Design Documentation¶
This section contains design documents for features under development or planning.
Purpose¶
Design documents help us:
- Plan implementations before writing code
- Document architectural decisions
- Gather feedback from contributors
- Maintain a record of design evolution
Active Design Documents¶
- Retirement Accounts - Track retirement account balances and contributions
- Asset Tracking - Comprehensive asset management system
Design Document Template¶
When creating a new design document, include:
1. Overview¶
- What problem does this solve?
- Who is it for?
- What are the key goals?
2. Requirements¶
- Functional requirements
- Non-functional requirements (performance, security, etc.)
- User stories
3. Proposed Solution¶
- High-level architecture
- Database schema changes
- API/interface design
- User interface mockups
4. Implementation Plan¶
- Phases or milestones
- Dependencies
- Testing strategy
5. Alternatives Considered¶
- What other approaches were evaluated?
- Why was this approach chosen?
6. Open Questions¶
- Unresolved design decisions
- Areas needing more research
Contributing Design Documents¶
To propose a new feature:
- Create a new design document in
docs/design/ - Follow the template above
- Open a pull request for review
- Discuss and iterate on the design
- Implement once the design is approved
Status Indicators¶
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🟡 Draft | Initial proposal, under discussion |
| 🔵 In Review | Ready for feedback |
| 🟢 Approved | Ready for implementation |
| 🟣 In Progress | Currently being implemented |
| ✅ Implemented | Feature is live |
| ⛔ Rejected | Not moving forward |
This design documentation process helps ensure well-thought-out features and maintains a record of architectural decisions for future reference.