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## The Tale of the Frame Expert
Once upon a time, BMad Method had a specialized agent called Frame Expert.
This agent was the master of all visual artifacts - flowcharts, diagrams,
wireframes, data flows. Whenever anyone needed a diagram, they called upon
Frame Expert. The agent lived in its own isolated domain with four dedicated
workflows and a library of shared templates.
## The Awakening
But something felt wrong. Teams using BMad Method were meant to mirror real
agile teams - Product Managers, Architects, UX Designers, Tech Writers,
Developers. Each agent represented an authentic role you'd find in any
software team.
Except Frame Expert.
No real agile team has a "Frame Expert" or "Diagram Specialist" who creates
all visual artifacts. In real teams, Architects diagram system architecture.
PMs flowchart processes. UX Designers wireframe interfaces. Tech Writers
create documentation diagrams. The visuals emerge from the domain experts
who need them, not from a centralized diagram factory.
Frame Expert was an abstraction that made technical sense but violated the
very soul of BMad Method - authentic agile role modeling.
## The Transformation
And so Frame Expert was dissolved, its knowledge distributed to those who
truly needed it:
**The Architect** inherited system architecture diagrams and data flows -
the blueprints of technical systems they design.
**The Product Manager** received process flowcharts - the visual maps of
features and workflows they orchestrate.
**The UX Designer** claimed wireframes - the interface sketches that bring
their vision to life.
**The Tech Writer** gained all diagram types - the visual aids that clarify
their documentation.
Each agent now creates diagrams in their domain, using their expertise,
serving their purpose.
## The Shared Knowledge
But the wisdom of diagram creation itself - the Excalidraw templates, the
component libraries, the validation patterns - this knowledge was too
valuable to scatter. It was elevated to core resources, where both BMM
agents AND the new CIS presentation-master agent could draw upon it.
Shared infrastructure for common needs. Distributed execution for domain
expertise.
## The Ripple Effects
With diagrams now properly distributed, other misalignments became visible:
Epic creation was happening in Phase 2 (Planning), before Architecture
existed. But epics need architectural context - API contracts, data models,
technical decisions. So epic creation migrated to Phase 3 (Solutioning),
after Architecture provides that foundation.
Workflow paths were updated. Documentation gained visual flowcharts showing
the complete journey. Agent naming standards were clarified - filenames are
stable roles, persona names are user dreams.
## What Changed
**Removed:**
- frame-expert.agent.yaml (the centralized specialist)
- All frame-expert workflows and shared resources
- Phase 2 epic creation workflow (wrong timing)
- game-design workflow path (consolidated to method track)
- v6-open-items.md (planning doc, now complete)
**Distributed Diagram Capabilities:**
- Architect: create-excalidraw-diagram, create-excalidraw-dataflow
- PM: create-excalidraw-flowchart
- Tech Writer: create-excalidraw-{diagram,dataflow,flowchart}, generate-mermaid
- UX Designer: create-excalidraw-wireframe
**Created:**
- src/core/resources/ (shared diagram context for all modules)
- src/modules/cis/agents/presentation-master.agent.yaml (visual comms specialist)
- src/modules/bmm/workflows/3-solutioning/create-epics-and-stories/ (epic creation's new home)
- src/modules/bmm/workflows/diagrams/ (distributed diagram implementations)
- src/modules/bmm/docs/images/ (workflow visualization assets)
**Enhanced:**
- All agent definitions with domain-appropriate diagram workflows
- Documentation with embedded workflow diagrams and visual guides
- Agent compilation docs with critical naming convention rules
- All 4 workflow paths (enterprise/method × brownfield/greenfield)
**Fixed:**
- Epic creation now in Phase 3 after Architecture
- Story context path variables in BMGD module
- PRD workflow descriptions (epics moved to Phase 3)
## For Users
The Frame Expert commands are gone. In their place:
- Need architecture diagrams? Ask `/architect`
- Need process flows? Ask `/pm`
- Need wireframes? Ask `/ux-designer`
- Need documentation visuals? Ask `/tech-writer`
Each expert creates diagrams in their domain, with their context, using
their judgment.
