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278 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
278 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Tools and Advanced FAQ"
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description: Common questions about tools, IDEs, and advanced topics in the BMad Method
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---
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Quick answers to common questions about tools, IDEs, and advanced topics in the BMad Method.
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## Questions
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**Tools and Technical**
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- [Questions](#questions)
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- [Tools and Technical](#tools-and-technical)
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- [Why are my Mermaid diagrams not rendering?](#why-are-my-mermaid-diagrams-not-rendering)
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- [Can I use BMM with GitHub Copilot / Cursor / other AI tools?](#can-i-use-bmm-with-github-copilot--cursor--other-ai-tools)
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- [What IDEs/tools support BMM?](#what-idestools-support-bmm)
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- [Can I customize agents?](#can-i-customize-agents)
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- [What happens to my planning docs after implementation?](#what-happens-to-my-planning-docs-after-implementation)
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- [Can I use BMM for non-software projects?](#can-i-use-bmm-for-non-software-projects)
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- [Advanced](#advanced)
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- [What if my project grows from Level 1 to Level 3?](#what-if-my-project-grows-from-level-1-to-level-3)
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- [Can I mix greenfield and brownfield approaches?](#can-i-mix-greenfield-and-brownfield-approaches)
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- [How do I handle urgent hotfixes during a sprint?](#how-do-i-handle-urgent-hotfixes-during-a-sprint)
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- [What if I disagree with the workflow's recommendations?](#what-if-i-disagree-with-the-workflows-recommendations)
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- [Can multiple developers work on the same BMM project?](#can-multiple-developers-work-on-the-same-bmm-project)
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- [What is party mode and when should I use it?](#what-is-party-mode-and-when-should-i-use-it)
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- [Getting Help](#getting-help)
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- [Where do I get help if my question isn't answered here?](#where-do-i-get-help-if-my-question-isnt-answered-here)
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- [How do I report a bug or request a feature?](#how-do-i-report-a-bug-or-request-a-feature)
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**Advanced**
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- [Questions](#questions)
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- [Tools and Technical](#tools-and-technical)
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- [Why are my Mermaid diagrams not rendering?](#why-are-my-mermaid-diagrams-not-rendering)
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- [Can I use BMM with GitHub Copilot / Cursor / other AI tools?](#can-i-use-bmm-with-github-copilot--cursor--other-ai-tools)
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- [What IDEs/tools support BMM?](#what-idestools-support-bmm)
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- [Can I customize agents?](#can-i-customize-agents)
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- [What happens to my planning docs after implementation?](#what-happens-to-my-planning-docs-after-implementation)
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- [Can I use BMM for non-software projects?](#can-i-use-bmm-for-non-software-projects)
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- [Advanced](#advanced)
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- [What if my project grows from Level 1 to Level 3?](#what-if-my-project-grows-from-level-1-to-level-3)
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- [Can I mix greenfield and brownfield approaches?](#can-i-mix-greenfield-and-brownfield-approaches)
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- [How do I handle urgent hotfixes during a sprint?](#how-do-i-handle-urgent-hotfixes-during-a-sprint)
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- [What if I disagree with the workflow's recommendations?](#what-if-i-disagree-with-the-workflows-recommendations)
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- [Can multiple developers work on the same BMM project?](#can-multiple-developers-work-on-the-same-bmm-project)
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- [What is party mode and when should I use it?](#what-is-party-mode-and-when-should-i-use-it)
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- [Getting Help](#getting-help)
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- [Where do I get help if my question isn't answered here?](#where-do-i-get-help-if-my-question-isnt-answered-here)
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- [How do I report a bug or request a feature?](#how-do-i-report-a-bug-or-request-a-feature)
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**Getting Help**
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- [Where do I get help if my question isn't answered here?](#where-do-i-get-help-if-my-question-isnt-answered-here)
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- [How do I report a bug or request a feature?](#how-do-i-report-a-bug-or-request-a-feature)
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## Tools and Technical
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### Why are my Mermaid diagrams not rendering?
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Common issues:
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1. Missing language tag: Use ` ```mermaid` not just ` ``` `
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2. Syntax errors in diagram (validate at mermaid.live)
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3. Tool doesn't support Mermaid (check your Markdown renderer)
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All BMM docs use valid Mermaid syntax that should render in GitHub, VS Code, and most IDEs.
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### Can I use BMM with GitHub Copilot / Cursor / other AI tools?
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Yes! BMM is complementary. BMM handles:
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- Project planning and structure
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- Workflow orchestration
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- Agent Personas and expertise
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- Documentation generation
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- Quality gates
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Your AI coding assistant handles:
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- Line-by-line code completion
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- Quick refactoring
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- Test generation
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Use them together for best results.
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### What IDEs/tools support BMM?
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BMM requires tools with **agent mode** and access to **high-quality LLM models** that can load and follow complex workflows, then properly implement code changes.
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**Recommended Tools:**
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- **Claude Code** — Best choice
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- Sonnet 4.5 (excellent workflow following, coding, reasoning)
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- Opus (maximum context, complex planning)
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- Native agent mode designed for BMM workflows
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- **Cursor**
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- Supports Anthropic (Claude) and OpenAI models
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- Agent mode with composer
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- Good for developers who prefer Cursor's UX
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- **Windsurf**
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- Multi-model support
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- Agent capabilities
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- Suitable for BMM workflows
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**What Matters:**
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1. **Agent mode** — Can load long workflow instructions and maintain context
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2. **High-quality LLM** — Models ranked high on SWE-bench (coding benchmarks)
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3. **Model selection** — Access to Claude Sonnet 4.5, Opus, or GPT-4o class models
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4. **Context capacity** — Can handle large planning documents and codebases
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**Why model quality matters:** BMM workflows require LLMs that can follow multi-step processes, maintain context across phases, and implement code that adheres to specifications. Tools with weaker models will struggle with workflow adherence and code quality.
