---
name: 'step-v-03-density-validation'
description: 'Information Density Check - Scan for anti-patterns that violate information density principles'

# File references (ONLY variables used in this step)
nextStepFile: './step-v-04-brief-coverage-validation.md'
prdFile: '{prd_file_path}'
validationReportPath: '{validation_report_path}'
---

# Step 3: Information Density Validation

<purpose>Validate PRD meets BMAD information density standards by scanning for conversational filler, wordy phrases, and redundant expressions that violate conciseness principles.</purpose>

<instructions>Analyze PRD content for information density violations; scan for anti-patterns including conversational filler, wordiness, redundancy, and verbose phrasing; calculate density metrics; document violations with location and severity; update validation report with findings; optionally suggest improvements.</instructions>

<output>Density validation report with identified violations, severity classification, specific locations, density metrics, and optional improvement suggestions.</output>

## STEP GOAL:

Validate PRD meets BMAD information density standards by scanning for conversational filler, wordy phrases, and redundant expressions that violate conciseness principles.

## MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

### Universal Rules:

- 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input
- 📖 CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
- 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
- 📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
- ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT In your Agent communication style with the config `{communication_language}`

### Role Reinforcement:

- ✅ You are a Validation Architect and Quality Assurance Specialist
- ✅ If you already have been given communication or persona patterns, continue to use those while playing this new role
- ✅ We engage in systematic validation, not collaborative dialogue
- ✅ You bring analytical rigor and attention to detail
- ✅ This step runs autonomously - no user input needed

### Step-Specific Rules:

- 🎯 Focus ONLY on information density anti-patterns
- 🚫 FORBIDDEN to validate other aspects in this step
- 💬 Approach: Systematic scanning and categorization
- 🚪 This is a validation sequence step - auto-proceeds when complete

## EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

- 🎯 Scan PRD for density anti-patterns systematically
- 💾 Append density findings to validation report
- 📖 Display "Proceeding to next check..." and load next step
- 🚫 FORBIDDEN to pause or request user input

## CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

- Available context: PRD file, validation report with format findings
- Focus: Information density validation only
- Limits: Don't validate other aspects, don't pause for user input
- Dependencies: Step 2 completed - format classification done

## MANDATORY SEQUENCE

**CRITICAL:** Follow this sequence exactly. Do not skip, reorder, or improvise unless user explicitly requests a change.

### 1. Attempt Sub-Process Validation

**Try to use Task tool to spawn a subprocess:**

"Perform information density validation on this PRD:

1. Load the PRD file
2. Scan for the following anti-patterns:
   - Conversational filler phrases (examples: 'The system will allow users to...', 'It is important to note that...', 'In order to')
   - Wordy phrases (examples: 'Due to the fact that', 'In the event of', 'For the purpose of')
   - Redundant phrases (examples: 'Future plans', 'Absolutely essential', 'Past history')
3. Count violations by category with line numbers
4. Classify severity: Critical (>10 violations), Warning (5-10), Pass (<5)

Return structured findings with counts and examples."

### 2. Graceful Degradation (if Task tool unavailable)

If Task tool unavailable, perform analysis directly:

**Scan for conversational filler patterns:**
- "The system will allow users to..."
- "It is important to note that..."
- "In order to"
- "For the purpose of"
- "With regard to"
- Count occurrences and note line numbers

**Scan for wordy phrases:**
- "Due to the fact that" (use "because")
- "In the event of" (use "if")
- "At this point in time" (use "now")
- "In a manner that" (use "how")
- Count occurrences and note line numbers

**Scan for redundant phrases:**
- "Future plans" (just "plans")
- "Past history" (just "history")
- "Absolutely essential" (just "essential")
- "Completely finish" (just "finish")
- Count occurrences and note line numbers

### 3. Classify Severity

**Calculate total violations:**
- Conversational filler count
- Wordy phrases count
- Redundant phrases count
- Total = sum of all categories

**Determine severity:**
- **Critical:** Total > 10 violations
- **Warning:** Total 5-10 violations
- **Pass:** Total < 5 violations

### 4. Report Density Findings to Validation Report

Append to validation report:

```markdown
## Information Density Validation

**Anti-Pattern Violations:**

**Conversational Filler:** {count} occurrences
[If count > 0, list examples with line numbers]

**Wordy Phrases:** {count} occurrences
[If count > 0, list examples with line numbers]

**Redundant Phrases:** {count} occurrences
[If count > 0, list examples with line numbers]

**Total Violations:** {total}

**Severity Assessment:** [Critical/Warning/Pass]

**Recommendation:**
[If Critical] "PRD requires significant revision to improve information density. Every sentence should carry weight without filler."
[If Warning] "PRD would benefit from reducing wordiness and eliminating filler phrases."
[If Pass] "PRD demonstrates good information density with minimal violations."
```

### 5. Display Progress and Auto-Proceed

Display: "**Information Density Validation Complete**

Severity: {Critical/Warning/Pass}

**Proceeding to next validation check...**"

Immediately load and execute {nextStepFile} (step-v-04-brief-coverage-validation.md)

---

## 🚨 SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS

### ✅ SUCCESS:

- PRD scanned for all three anti-pattern categories
- Violations counted with line numbers
- Severity classified correctly
- Findings reported to validation report
- Auto-proceeds to next validation step
- Subprocess attempted with graceful degradation

### ❌ SYSTEM FAILURE:

- Not scanning all anti-pattern categories
- Missing severity classification
- Not reporting findings to validation report
- Pausing for user input (should auto-proceed)
- Not attempting subprocess architecture

**Master Rule:** Information density validation runs autonomously. Scan, classify, report, auto-proceed. No user interaction needed.
