187 lines
4.1 KiB
Markdown
187 lines
4.1 KiB
Markdown
# Module 05: Platform Requirements
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**Time: 30 min | Agent: Saga | Phase: Strategy**
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---
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## What You'll Learn
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How to define the technical boundaries that inform your design decisions before you start designing.
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---
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## Why This Matters
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Imagine designing a beautiful real-time collaboration feature... then learning the backend can't support WebSockets.
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Or specifying an offline-first mobile experience... when the client only has budget for a web app.
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**Knowing the tech stack is a necessity for UX work — not optional.**
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You can't design well in ignorance. The platform shapes the experience.
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---
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## Not Architecture — Boundaries
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You're not designing the database. You're not specifying API endpoints. That's development work.
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You're understanding what's possible so your designs are grounded in reality.
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---
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## What You'll Discover
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### 1. Platforms
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Where will this product live?
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- Web only?
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- Mobile (iOS, Android, both)?
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- Desktop application?
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- All of the above?
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Each platform has different capabilities and constraints.
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### 2. Integrations
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What systems must we connect to?
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- Authentication (OAuth, SSO, custom)?
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- Payment processing?
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- Third-party APIs?
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- Legacy systems?
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- External databases?
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### 3. Constraints
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What's technically impossible or expensive?
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- Hosting limitations?
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- Budget constraints?
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- Team expertise?
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- Timeline restrictions?
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- Regulatory requirements?
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### 4. Complexity & Challenges
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Investigate integrations from a strategic standpoint:
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- How complex is this integration really?
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- What's the challenge level?
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- Is this well-understood or experimental?
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- Are there unknowns that need research?
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### 5. Knowledge Gaps
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What do we **not** know yet?
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- Unproven technology?
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- Missing documentation?
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- No team expertise?
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- Needs a spike or proof-of-concept?
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**Surface these gaps explicitly.** They become tasks for Idunn to investigate in parallel.
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---
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## The Saga Method
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Saga helps you think through boundaries conversationally:
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> "What platforms are we targeting?"
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> "Are there any systems we need to integrate with?"
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> "What technical constraints should I know about?"
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> "Is there anything that feels risky or uncertain?"
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She'll probe deeper where needed, ensuring nothing gets missed.
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---
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## Output
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`A-Product-Brief/platform-requirements.md`
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This document lives with your Product Brief because it's part of the strategic foundation — not a technical specification.
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---
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## Handoff to Idunn
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Once platform requirements are documented, you can **send them to Idunn** immediately.
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While you continue with UX design (Freya), Idunn can:
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- Research knowledge gaps
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- Spike complex integrations
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- Set up the development environment
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- Validate technical assumptions
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**Parallel work.** Design and platform prep happen simultaneously.
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---
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## What's NOT in This Document
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- Database schemas
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- API specifications
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- Code architecture
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- Technical implementation details
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Those come later, in BMM's architecture phase.
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---
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## Connection to Design
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Every boundary you discover shapes your design:
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| Boundary | Design Impact |
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|----------|---------------|
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| Web only | No native mobile gestures |
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| No real-time | Polling instead of live updates |
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| Tight budget | Simpler interactions |
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| Legacy integration | Work within existing patterns |
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---
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## Practice
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Think about your current project:
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1. What platforms are you designing for?
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2. What integrations are required?
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3. What constraints exist?
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4. What feels risky?
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Document these before you start designing.
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---
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## Lessons
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### [Lesson 1: Why Boundaries Matter](lesson-01-why-boundaries-matter.md)
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Designing in reality, not fantasy
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### [Lesson 2: Defining Platform Requirements](lesson-02-defining-platform-requirements.md)
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How to document the boundaries that shape your design
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---
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## Tutorial
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### [Tutorial 05: Create Your Platform Requirements](tutorial-05.md)
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Hands-on guide to documenting technical boundaries with Saga
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---
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## Next Module
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**[Module 06: Trigger Mapping →](../module-06-trigger-mapping/module-06-overview.md)**
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Now understand the user psychology that drives behavior.
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---
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*Part of the WDS Course: From Designer to Linchpin*
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