he-spike

A spike is a time-boxed investigation or throwaway prototype used to validate technical feasibility and reduce ambiguity before formal planning. It is needed when facing uncertain technology, unfamiliar APIs, or unclear constraints.

Validate technical feasibility by running focused, time-boxed investigations to test core functionality and identify potential integration challenges. This approach documents findings and recommends next steps for informed decision-making.

Comparing multiple technical approaches is best done by running parallel subagents to explore and evaluate each valid option. This method reduces ambiguity and documents findings to recommend the most informed next steps.

Yes, you can use a throwaway prototype to test unfamiliar third-party APIs. Building a small prototype tests the API's core functionality and identifies potential integration challenges before committing to a formal plan.

No, a feasibility spike does not require formal planning beforehand. It executes time-boxed investigations specifically to reduce ambiguity and validate constraints, enabling informed decision-making before the formal planning phase begins.