BMAD-METHOD/tools/docs/fix-refs.md

3.7 KiB

title description
Fix Documentation References Corrects workflow, agent, and command references in BMad documentation

Fix Documentation References

Scope

Fix reference patterns ONLY. Do not modify links, formatting, structure, or other content.

Purpose

Fix incorrect references to workflows, agents, and commands in BMad documentation files.

Step 1: Establish Target Audience

Before fixing references, determine who the document is for:

Audience Indicators Style
Newbies tutorials/, getting-started, installation/, "What You'll Learn" Keep "workflow", include platform hints
Experienced reference/, explanation/ Drop "workflow", no platform hints
How-To how-to/ Ask — depends on the task

How-To guides require judgment: Don't assume experienced. Ask: "Does this task require prior BMad knowledge?" Early-journey tasks (first PRD, first sprint) are newbie docs. Customization and advanced features are experienced.

If unclear: Ask the user "Who is the target audience for this document — new users learning BMad, or experienced users who know the system?"

This determines whether helper words like "workflow" and platform hints are helpful context or just noise.

Reference Patterns to Fix

Always Wrong

Pattern Example Problem
*workflow *prd Obsolete menu shortcut notation
/workflow /workflow-init Platform-specific slash command
bmad_bmm_* bmad_bmm_workflow-init Internal slash command name, platform-specific

Correct Format

Use backticks with plain workflow name:

  • Wrong: Run /workflow-init
  • Wrong: Run *prd

When to say "workflow":

  • Newbie docs (getting-started): "Run the prd workflow" — helps them learn what it is
  • Other docs: "Run prd" — they already know, so "workflow" is noise

Platform hint: Only in newbie docs, and only on the first workflow mention:

  • First mention: Run the help workflow (/bmad-help on most platforms)
  • Subsequent mentions: Run prd — no hint, no "workflow" needed after they've seen the pattern

In experienced docs, the hint is always noise — just use the workflow name.

Workflow Name Changes

Old Name New Name Notes
workflow-init bmad-help DEPRECATED - help system replaces initialization
workflow-status bmad-help DEPRECATED - help system replaces status checking

The Help System

The bmad-help workflow is the modern replacement for both workflow-init and workflow-status:

  • Universal: Works regardless of workflow state or module
  • Contextual: Infers completion from artifacts and conversation
  • Adaptive: Guides users through workflows based on phase ordering
  • Anytime: Can be run at any point, no pre-initialization needed

Users can run bmad-help to get guidance on what to do next. It detects:

  • What workflows have been completed (by checking for output artifacts)
  • What module is active
  • What the next recommended/required step is

Lessons Learned

  1. Platform-agnostic: Docs should never include platform-specific invocation patterns (slashes, prefixes)
  2. Backtick the name: Use backticks around workflow names: workflow-name
  3. Simple names: Just the workflow name, no bmad_bmm_ prefix, no / prefix

Self-Check

Before finishing, verify you ONLY changed reference patterns:

  • Did I change any hyperlinks? If yes, revert.
  • Did I change any formatting (horizontal rules, whitespace, structure)? If yes, revert.
  • Did I remove or add any sections? If yes, revert.
  • Did I modify anything not matching the patterns in "Reference Patterns to Fix"? If yes, revert.