Phase 1.5: Design Generation

Overview

The Design phase bridges the gap between requirements and implementation by leveraging AI to rapidly generate visual mockups, technical architectures, and API specifications. This approach ensures alignment between stakeholders and developers before any code is written.

Process Flow

graph TD
    A[PRD & Transcripts] -->|AI Processing| B[Visual Mockups]
    A -->|Technical Analysis| C[Architecture Diagrams]
    B -->|Refinement| D[Design Review]
    C -->|Validation| D
    D -->|Approval| E[Design Assets]
    E -->|Reference| F[Development Team]
    
    style A fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
    style E fill:#9f9,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

Step 1: AI-Powered Mock Creation

Input Preparation

Gather all relevant inputs for the AI design tools:

Product Requirements Document (PRD)
Meeting transcripts with visual descriptions
Brand guidelines and style guides
Existing UI components or design systems
Competitor references (if applicable)

Design Generation Process

Effective Design Generation Prompt:

Based on the attached PRD for [Project Name], create a visual mockup for the following screen:

Screen: [Screen Name]
Purpose: [Main functionality]

Requirements:
- [List specific features from PRD]
- [User actions needed]
- [Data to display]

Design constraints:
- Follow [Brand Name] design system
- Mobile-first responsive design
- Accessibility WCAG 2.1 AA compliant
- [Any specific constraints]

Include:
- Navigation elements
- Form inputs with validation states
- Call-to-action buttons
- Error and success states
- Loading states

Style: [Modern/Minimal/Corporate/etc.]

AI Design Tools Workflow

Initial Generation:
- Feed PRD sections to AI design tool
- Generate multiple variations
- Export as editable files
- Document design decisions
Component Library Creation:
- Extract reusable components
- Build design system
- Create style guide
- Document usage patterns
Interactive Prototypes:
- Link screens together
- Add transitions
- Define user flows
- Create clickable demos

Step 2: Technical Architecture Design

System Architecture Generation

Architecture Diagram Prompt:

Create a system architecture diagram for the following application:

Application: [Name]
Type: [Web/Mobile/Desktop]
Scale: [Users/Requests per second]

Technical Requirements:
- [List from PRD]
- Database needs
- External integrations
- Performance requirements

Include:
- Frontend components
- Backend services
- Database layer
- External APIs
- Security boundaries
- Data flow arrows

Use standard architecture notation.

Architecture Components

Component	Purpose	Design Considerations
Frontend	User interface	Framework, state management, routing
API Layer	Service communication	REST/GraphQL, authentication, rate limiting
Backend	Business logic	Microservices vs monolith, scaling strategy
Database	Data persistence	SQL vs NoSQL, sharding, replication
Cache	Performance	Redis, CDN, browser caching
Security	Protection	Firewalls, encryption, access control

Step 3: API Contract Design

API Specification Generation

API Design Prompt:

Based on the PRD, design RESTful API endpoints for [Feature Name]:

Include for each endpoint:
HTTP method and path
Request headers
Request body schema
Response schema (success and error)
Status codes
Authentication requirements
Rate limiting rules

Follow OpenAPI 3.0 specification format.

Example API Design Output

openapi: 3.0.0
info:
  title: User Authentication API
  version: 1.0.0

paths:
  /auth/login:
    post:
      summary: User login
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              type: object
              required:
                - email
                - password
              properties:
                email:
                  type: string
                  format: email
                password:
                  type: string
                  minLength: 8
      responses:
        200:
          description: Successful login
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  token:
                    type: string
                  user:
                    $ref: '#/components/schemas/User'
        401:
          description: Invalid credentials

Step 4: Database Schema Design

Schema Generation Process

Database Schema Prompt:

Design a database schema for [Application Name] with these entities:
[List entities from PRD]

For each entity include:
- Table name (plural)
- Columns with data types
- Primary and foreign keys
- Indexes for common queries
- Constraints and validations

Consider:
- Normalization (3NF)
- Performance optimization
- Future scalability
- Data integrity

Schema Documentation

-- Example: User Management Schema
CREATE TABLE users (
    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    email VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    password_hash VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    
    INDEX idx_users_email (email)
);

CREATE TABLE user_profiles (
    user_id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
    full_name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    avatar_url VARCHAR(500),
    bio TEXT,
    
    FOREIGN KEY (user_id) REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE
);

Step 5: Design Integration

Deliverable Organization

Design Package Structure:

/design-assets/
├── mockups/
│   ├── desktop/
│   ├── mobile/
│   └── tablet/
├── architecture/
│   ├── system-overview.pdf
│   ├── component-diagram.pdf
│   └── data-flow.pdf
├── api/
│   ├── openapi-spec.yaml
│   └── postman-collection.json
└── database/
    ├── schema.sql
    └── erd-diagram.pdf

Design Handoff Checklist:
- All screens designed and approved
- Interactive prototype available
- Architecture diagrams reviewed
- API contracts finalized
- Database schema validated
- Design tokens exported
- Assets optimized and exported

Integration with Development

Attach to User Stories:
- Link mockups to relevant tickets
- Include design specifications
- Document interaction patterns
- Provide asset downloads
Developer Resources:
- Style guide with code snippets
- Component usage examples
- API testing collection
- Database migration scripts

Success Metrics

Efficiency Metrics

Design Time: 70% reduction (1 week → 1-2 days)
Revision Cycles: 50% fewer iterations
Handoff Time: 80% faster to development
Asset Creation: 90% faster with AI

Quality Metrics

Design Consistency: 95% adherence to system
Stakeholder Approval: First-pass approval 85%
Developer Clarity: 60% fewer questions
Implementation Accuracy: 90% match to design

Best Practices

Start with low-fidelity wireframes
Progress to high-fidelity mockups
Get feedback at each stage
Document design decisions

2. Maintain Design System

Build reusable components
Document patterns
Version control designs
Regular audits

3. Collaboration

Include developers early
Regular design reviews
Stakeholder validation
Accessibility testing

4. Technical Feasibility

Validate with tech team
Consider performance
Plan for edge cases
Mobile-first approach

Common Pitfalls & Solutions

Pitfall	Impact	Solution
Over-designing	Delayed development	MVP focus first
Ignoring constraints	Technical debt	Early validation
Poor handoff	Implementation errors	Detailed specs
Inconsistent design	User confusion	Design system
Missing states	Incomplete implementation	State checklist

Tools & Resources

Recommended Stack

AI Design: Figma with AI plugins ($15/user/month)
Prototyping: Framer ($20/user/month)
Architecture: Draw.io or Lucidchart (Free/$9/user/month)
API Design: Stoplight Studio (Free)

Templates & Examples

Next Steps

Set Up Design Tools: Configure AI-enabled design software
Create Design System: Build component library
Define Standards: Establish design guidelines
Train Team: Ensure design tool proficiency
Run Pilot: Test with one feature

Continue to Phase 3: Development Planning & Implementation →

This phase typically reduces design time by 70% while improving consistency and developer handoff quality.