feat: enhance design-first approach in architect guidance

- Shift to a discussion-first architect flow for initial design phases
- Emphasize interactive design conversations before finalizing solutions
- Update contributing guidelines to reflect new design conversation approach

Author: stiwicourage

.github/agents/architect.agent.md

@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ release automation.
 
 - Default new work to analysis first: clarify the problem, scope, risks, affected layers, validation needs, and
   documentation impact before implementation starts.
+- Keep new-work design conversations interactive instead of collapsing them into a complete solution in the first reply.
 - Identify the affected public surface, internal helper domains, tests, docs, and workflows.
 - Keep the change aligned with the repo's layering and ArchitectureGuardrails expectations.
 - Recommend the smallest structure that solves the problem cleanly.
-- Produce an issue-ready change design with acceptance criteria, out-of-scope boundaries, and a GitHub issue draft.
+- Once the discussion is sufficiently scoped, produce an issue-ready change design with acceptance criteria,
+  out-of-scope boundaries, and a GitHub issue draft.
 
 ## Inputs to inspect
 
@@ -35,21 +37,25 @@ release automation.
 ## Constraints
 
 - Prefer surgical changes over broad rewrites.
-- Default to analysis, clarifying questions, and issue drafting for new work.
+- Default to analysis, clarifying questions, and design-option discussion for new work.
 - Preserve the public/private command model and CLI vs PowerShell distinction.
 - Avoid introducing new abstractions unless the current structure clearly duplicates or conflicts.
 - Do not edit repository files unless the user explicitly asks to move from design into implementation.
+- Do not finalize the full design package until the user says the discussion is done, or you explicitly ask whether you
+  should finalize it now.
 
 ## Definition of done
 
 - The affected layers and files are clearly identified.
 - The scoped implementation approach matches existing repo structure.
 - Validation, documentation impact, and follow-on agent ownership are called out explicitly.
-- A GitHub issue draft is ready to paste or create from the final output.
+- A GitHub issue draft is ready to paste or create from the final output once the discussion phase is complete.
 
 ## Must not do
 
 - Must not rewrite the release pipeline casually.
 - Must not invent new build or test tools.
 - Must not bypass established adapters or shared helpers without a strong reason.
 - Must not create or edit repository files when the task is still in design mode.
+- Must not return a full implementation plan or finished issue draft in the first reply when the user is clearly asking
+  for a design discussion.

.github/instructions/repository-instructions.md

@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ Read these files before making non-trivial changes:
 5. The relevant file in `.github/skills/`
 
 For new or not-yet-scoped work, start with `.github/agents/architect.agent.md` and
-`.github/prompts/design-change.prompt.md`. That flow should analyze the request, ask clarifying questions when needed,
-and draft a GitHub issue before implementation begins.
+`.github/prompts/design-change.prompt.md`. That flow should stay conversational first: analyze the request, ask
+clarifying questions, present design options when needed, and only draft the final scoped solution or GitHub issue after
+the discussion is complete.
 
 ## Repository map
 

.github/prompts/design-change.prompt.md

@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 Use this prompt with `architect.agent.md` when a change still needs analysis, scoping, and issue drafting before anyone
 starts editing files.
 
+This is a discussion-first prompt. The default behavior is to hold a short design conversation with the user before
+producing a final scoped solution, implementation handoff, or GitHub issue draft.
+
 ## Required inputs
 
 - The requested change, problem statement, or rough idea
@@ -11,18 +14,36 @@ starts editing files.
 
