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Module 14: Agentic Development
Lesson 1: The Development Agent Dialog
How the process is organized
Every Session Starts with a Plan
When you ask Freya or Idunn to develop something, the first thing the agent does is create an Agent Dialog.
This isn't documentation after the fact. It's the plan before anything is built.
The agent reads your input — a specification, a concept, an inspiration image, a rough idea — and creates:
- Scope — What are we building? What's the boundary?
- Tasks — Ordered steps to get there
- Requirements — Constraints we must respect (brand, accessibility, technical)
- Test protocol — How we'll verify each step is done right
Then the agent starts executing. One step at a time.
The Agent Dialog Document
# Agent Dialog: Signup Form
## Meta
- Date: 2026-02-10
- Input: P02-signup-form.md (specification)
- Agent: Idunn
- Status: In Progress
## Scope
Build the signup form as a working prototype from the specification.
Includes: form layout, validation, error states, loading states.
Excludes: backend integration, email verification flow.
## Tasks
1. [x] Create form layout with all fields
2. [x] Add real-time validation
3. [ ] Implement error states
4. [ ] Add loading and success states
5. [ ] Responsive adjustments
6. [ ] Accessibility pass
## Requirements
- Must match specification P02 exactly
- Inter font, #0066FF primary
- Mobile-first, max-width 400px
- WCAG AA contrast compliance
## Test Protocol
- [ ] All text matches spec
- [ ] All states render correctly
- [ ] Tab navigation works
- [ ] Touch targets 44px+
- [ ] Contrast ratios pass
## Log
### Step 1: Form layout (completed)
- Created form with email, password, submit
- Matches spec layout
- Decision: Used flexbox for vertical stacking
### Step 2: Validation (completed)
- Added blur-based validation
- Decision: Blur instead of keypress (less jarring)
- Spec impact: Updated storyboard to clarify trigger
### Step 3: Error states (in progress)
- ...
Why Start with the Dialog?
It forces clarity
Before building, you know exactly what you're building and how you'll know it's done.
It enables restart
AI conversations are ephemeral. The dialog is permanent. If you lose context, start a new session, or come back next week — load the dialog. Everything is there.
It tracks decisions
"Why did we use blur validation?" The answer is in the log, not in someone's memory.
It shows progress
At any point you can see: what's done, what's next, what changed.
The Log Is the Heartbeat
As you execute each step, the agent logs:
- What was built — the output
- Decisions made — and the reasoning
- Spec impacts — did anything in the spec change?
- Issues found — unexpected problems
This log is what makes the dialog a living document, not a static plan.
Plans Change
After completing a step, you and the agent re-evaluate:
- Did this step reveal something new?
- Should priorities change?
- Do we need to add tasks?
- Should we remove tasks that are no longer relevant?
- Did the scope shift?
Example: You planned to build the password strength indicator. But after implementing the form, you realize the field is too small to show it on mobile. New task: rethink the indicator placement. Old task: build indicator as-is → removed.
The plan is not a contract. It's a compass.
Types of Agentic Sessions
The same Agent Dialog structure works for all types:
| Type | Example | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Concept exploration | "Dream up a dashboard layout for dog trainers" | Freya |
| Proof of concept | "Can we do infinite scroll with this data model?" | Idunn |
| Prototype | "Build a working signup form from this spec" | Idunn |
| Design inspiration | "Generate 3 visual directions for the landing page" | Freya |
| Production code | "Implement the complete registration scenario" | Idunn |
The scope and depth change. The process doesn't.
Session Continuity
Starting a new session
Load the Agent Dialog into your new conversation:
"I'm continuing the signup form implementation.
Here's the current Agent Dialog with plan and log:
[Paste dialog.md content]
We completed steps 1-3. Next is step 4: loading states."
The agent picks up from the log, not from memory.
Handing off between agents
Freya dreamed up a component. Now Idunn needs to build it.
The Agent Dialog travels with the work. Idunn reads Freya's dialog and continues where she left off.
What's Next
In the next lesson, you'll learn how to evaluate results effectively and give feedback that keeps the work on track.
Continue to Lesson 2: Evaluation and Feedback →
Part of Module 14: Agentic Development