Research-Plan-Implement (RPI)

A disciplined three-phase workflow that trades speed for clarity, predictability, and correctness. Each phase has a validation gate that must pass before proceeding.

Core principle: Never let AI write code without first researching the codebase and producing a validated plan. A 1-page plan gives 10x leverage over reviewing 1,000 lines of AI code.

When to Use

• Non-trivial features, refactors, or bug fixes
• Unfamiliar or large codebases
• Tasks where incorrect code is costlier than slow code
• When previous direct-implementation attempts have failed

When NOT to Use

• Single-line fixes, typos, or trivial changes
• Tasks where you already have full context and a clear path
• Exploratory prototyping (use RPI when hardening the prototype)