architect-systems-design

To create a system design document, you provide a high-level description of your architecture. The skill then enumerates components, maps data flows, identifies failure modes, and defines non-functional targets.

Documenting data flow and failure modes requires mapping component interactions and critical paths. This skill generates text-based or mermaid diagrams for data flow and captures top failure modes with specific mitigations and guardrails.

Yes, you can use mermaid graphs to map system architecture data flows. The skill represents data flow with text-based diagrams or mermaid graphs to visualize component interactions and clarify the architecture.

Defining non-functional requirements involves setting concrete targets for latency, availability, throughput, cost envelope, and data protection. The skill automatically defines these non-functional envelopes within the generated design document.

This approach works for both reshaping an existing system and sketching architecture from scratch. It is applicable whenever you are substantially restructuring a system or documenting a proposed design before implementation.

To surface tradeoffs and unresolved decisions, the skill includes a dedicated open questions section. This section highlights architectural tradeoffs and unresolved decisions within your production-ready system design document.