BMAD-METHOD/docs/user-journeys/feature-development.md

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Feature Development Journey

This document maps the complete journey of a Developer implementing features using the BMAD Method.

Persona Profile: Developer

Name: David (Developer)
Role: Full-Stack Developer
Experience: 4+ years in software development
Goals:

  • Understand feature requirements clearly
  • Implement high-quality code efficiently
  • Integrate with existing systems seamlessly
  • Meet acceptance criteria and deadlines

Pain Points:

  • Ambiguous or changing requirements
  • Technical debt and legacy code constraints
  • Integration challenges with external systems
  • Balancing quality with delivery timelines

Journey Map

journey
    title Feature Development User Journey
    section Preparation
      Receive feature assignment: 3
      Review requirements: 3
      Plan implementation approach: 4
    section Development
      Set up development environment: 3
      Implement core functionality: 4
      Write tests: 3
      Refactor and optimize: 4
    section Validation
      Self-review code: 4
      Run quality checks: 3
      Fix identified issues: 3
    section Delivery
      Submit for review: 2
      Address feedback: 3
      Complete documentation: 4
      Merge and deploy: 5

Detailed Journey Stages

1. Preparation Phase

Entry Point

  • Feature assignment from sprint planning
  • Task from project management system
  • Bug fix or enhancement request

Key Touchpoints

  • Feature Specification: Detailed requirements document
  • BMAD Developer Persona: Guidance on implementation approach
  • Technical Design Document: Architecture and integration details

Decision Points

  • ⭐ Implementation Approach: Choosing technology and patterns
    • Solution: Implementation strategy template with decision tree
    • Success Metric: 90% of approaches approved without revision

Pain Points

  • 🔴 Unclear Requirements: Missing details or ambiguous specifications
    • Solution: Requirement clarification workflow with PO persona
    • Success Metric: Reduction in requirement-related questions
  • 🔴 Technical Constraints: Legacy system limitations
    • Solution: Technical constraint analysis template
    • Success Metric: All constraints identified before coding begins

2. Development Phase

Key Touchpoints

  • Code Generation: AI-assisted implementation
  • Testing Framework: Test case creation and execution
  • Code Optimization: Performance and quality improvements

Decision Points

  • ⭐ Technical Tradeoffs: Balancing quality, performance, and time
    • Solution: Decision matrix for evaluating tradeoffs
    • Success Metric: Documented rationale for all significant decisions

Pain Points

  • 🔴 Integration Challenges: Difficulties connecting with other systems
    • Solution: Integration pattern library and troubleshooting guide
    • Success Metric: 50% reduction in integration-related delays
  • 🔴 Technical Roadblocks: Unexpected implementation challenges
    • Solution: Problem-solving workflow with architect persona
    • Success Metric: Average resolution time under 4 hours

3. Validation Phase

Key Touchpoints

  • Code Review Checklist: Self-assessment of code quality
  • Automated Testing: Running comprehensive test suite
  • Quality Metrics: Measuring code against standards

Decision Points

  • ⭐ Quality vs. Timeline: When to refactor vs. when to ship
    • Solution: Quality threshold guidelines with examples
    • Success Metric: 95% of features meet quality standards on first review

Pain Points

  • 🔴 Test Coverage Gaps: Identifying untested scenarios
    • Solution: Test coverage analysis and recommendation tool
    • Success Metric: 90%+ test coverage for critical functionality
  • 🔴 Performance Issues: Unexpected performance bottlenecks
    • Solution: Performance optimization patterns and guidelines
    • Success Metric: All features meet performance benchmarks

4. Delivery Phase

Key Touchpoints

  • Pull Request Template: Standardized submission format
  • Code Review Process: Structured feedback mechanism
  • Documentation Generator: Automated documentation creation
  • Deployment Checklist: Pre-deployment verification

Decision Points

  • ⭐ Release Readiness: Determining if feature is ready for production
    • Solution: Release readiness assessment framework
    • Success Metric: Zero critical issues found post-release

Pain Points

  • 🔴 Review Feedback Volume: Overwhelming number of change requests
    • Solution: Prioritized feedback categorization system
    • Success Metric: Average review resolution time under 1 day
  • 🔴 Documentation Burden: Time-consuming documentation requirements
    • Solution: AI-assisted documentation generation
    • Success Metric: 70% reduction in documentation time

Emotional Journey

journey
    title Emotional Journey - Feature Development
    section Preparation
      Interest in new challenge: 4
      Concern about requirements clarity: 2
      Confidence after planning: 4
    section Development
      Flow state during coding: 5
      Frustration with obstacles: 2
      Satisfaction with solutions: 4
    section Validation
      Anxiety during testing: 3
      Disappointment with issues found: 2
      Relief after fixes: 4
    section Delivery
      Nervousness during review: 2
      Stress addressing feedback: 3
      Pride in completed feature: 5

Success Metrics

Metric Target Measurement Method
First-time Pass Rate > 80% Code review statistics
Development Time Within 10% of estimate Time tracking analysis
Test Coverage > 90% for critical paths Automated test reports
Technical Debt Added < 5% of code volume Static analysis tools
Post-release Bugs < 1 per 100 lines of code Defect tracking system

Journey Optimization Opportunities

  1. AI-Enhanced Code Generation: Accelerate implementation of standard patterns
  2. Automated Test Creation: Generate test cases from requirements
  3. Intelligent Code Review: Prioritize feedback based on impact
  4. Predictive Issue Detection: Identify potential problems before they occur
  5. Documentation Automation: Generate technical documentation from code

Next Steps in User Journey

After completing the feature development journey, Developers typically proceed to:

  1. Feature Enhancement Journey - Improving existing functionality
  2. Bug Resolution Journey - Addressing reported issues
  3. Technical Debt Reduction Journey - Improving code quality

The feature development journey is the core workflow for implementing functionality and delivering value through the BMAD Method.