rework the affected sections into a coherent spec: update Solution Details, refine Proposed Solution, and record alternatives and scope when they change. Use short paragraphs and section headers that state the result, such as "Reviewers comment without signing in."
For UI choices, save focused mockup-<description>.html files in the task directory. Match the user's product, use realistic labels, and link each mockup beside its explanation in the document and conversation. Update mockups as decisions change.
For technical questions about schemas, storage, or code structure, record them under Deferred to TDD and return to product behavior.
5. Ask the User to Review the Whole Solution
When the solution is filled out, ask the user to read Solution Details from start to finish and approve it as a whole. Incorporate their fixes and keep the document and mockups current.
Offer to open the document for review in VS Code, Cursor, or the user's preferred editor or browser.
6. Read the Final-Answer Template and Respond
After approval, read $SKILLBASE/references/create-prd/references/prd_final_answer_resolved.md and use it for the handoff. TDD is the usual next step; the user can also choose an outline or direct implementation.
Requirements and compatibility
Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta
“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.
Security
No issues found by our static scan· No issues found
A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.
Attribution and licence
- Published by
- HumanLayer
- Publisher
- HumanLayer (Official)
- Source
- humanlayer/skills · plugins/rpi/skills/rpi · commit 4d69d20
- Licence
- MIT License (redistribution allowed)
- LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
- ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
- Synced
AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by HumanLayer or HumanLayer.
Related skills
Setup TS Deep Modules
Matt Pocock· Community
Configures dependency-cruiser to enforce deep module boundaries in TypeScript repositories.
Software developmentClaude CodeClaude appsOpenAI Codex+14 moreMITLow riskHas scriptsGitHub stars of the source repository317.5k
To Spec
Matt Pocock· Community
Synthesizes conversation context into a structured technical specification and publishes it to a project issue tracker.
Software developmentClaude CodeClaude appsOpenAI Codex+14 moreMITGitHub stars of the source repository317.5k
Improve Codebase Architecture
Matt Pocock· Community
A systematic process to identify, visualize, and refine architectural deepening opportunities in a codebase.
Software developmentClaude CodeClaude appsOpenAI Codex+14 moreMITGitHub stars of the source repository317.5k
Domain Modeling
Matt Pocock· Community
An expert assistant for defining project terminology, maintaining a glossary, and documenting architectural decisions.
Software developmentClaude CodeClaude appsOpenAI Codex+14 moreMITGitHub stars of the source repository317.5k
Codebase Design
Matt Pocock· Community
A shared vocabulary and set of principles for designing deep, testable, and maintainable software modules.
Software developmentClaude CodeClaude appsOpenAI Codex+14 moreMITGitHub stars of the source repository317.5k
Prototype
Matt Pocock· Community
Build a throwaway prototype to answer a design question. Use when the user wants to sanity-check whether a state model or logic feels right, or explore what a UI should look like.
Software developmentClaude CodeClaude appsOpenAI Codex+14 moreMITGitHub stars of the source repository317.5k
Download ZIP
The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download rpi.zip