Vibe Coding

Scope

• Timeboxed, AI-assisted rapid prototyping (“vibe coding”) to produce a functional demo (not slides)
• Turning a rough idea into a buildable prototype spec + task board + prompt pack
• A tight iteration loop: generate → run → verify → adjust → log decisions
• “Build tools to build the thing” when it meaningfully speeds up the demo (timeboxed)
• Safe use of coding agents: least privilege, no secrets, small diffs, validation, rollback

• “Vibe code a working prototype we can demo in 30–90 minutes.”
• “Replace this Figma concept with a clickable prototype.”
• “I’m not an engineer—help me build a small app/tool with AI and ship a demo.”
• “Turn this AI feature idea into a proof-of-concept with a clear build loop and demo script.”

• You need a production-grade system, hardening, scaling, or security review (use

  building-with-llms

  + engineering process).
• You need upstream problem framing, strategy, or PRD-level alignment (use

  problem-definition

  ,

  writing-prds

  ).
• The work is high-stakes/irreversible (payments, auth, medical, legal, safety-critical) without human owners and reviews.
• The request is “build anything” with no demo target; do intake first and narrow to one scenario.

Inputs

• Prototype goal: what should a user be able to do in the demo (1–3 “happy path” tasks)
• Target user + context (who uses it, where it fits)
• Timebox (e.g., 30/60/90 minutes) + demo audience (internal, customer, exec)
• Platform preference (web app, mobile, CLI, spreadsheet, etc.) and constraints (privacy, data sensitivity)
• Data/integrations: mock data ok? any APIs needed? (default to mock)

• Ask up to 5 questions from references/INTAKE.md (3–5 at a time).
• If details remain missing, proceed with explicit assumptions and offer 2–3 options (e.g., mock vs real data; simple UI vs polished).
• If asked to run commands or write/modify files, request confirmation, keep changes in a dedicated folder, and include rollback guidance.

Outputs (deliverables)

1. Vibe Coding Brief (goal, demo scenario, non-goals, constraints, timebox)
2. Prototype Spec (user flow, screens/components, data model, acceptance criteria, “fake vs real” decisions)
3. Prompt Pack (copy/paste prompts to drive the coding agent safely and efficiently)
4. Build Plan + Task Board (vertical slices with checks/tests per slice)
5. Demo Script + Runbook (how to run, how to demo, what to say, what to avoid)
6. Risks / Open questions / Next steps (always included)

Workflow (7 steps)

1) Pick a single demo outcome (kill ambiguity fast)

• Inputs: Initial idea, timebox, target audience.
• Actions: Write a one-sentence demo promise (“In 60 minutes we will demo…”) + 3–5 non-goals. Choose one “hero” scenario and what can be faked.
• Outputs: Draft Vibe Coding Brief.
• Checks: The demo promise is specific, observable, and fits the timebox.

2) Define the prototype’s contract (what exists, what’s mocked)

• Inputs: Demo scenario, platform preference, constraints.
• Actions: Specify the minimum user flow, screens/components, and data shape. Decide: mock data vs real data; stub integrations vs live.
• Outputs: Draft Prototype Spec.
• Checks: Acceptance criteria exist for each user-visible step; “fake vs real” is explicit.

3) Set the build loop + guardrails (how we’ll vibe code safely)

• Inputs: Repo/app context (if any), constraints, desired stack.
• Actions: Create a Prompt Pack that forces: small diffs, clear file list, run instructions, and “ask before risky actions.” Create a task board of 3–8 vertical slices.
• Outputs: Prompt Pack + Build Plan + Task Board.
• Checks: Every slice has a Definition of Done and a quick validation method (manual steps or tests).

4) Scaffold the thinnest runnable slice (end-to-end)

• Inputs: Prompt pack, chosen platform/stack, prototype spec.
• Actions: Generate a minimal skeleton that runs. Implement the hero path with mock data. Capture run commands and known limitations.
• Outputs: Runnable prototype + run notes (for the runbook).
• Checks: A fresh user can run it in ≤ 5 minutes; the hero path is demonstrable.

5) Iterate in vertical slices (generate → run → verify → log)

• Inputs: Task board, working prototype.
• Actions: For each slice: request a plan + diff, apply changes, run, verify against acceptance criteria, and record decisions/bugs. Avoid broad refactors; prefer incremental improvements.
• Outputs: Updated prototype + iteration notes.
• Checks: Each slice ends with a user-visible improvement and a validated run.

6) Optional: build a tool to build the thing (timeboxed)

• Inputs: Repeated friction (editing, generating, transforming content).
• Actions: If it reduces time-to-demo, vibe code a tiny helper tool (editor, generator, script) and immediately use it to advance the prototype.
• Outputs: Helper tool + note on how it accelerates the workflow.
• Checks: The helper tool saves time within the current timebox; otherwise cut it.

7) Package the demo + quality gate + handoff

• Inputs: Prototype + all draft artifacts.
• Actions: Write the demo script + runbook. Run references/CHECKLISTS.md and score with references/RUBRIC.md. Finalize Risks / Open questions / Next steps.
• Outputs: Final Vibe Coding Prototype Pack.
• Checks: A stakeholder can demo it without you; risks and next steps are explicit and owned.

Quality gate (required)

• Use references/CHECKLISTS.md and references/RUBRIC.md.
• Always include: Risks, Open questions, Next steps.

Examples

vibe-coding

vibe-coding