# Step 2: Project Understanding

<purpose>Understand project context, target users, and unique UX value proposition through collaborative discovery of project vision, target users, and key design challenges and opportunities.</purpose>

<instructions>Review loaded context documents. Fill gaps by asking about product description, target users, and unique value proposition. Explore user context and identify UX design challenges. Generate project understanding content with Executive Summary sections. Present A/P/C menu. Only save when user selects C and append step to stepsCompleted.</instructions>

<output>Project understanding content appended to specification including executive summary, target users, key design challenges, and design opportunities, with user confirmation and frontmatter updated.</output>

## MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

- 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input

- 📖 CRITICAL: ALWAYS read the complete step file before taking any action - partial understanding leads to incomplete decisions
- 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure the entire file is read and understood before proceeding
- ✅ ALWAYS treat this as collaborative discovery between UX facilitator and stakeholder
- 📋 YOU ARE A UX FACILITATOR, not a content generator
- 💬 FOCUS on understanding project context and user needs
- 🎯 COLLABORATIVE discovery, not assumption-based design
- ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT In your Agent communication style with the config `{communication_language}`

## EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

- 🎯 Show your analysis before taking any action
- ⚠️ Present A/P/C menu after generating project understanding content
- 💾 ONLY save when user chooses C (Continue)
- 📖 Update output file frontmatter, adding this step to the end of the list of stepsCompleted.
- 🚫 FORBIDDEN to load next step until C is selected

## COLLABORATION MENUS (A/P/C):

This step will generate content and present choices:

- **A (Advanced Elicitation)**: Use discovery protocols to develop deeper project insights
- **P (Party Mode)**: Bring multiple perspectives to understand project context
- **C (Continue)**: Save the content to the document and proceed to next step

## PROTOCOL INTEGRATION:

- When 'A' selected: Execute {project_root}/_bmad/core/workflows/advanced-elicitation/workflow.xml
- When 'P' selected: Execute {project_root}/_bmad/core/workflows/party-mode/workflow.md
- PROTOCOLS always return to this step's A/P/C menu
- User accepts/rejects protocol changes before proceeding

## CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

- Current document and frontmatter from step 1 are available
- Input documents (PRD, briefs, epics) already loaded are in memory
- No additional data files needed for this step
- Focus on project and user understanding

## YOUR TASK:

Understand the project context, target users, and what makes this product special from a UX perspective.

## PROJECT DISCOVERY SEQUENCE:

### 1. Review Loaded Context

Start by analyzing what we know from the loaded documents:
"Based on the project documentation we have loaded, let me confirm what I'm understanding about {{project_name}}.

**From the documents:**
{summary of key insights from loaded PRD, briefs, and other context documents}

**Target Users:**
{summary of user information from loaded documents}

**Key Features/Goals:**
{summary of main features and goals from loaded documents}

Does this match your understanding? Are there any corrections or additions you'd like to make?"

### 2. Fill Context Gaps (If no documents or gaps exist)

If no documents were loaded or key information is missing:
"Since we don't have complete documentation, let's start with the essentials:

**What are you building?** (Describe your product in 1-2 sentences)

**Who is this for?** (Describe your ideal user or target audience)

**What makes this special or different?** (What's the unique value proposition?)

**What's the main thing users will do with this?** (Core user action or goal)"

### 3. Explore User Context Deeper

Dive into user understanding:
"Let me understand your users better to inform the UX design:

**User Context Questions:**

- What problem are users trying to solve?
- What frustrates them with current solutions?
- What would make them say 'this is exactly what I needed'?
- How tech-savvy are your target users?
- What devices will they use most?
- When/where will they use this product?"

### 4. Identify UX Design Challenges

Surface the key UX challenges to address:
"From what we've discussed, I'm seeing some key UX design considerations:

**Design Challenges:**

- [Identify 2-3 key UX challenges based on project type and user needs]
- [Note any platform-specific considerations]
- [Highlight any complex user flows or interactions]

**Design Opportunities:**

- [Identify 2-3 areas where great UX could create competitive advantage]
- [Note any opportunities for innovative UX patterns]

Does this capture the key UX considerations we need to address?"

### 5. Generate Project Understanding Content

Prepare the content to append to the document:

#### Content Structure:

When saving to document, append these Level 2 and Level 3 sections:

```markdown
## Executive Summary

### Project Vision

[Project vision summary based on conversation]

### Target Users

[Target user descriptions based on conversation]

### Key Design Challenges

[Key UX challenges identified based on conversation]

### Design Opportunities

[Design opportunities identified based on conversation]
```

### 6. Present Content and Menu

Show the generated project understanding content and present choices:
"I've documented our understanding of {{project_name}} from a UX perspective. This will guide all our design decisions moving forward.

**Here's what I'll add to the document:**

[Show the complete markdown content from step 5]

**What would you like to do?**
[C] Continue - Save this to the document and move to core experience definition"

### 7. Handle Menu Selection

#### If 'C' (Continue):

- Append the final content to `{planning_artifacts}/ux-design-specification.md`
- Update frontmatter: `stepsCompleted: [1, 2]`
- Load `./step-03-core-experience.md`

## APPEND TO DOCUMENT:

When user selects 'C', append the content directly to the document. Only after the content is saved to document, load `./step-03-core-experience.md` and execute the instructions.

## SUCCESS METRICS:

✅ All available context documents reviewed and synthesized
✅ Project vision clearly articulated
✅ Target users well understood
✅ Key UX challenges identified
✅ Design opportunities surfaced
✅ A/P/C menu presented and handled correctly
✅ Content properly appended to document when C selected

## FAILURE MODES:

❌ Not reviewing loaded context documents thoroughly
❌ Making assumptions about users without asking
❌ Missing key UX challenges that will impact design
❌ Not identifying design opportunities
❌ Generating generic content without real project insight
❌ Not presenting A/P/C menu after content generation
❌ Appending content without user selecting 'C'

❌ **CRITICAL**: Reading only partial step file - leads to incomplete understanding and poor decisions
❌ **CRITICAL**: Proceeding with 'C' without fully reading and understanding the next step file
❌ **CRITICAL**: Making decisions without complete understanding of step requirements and protocols

## NEXT STEP:

Remember: Do NOT proceed to step-03 until user explicitly selects 'C' from the menu and content is saved!
