feat(cis): convert design thinking to a native skill

[dickymoore]

Summary

• convert src/workflows/design-thinking/ from legacy workflow.yaml + instructions.md shape into the canonical native skill directory
• add SKILL.md, workflow.md, and bmad-skill-manifest.yaml, while keeping the required companion files with the skill
• repoint the design-thinking agent and src/module-help.csv to the canonical CIS skill id and update only directly affected references

Proof

• npm test
• node test/test-installation-components.js
• fresh custom-content install proof against the CIS src/ tree
• install/discovery verification confirmed:
  • .claude/skills/bmad-cis-design-thinking/
  • _bmad/_config/skill-manifest.csv contains bmad-cis-design-thinking
  • _bmad/cis/module-help.csv contains skill:bmad-cis-design-thinking
  • compiled agent wiring points at _bmad/cis/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/SKILL.md

Deferred / Notes

• this PR has install/discovery/launch-chain proof, not a full interactive runtime-equivalence transcript
• this tranche follows the same staged pattern used upstream in BMAD: slice-local PRs rather than one omnibus conversion PR

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Refactor

  • Reorganized the design thinking workflow to align with the new skill-based architecture for improved consistency.

• Documentation

  • Updated workflow documentation and entry path references to reflect the modernized structure.

• Chores

  • Removed legacy workflow configuration files as part of the migration to the standardized skill format.

[coderabbitai]

No actionable comments were generated in the recent review. 🎉

ℹ️ Recent review info

⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: Organization UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

Run ID: 5db6ab87-e092-4733-8e8f-0df96c732044

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 131768f and b3a0101.

⛔ Files ignored due to path filters (2)

• src/module-help.csv is excluded by !**/*.csv
• src/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/design-methods.csv is excluded by !**/*.csv

📒 Files selected for processing (10)

• AGENTS.md
• src/agents/design-thinking-coach.agent.yaml
• src/workflows/README.md
• src/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/SKILL.md
• src/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/bmad-skill-manifest.yaml
• src/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/template.md
• src/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/workflow.md
• src/workflows/design-thinking/README.md
• src/workflows/design-thinking/instructions.md
• src/workflows/design-thinking/workflow.yaml

💤 Files with no reviewable changes (3)

• src/workflows/design-thinking/workflow.yaml
• src/workflows/design-thinking/README.md
• src/workflows/design-thinking/instructions.md

---

Walkthrough

This pull request migrates the Design Thinking workflow from a legacy format to a native skill format. The old design-thinking directory structure is replaced with bmad-cis-design-thinking, introducing SKILL.md, a manifest file, and reorganized workflow documentation. The agent configuration is updated to reference the new skill entry point via exec instead of workflow.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Summary
Documentation Updates AGENTS.md, src/workflows/README.md	Updated workflow references and documentation to reflect migration from legacy design-thinking/ to native skill format bmad-cis-design-thinking/. Added descriptions distinguishing legacy vs. native skill workflow structures.
Agent Configuration src/agents/design-thinking-coach.agent.yaml	Changed menu handler from workflow: to exec: and updated path from legacy workflow YAML to new SKILL.md entry point.
New Native Skill Workflow src/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/SKILL.md, src/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/bmad-skill-manifest.yaml, src/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/workflow.md	Introduced new native skill format files including skill definition, manifest declaration, and comprehensive workflow documentation with 7-step design thinking process (gathering context, empathizing, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, testing, iteration planning).
Deleted Legacy Workflow src/workflows/design-thinking/README.md, src/workflows/design-thinking/instructions.md, src/workflows/design-thinking/workflow.yaml	Removed entire legacy workflow structure including configuration file, instructions, and documentation.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 3 (Moderate) | ⏱️ ~25 minutes

Poem

🐰 A skill evolves from legacy's old way,
With SKILL.md now leading the fray,
Design-thinking hops to a native design,
The manifest speaks—all systems align,
Seven steps of empathy, polished and bright! ✨

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 3

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title accurately summarizes the main change: converting the design-thinking workflow from a legacy format (workflow.yaml + instructions.md) to a native skill format with SKILL.md and supporting files.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

_{✏️ Tip: You can configure your own custom pre-merge checks in the settings.}

✨ Finishing Touches

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• Create PR with unit tests
• Post copyable unit tests in a comment

📝 Coding Plan

• Generate coding plan for human review comments

---

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[dickymoore]

I’ve now run the verification path locally for this PR and wanted to record what has actually been proven.

Local verification performed on 2026-03-10:

• CIS PR branch checkout tested at commit b3a0101
• BMAD installer baseline passed in my BMAD worktree:
  • node test/test-installation-components.js
• CIS repo checks passed after dependency install:
  • npm install
  • npm test

Installation smoke test:

• I staged this PR branch’s src/ tree as a BMAD-compatible custom module source
• I installed it into a fresh temp harness with claude-code enabled via the BMAD installer
• Install completed successfully with CIS included

Verified install/discovery outputs:

• installed tool skill exists:
  • .claude/skills/bmad-cis-design-thinking/
• installed skill payload includes the expected files:
  • SKILL.md
  • workflow.md
  • template.md
  • design-methods.csv
• generated manifests/help surfaces are wired correctly:
  • _bmad/_config/skill-manifest.csv contains bmad-cis-design-thinking
  • _bmad/cis/module-help.csv contains skill:bmad-cis-design-thinking
• compiled agent wiring is correct:
  • _bmad/cis/agents/design-thinking-coach.md points its exec handler at _bmad/cis/workflows/bmad-cis-design-thinking/SKILL.md

What I’m confident about from this:

• the native-skill directory/name shape is correct
• the conversion installs correctly through the BMAD installer path
• the skill is discoverable in the generated manifests/help catalog
• the design-thinking agent now resolves to the installed native skill correctly
• the companion runtime files travel with the skill as intended

What I did not fully prove here:

• I did not run a live interactive Claude Code conversation all the way through the workflow steps
• I did not run a formal old-vs-new behavioral comparison with identical prompts/context

So the install/discovery/launch-chain proof is now in place. The remaining unproven area is deeper runtime equivalence rather than installer compatibility.

[dickymoore]

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[coderabbitai]

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