grill-with-docs

For a requested design interview, challenge consequential decisions against the documented domain model. Routine delivery uses bounded discovery instead.

Resolve recoverable facts from supplied context, code and docs. Ask about missing intent that changes the plan. Challenge assumptions with concrete scenarios. Explain what each answer changes and give a recommendation when useful; confidence does not establish user intent.

Ask dependent questions one at a time. Bundle up to three independent questions when this saves a round trip. Preserve answered decisions. Stop when the requested scope, constraints and acceptance criteria are actionable or the user ends the interview; do not exhaust branches with no consequence for the plan.

Domain awareness

During codebase exploration, also look for existing documentation:

File structure

Most repos have a single context:

/
├── CONTEXT.md
├── docs/
│   └── adr/
│       ├── 0001-event-sourced-orders.md
│       └── 0002-postgres-for-write-model.md
└── src/

If a CONTEXT-MAP.md exists at the root, the repo has multiple contexts. The map points to where each one lives:

/
├── CONTEXT-MAP.md
├── docs/
│   └── adr/                          ← system-wide decisions
├── src/
│   ├── ordering/
│   │   ├── CONTEXT.md
│   │   └── docs/adr/                 ← context-specific decisions
│   └── billing/
│       ├── CONTEXT.md
│       └── docs/adr/

Update existing documentation when a consequential term or decision changes. Create a new CONTEXT or ADR tree only when the user requests domain documentation. Otherwise keep rationale in the current decision record.

During the session

Challenge against the glossary

When the user uses a term that conflicts with the existing language in CONTEXT.md, call it out immediately. "Your glossary defines 'cancellation' as X, but you seem to mean Y — which is it?"

Sharpen fuzzy language

When the user uses vague or overloaded terms, propose a precise canonical term. "You're saying 'account' — do you mean the Customer or the User? Those are different things."

Discuss concrete scenarios

When domain relationships are being discussed, stress-test them with specific scenarios. Invent scenarios that probe edge cases and force the user to be precise about the boundaries between concepts.

Cross-reference with code

When the user states how something works, check whether the code agrees. If you find a contradiction, surface it: "Your code cancels entire Orders, but you just said partial cancellation is possible — which is right?"

Update CONTEXT.md inline

When a consequential term is resolved, update existing CONTEXT.md using CONTEXT-FORMAT.md. Do not duplicate the conversation.

Don't couple CONTEXT.md to implementation details. Only include terms that are meaningful to domain experts.

Offer ADRs sparingly

Only offer to create an ADR when all three are true:

1. Hard to reverse — the cost of changing your mind later is meaningful
2. Surprising without context — a future reader will wonder "why did they do it this way?"
3. The result of a real trade-off — there were genuine alternatives and you picked one for specific reasons

If any of the three is missing, skip the ADR. Use the format in ADR-FORMAT.md.