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Use Case: Pattern Discovery Workflow (Work → Pattern → Documentation → Wiring)

Type: Discovered Use Case
ID: UC-D-003
Discovered: 2025-12-16
Status: Active
Domain: Knowledge Management

Summary​

When work reveals a reusable pattern, document it and wire it bidirectionally to the work that revealed it. This creates a discoverable knowledge base of patterns and practices.

Discovery Context​

How Discovered:

  • While working on BR-002 reopening, recognized the pattern of re-opening vs creating new
  • User request: "We should probably document this use case in the KB..."
  • Pattern recognized: Work → Pattern Recognition → Documentation → Wiring

Discovered During:

  • Work: BR-002 reopening, bidirectional wiring work
  • Date: 2025-12-16
  • Context: Multiple patterns discovered during same work session

Pattern Recognition:

  • Pattern discovery is itself a pattern
  • Should be documented as a workflow
  • Enables systematic pattern capture

Use Case Description​

Actor: Project maintainers, developers, agents
Goal: Systematically capture and document patterns discovered during work
Preconditions:

  • Work is being performed
  • Pattern emerges from work
  • Pattern is recognized as reusable

Postconditions:

  • Pattern documented
  • Pattern wired to work that revealed it
  • Pattern discoverable in knowledge base

Main Flow:

  1. Work: Perform work (BR/FR, Task, implementation)
  2. Pattern Recognition: Identify reusable pattern
  3. Documentation: Create use case or guide document
  4. Wiring: Wire bidirectionally:
    • Work → Documentation
    • Documentation → Work
    • Related BR/FR/Tasks → Documentation
    • Documentation → Related BR/FR/Tasks
  5. Indexing: Add to appropriate use case index
  6. Validation: Use pattern in future work

Alternative Flows:

  • Flow A: Pattern discovered → Create discovered use case → Wire
  • Flow B: Pattern validated → Promote to canonical use case → Update indexes

Discovery Rationale​

Why This Pattern Emerged:

  • Patterns discovered during work are valuable
  • Need systematic way to capture patterns
  • Documentation without wiring isn't discoverable
  • Pattern discovery is itself a pattern

Gap in Original Design:

  • No explicit workflow for pattern discovery
  • Pattern documentation wasn't systematized
  • Wiring wasn't part of pattern capture

Lessons Learned:

  • Pattern discovery should be systematic
  • Documentation must be wired to be discoverable
  • Pattern discovery workflow should be documented
  • Enables knowledge base growth

Implementation​

Related Work:

Wiring:

  • ✅ Work items link to documentation
  • ✅ Documentation links to work items
  • ✅ Use cases link to related work
  • ✅ Related work links to use cases

Implementation Status:

  • Discovered
  • Documented
  • Wired to related work
  • Validated (used to document other patterns)
  • Promoted to Canonical (under consideration)

Examples​

Example 1: BR-002 Re-opening Pattern

  • Work: BR-002 reopening
  • Pattern: Re-opening BRs/tasks
  • Documentation: REOPENING_BR_AND_TASKS_GUIDE.md
  • Wiring: BR-002 ↔ Task T06 ↔ Documentation
  • Use Case: UC-D-001

Example 2: Bidirectional Wiring Pattern

  • Work: BR-002/T06 wiring
  • Pattern: Bidirectional wiring principle
  • Documentation: BIDIRECTIONAL_WIRING_PRINCIPLE.md
  • Wiring: All items bidirectionally linked
  • Use Case: UC-D-002 (promoted to UC-050)

Example 3: Use Case Methodology

  • Work: Pattern discovery work
  • Pattern: Use case organization (canonical vs discovered)
  • Documentation: USE_CASE_METHODOLOGY.md
  • Wiring: Methodology ↔ Use Cases ↔ Work Items
  • Use Case: This use case (UC-D-003)

Promotion to Canonical​

Promotion Criteria:

  • Widely applicable across projects
  • Validated through usage
  • Represents best practice
  • Should be part of framework design (under consideration)

Promotion Status:

  • Not yet promoted
  • Under consideration
  • Promoted to UC-XXX

Promotion Notes:

  • Pattern discovery workflow is essential for knowledge management
  • Should be part of framework design
  • Consider promoting after more validation
  • Canonical: UC-050 (Bidirectional Wiring Principle) - Related principle
  • Discovered: UC-D-001 (Re-opening BRs/Tasks) - Example of this workflow
  • Discovered: UC-D-002 (Bidirectional Wiring) - Example of this workflow

References​

Template Usage:

  • This use case follows the Discovered Use Case template
  • Demonstrates the pattern discovery workflow itself
  • Shows how patterns are captured and wired

This use case is part of the Use Cases Knowledge Base. See docs/use-cases/USE_CASE_METHODOLOGY.md for methodology.