 ## Required process
 
-1. Clarify the real problem first. Ask focused follow-up questions when scope, public-surface impact, or ownership is
-   unclear.
+1. Clarify the real problem first. Ask focused follow-up questions when scope, public-surface impact, ownership, or
+   rollout direction is unclear.
 2. Read `README.md`, `CONTRIBUTING.md`, `.github/instructions/*.md`, and the most relevant `.github/skills/*.md` files.
 3. Inspect the affected public command, private helper domain, tests, docs, workflows, or release files without editing
    them.
 4. Decide whether the request affects public cmdlets, `% nova` CLI behavior, `project.json`, CI/workflows, command
    help, website docs, `CHANGELOG.md`, or `RELEASE_NOTE.md`.
-5. Recommend the smallest maintainable approach that fits the existing repository structure.
-6. End with an implementation-ready handoff and a GitHub issue draft.
-7. Do not edit repository files unless the user explicitly switches from design to implementation.
+5. Present the user with the clearest trade-offs, options, or design directions when more than one reasonable path
+   exists.
+6. Keep the conversation interactive until the user says the task is clear enough to finalize, or until you explicitly
+   ask whether you should now draft the final design and GitHub issue.
+7. Only after that discussion is complete, produce the final scoped solution, implementation handoff, and GitHub issue
+   draft.
+8. Do not edit repository files unless the user explicitly switches from design to implementation.
+
+## Discussion-phase output
+
+Use the first response and follow-up design turns to drive a conversation, not to dump a finished solution. Prefer:
+
+- a short restatement of the problem
+- the most important design questions
+- 2-3 concrete solution directions when choices exist
+- clear trade-offs
+- a recommendation when one option is strongest
+
+Do not produce the full final design package in the first response unless the user explicitly asks for it.
+
+## Finalization output
 
-## Required output
+Once the user says the discussion is done, or explicitly asks for the final design, return:
 
 - Problem
 - Why it matters
@@ -42,3 +63,5 @@ starts editing files.
 - If the final design summary or GitHub issue draft is returned as Markdown or copy-ready UI output, format it according
   to `markdown-authoring.skill.md`.
 - Draft issue text in English unless the user explicitly asks for another language.
+- If the task still has unresolved choices, end the turn with the next best question or the next design decision the
+  user should make.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
     - Includes repository instructions, focused agent role definitions, repo-specific skills, and reusable task prompts.
     - Aligns the agent guidance with Nova's existing PowerShell, Pester, CodeScene, GitHub Actions, and release
       conventions.
-  - Adds a design-first architect flow so `architect.agent.md` together with `design-change.prompt.md` defaults to
-    analysis, clarifying questions, and GitHub issue drafting before implementation starts.
+  - Adds a discussion-first architect flow so `architect.agent.md` together with `design-change.prompt.md` now keeps
+    the early phase conversational, asks clarifying questions, presents design directions, and only finalizes the
+    scoped solution and GitHub issue draft after the discussion is complete.
     - Includes branch-aware Conventional Commit guidance that derives ticket references from `$GIT_BRANCH_NAME` and
       keeps
       commit suggestions concise and English-only.

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ Repository-local agentic guidance now lives in `.github/`:
 - `.github/skills/` for task-specific repo guidance
 - `.github/prompts/` for reusable NovaModuleTools task prompts
 
-When you are shaping a new change, start with `architect.agent.md` and `design-change.prompt.md` so the first outcome is
-analysis, clarifying questions, and a GitHub issue draft instead of immediate file edits. Use
-`implement-issue.prompt.md` after the change is already scoped.
+When you are shaping a new change, start with `architect.agent.md` and `design-change.prompt.md` so the first phase is a
+design conversation: analysis, clarifying questions, and solution options before any final scoped proposal or GitHub
+issue draft is produced. Use `implement-issue.prompt.md` after the change is already scoped.
 
 Pull requests against `main` and `develop` also run a CodeScene coverage-gate check when CI has produced the Cobertura coverage artifact, so PRs can be blocked when changed code falls below the configured coverage threshold.
 

README.md

@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ Repository-local Copilot/AI guidance now lives under:
 - `.github/prompts/` - reusable task prompts such as design framing, issue implementation, CI fixes, coverage work, and
   release prep
 
-For new or still-fuzzy work, start with `architect.agent.md` together with `design-change.prompt.md`. Use
+For new or still-fuzzy work, start with `architect.agent.md` together with `design-change.prompt.md`. That pair should
+lead with discussion, questions, and design options rather than a finished solution in the first reply. Use
 `implement-issue.prompt.md` once the scope, acceptance criteria, and follow-on implementation path are already clear.
 
 ### Prerequisites