This is how real teams work.
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|---|---|---|
| .. | ||
| README.md | ||
| excalidraw-helpers.md | ||
| library-loader.md | ||
| validate-json-instructions.md | ||
README.md
Core Excalidraw Resources
Universal knowledge for creating Excalidraw diagrams. All agents that create Excalidraw files should reference these resources.
Purpose
Provides the HOW (universal knowledge) while agents provide the WHAT (domain-specific application).
Core = "How to create Excalidraw elements"
- How to group shapes with text labels
- How to calculate text width
- How to create arrows with proper bindings
- How to validate JSON syntax
- Base structure and primitives
Agents = "What diagrams to create"
- Frame Expert (BMM): Technical flowcharts, architecture diagrams, wireframes
- Presentation Master (CIS): Pitch decks, creative visuals, Rube Goldberg machines
- Tech Writer (BMM): Documentation diagrams, concept explanations
Files in This Directory
excalidraw-helpers.md
Universal element creation patterns
- Text width calculation
- Element grouping rules (shapes + labels)
- Grid alignment
- Arrow creation (straight, elbow)
- Theme application
- Validation checklist
- Optimization rules
Agents reference this to:
- Create properly grouped shapes
- Calculate text dimensions
- Connect elements with arrows
- Ensure valid structure
validate-json-instructions.md
Universal JSON validation process
- How to validate Excalidraw JSON
- Common errors and fixes
- Workflow integration
- Error recovery
Agents reference this to:
- Validate files after creation
- Fix syntax errors
- Ensure files can be opened in Excalidraw
library-loader.md (Future)
How to load external .excalidrawlib files
- Programmatic library loading
- Community library integration
- Custom library management
Status: To be developed when implementing external library support.
How Agents Use These Resources
Example: Frame Expert (Technical Diagrams)
# workflows/diagrams/create-flowchart/workflow.yaml
helpers: '{project-root}/{bmad_folder}/core/resources/excalidraw/excalidraw-helpers.md'
json_validation: '{project-root}/{bmad_folder}/core/resources/excalidraw/validate-json-instructions.md'
Domain-specific additions:
# workflows/diagrams/_shared/flowchart-templates.yaml
flowchart:
start_node:
type: ellipse
width: 120
height: 60
process_box:
type: rectangle
width: 160
height: 80
decision_diamond:
type: diamond
width: 140
height: 100
Example: Presentation Master (Creative Visuals)
# workflows/create-visual-metaphor/workflow.yaml
helpers: '{project-root}/{bmad_folder}/core/resources/excalidraw/excalidraw-helpers.md'
json_validation: '{project-root}/{bmad_folder}/core/resources/excalidraw/validate-json-instructions.md'
Domain-specific additions:
# workflows/_shared/creative-templates.yaml
rube_goldberg:
whimsical_connector:
type: arrow
strokeStyle: dashed
roughness: 2
playful_box:
type: rectangle
roundness: 12
What Doesn't Belong in Core
Domain-Specific Elements:
- Flowchart-specific templates (belongs in Frame Expert)
- Pitch deck layouts (belongs in Presentation Master)
- Documentation-specific styles (belongs in Tech Writer)
Agent Workflows:
- How to create a flowchart (Frame Expert workflow)
- How to create a pitch deck (Presentation Master workflow)
- Step-by-step diagram creation (agent-specific)
Theming:
- Currently in agent workflows
- Future: Will be refactored to core as user-configurable themes
Architecture Principle
Single Source of Truth:
- Core holds universal knowledge
- Agents reference core, don't duplicate
- Updates to core benefit all agents
- Agents specialize with domain knowledge
DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself):
- Element creation logic: ONCE in core
- Text width calculation: ONCE in core
- Validation process: ONCE in core
- Arrow binding patterns: ONCE in core
Future Enhancements
- External Library Loader - Load .excalidrawlib files from libraries.excalidraw.com
- Theme Management - User-configurable color themes saved in core
- Component Library - Shared reusable components across agents
- Layout Algorithms - Auto-layout helpers for positioning elements