# Phase 1: Discovery

Build the strategic foundation before any visual work begins.

## Time

10-20 minutes. Faster with codebase access.

## Two Approaches

**Approach A (Preferred):** If you have access to the project codebase, research first and draft a position. Present it for feedback rather than starting with questions.

**Approach B:** If working blind, gather information through targeted questions.

---

## Approach A: Research-First

### 1. Dig Into the Project

Look for context in:
- Project README or documentation
- CLAUDE.md or similar instruction files
- Package manifests (name, description)
- Marketing copy or landing pages
- Source code (what does it actually do?)

Pull out:
- **Function** — What the product does, specifically
- **Audience** — Who uses it (infer from docs style, technical level)
- **Approach** — How it works technically
- **Existing voice** — How current copy sounds
- **Name significance** — Does the name mean something?

### 2. Draft a Position

Write a hypothesis without asking questions first:

```markdown
## [Brand] — Positioning Draft

### My Understanding
[2-3 sentences on what this is and who it's for]

### Suggested Metaphor
[The conceptual frame that fits — e.g., "invisible infrastructure," "lens for clarity," "momentum"]

### Suggested Personality
- [Trait 1] — because [evidence from research]
- [Trait 2] — because [evidence]
- [Trait 3] — because [evidence]

### Visual Direction
[1-2 sentences on where this might go visually]

### Questions
[Anything you genuinely couldn't determine]
```

### 3. Present and Refine

Share your draft:

> "Here's my read based on the project..."

Let them react. They might:
- Confirm ("yeah, nailed it")
- Adjust ("more serious, less playful")
- Redirect ("actually the real audience is...")

### 4. Write the Documents

With direction confirmed, produce the philosophy docs.

---

## Approach B: Question-Based

Use when you have no project context.

### 1. Gather Information

Key questions:
- What does this product do? (Get specific)
- Who's the primary user?
- What personality should it project?
- Any brands you admire or want to feel like?
- Anything to explicitly avoid?
- Does the name have meaning?

### 2. Find the Metaphor

Strong brands have a central organizing idea:

| Type | Possible Frames |
|------|-----------------|
| Infrastructure | Plumbing, foundation, invisible systems |
| Analytics | Lens, telescope, clarity, map |
| Security | Shield, vault, guardian |
| Performance | Flow, momentum, speed |
| Collaboration | Bridge, hub, network |

### 3. Write the Documents

Draft philosophy based on gathered information.

---

## The Documents

### Brand Philosophy

Captures the strategic essence:

```markdown
# [Brand]: Philosophy

## Core Concept
[2-3 paragraphs on the central metaphor and what the brand represents]

## Voice
How [Brand] communicates:
- [Trait with examples]
- [Trait with examples]
- [Trait with examples]

Good: "[example]", "[example]"
Avoid: "[example]", "[example]"

## Principles
1. **[Name]** — [What it means in practice]
2. **[Name]** — [Explanation]
3. **[Name]** — [Explanation]

## The Feeling
What people should feel when interacting with [Brand]:
1. [Feeling] — [Why]
2. [Feeling] — [Why]
```

### Visual Philosophy

Names the aesthetic movement and describes how it manifests:

```markdown
# [Movement Name]

## Philosophy
[4-6 paragraphs on:]
- The core visual idea
- Space and form treatment
- Color approach
- Typography personality
- Density and rhythm
- Quality of execution

## Summary
| Aspect | Approach |
|--------|----------|
| Space | [Description] |
| Form | [Description] |
| Color | [Description] |
| Type | [Description] |
| Density | [Description] |
```

**Movement names** should be evocative: "Utility Sublime," "Quiet Infrastructure," "Chromatic Language," "Concrete Poetry."

---

## Outputs

- `[brand]-philosophy.md` — use `Templates/philosophy-template.md` as a starting structure
- `[brand]-visual-philosophy.md` — use `Templates/visual-philosophy-template.md` as a starting structure

## Gate Check

1. Present the philosophy and visual philosophy docs to the user
2. Ask: **"Phase 1 Gate Check — Does this direction feel right? Approved to proceed to Phase 2: Visual Direction?"**
3. On approval: update `.brand-progress.md` → Phase 1: COMPLETE
4. Only proceed to Phase 2 when user explicitly approves

---

## Pitfalls

- **Over-questioning** — If you have codebase access, use it
- **Vague positioning** — "Clean and modern" says nothing
- **Missing the metaphor** — Without a central idea, everything feels scattered
- **Not taking a stance** — Draft something and let them react