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### Can I customize agents?
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Yes! Agents are installed as markdown files with XML-style content (optimized for LLMs, readable by any model). Create customization files in `_bmad/_config/agents/[agent-name].customize.yaml` to override default behaviors while keeping core functionality intact. See agent documentation for customization options.
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**Note:** While source agents in this repo are YAML, they install as `.md` files with XML-style tags — a format any LLM can read and follow.
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### What happens to my planning docs after implementation?
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Keep them! They serve as:
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- Historical record of decisions
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- Onboarding material for new team members
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- Reference for future enhancements
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- Audit trail for compliance
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For enterprise projects (Level 4), consider archiving completed planning artifacts to keep workspace clean.
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### Can I use BMM for non-software projects?
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BMM is optimized for software development, but the methodology principles (scale-adaptive planning, just-in-time design, context injection) can apply to other complex project types. You'd need to adapt workflows and agents for your domain.
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## Advanced
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### What if my project grows from Level 1 to Level 3?
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Totally fine! When you realize scope has grown:
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1. Run create-prd to add product-level planning
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2. Run create-architecture for system design
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3. Use existing tech-spec as input for PRD
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4. Continue with updated level
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The system is flexible — growth is expected.
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### Can I mix greenfield and brownfield approaches?
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Yes! Common scenario: adding new greenfield feature to brownfield codebase. Approach:
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1. Run document-project for brownfield context
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2. Use greenfield workflows for new feature planning
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3. Explicitly document integration points between new and existing
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4. Test integration thoroughly
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### How do I handle urgent hotfixes during a sprint?
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Use correct-course workflow or just:
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1. Save your current work state
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2. Load PM agent → quick tech-spec for hotfix
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3. Implement hotfix (Level 0 flow)
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4. Deploy hotfix
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5. Return to original sprint work
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Level 0 Quick Spec Flow is perfect for urgent fixes.
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### What if I disagree with the workflow's recommendations?
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Workflows are guidance, not enforcement. If a workflow recommends something that doesn't make sense for your context:
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- Explain your reasoning to the agent
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- Ask for alternative approaches
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- Skip the recommendation if you're confident
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- Document why you deviated (for future reference)
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Trust your expertise — BMM supports your decisions.
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### Can multiple developers work on the same BMM project?
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Yes! But the paradigm is fundamentally different from traditional agile teams.
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**Key Difference:**
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- **Traditional** — Multiple devs work on stories within one epic (months)
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- **Agentic** — Each dev owns complete epics (days)
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**In traditional agile:** A team of 5 devs might spend 2-3 months on a single epic, with each dev owning different stories.
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**With BMM + AI agents:** A single dev can complete an entire epic in 1-3 days. What used to take months now takes days.
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**Team Work Distribution:**
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- **Recommended:** Split work by **epic** (not story)
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- Each developer owns complete epics end-to-end
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- Parallel work happens at epic level
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- Minimal coordination needed
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**For full-stack apps:**
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- Frontend and backend can be separate epics (unusual in traditional agile)
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- Frontend dev owns all frontend epics
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- Backend dev owns all backend epics
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- Works because delivery is so fast
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**Enterprise Considerations:**
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- Use **git submodules** for BMM installation (not .gitignore)
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- Allows personal configurations without polluting main repo
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- Teams may use different AI tools (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.)
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- Developers may follow different methods or create custom agents/workflows
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**Quick Tips:**
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- Share `sprint-status.yaml` (single source of truth)
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- Assign entire epics to developers (not individual stories)
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- Coordinate at epic boundaries, not story level
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- Use git submodules for BMM in enterprise settings
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### What is party mode and when should I use it?
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Party mode is a unique multi-agent collaboration feature where ALL your installed modules agents discuss your challenges together in real-time or have some fun with any topic you have in mind.
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**How it works:**
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1. Run `/bmad:core:workflows:party-mode` (or `PM or fuzzy match on party-mode` from any agent)
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2. Introduce your topic
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3. BMad Master selects 2-3 most relevant agents per message
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4. Agents cross-talk, debate, and build on each other's ideas
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**Best for:**
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- Strategic decisions with trade-offs (architecture choices, tech stack, scope)
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- Creative brainstorming (game design, product innovation, UX ideation)
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- Cross-functional alignment (epic kickoffs, retrospectives, phase transitions)
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- Complex problem-solving (multi-faceted challenges, risk assessment)
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**Example parties:**
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- **Product Strategy** — PM + Innovation Strategist (CIS) + Analyst
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- **Technical Design** — Architect + Creative Problem Solver (CIS) + Game Architect
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- **User Experience** — UX Designer + Design Thinking Coach (CIS) + Storyteller (CIS)
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**Why it's powerful:**
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- Diverse perspectives (technical, creative, strategic)
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- Healthy debate reveals blind spots
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- Emergent insights from agent interaction
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- Natural collaboration across modules
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**For complete documentation:** See the [Party Mode Guide](/docs/explanation/features/party-mode.md)
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## Getting Help
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### Where do I get help if my question isn't answered here?
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1. Search [Complete Documentation](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/blob/main/README.md) for related topics
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2. Ask in [Discord Community](https://discord.gg/gk8jAdXWmj) (#bmad-method-help)
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3. Open a [GitHub Issue](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues)
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4. Watch [YouTube Tutorials](https://www.youtube.com/@BMadCode)
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### How do I report a bug or request a feature?
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Open a GitHub issue at: <https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues>
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Please include:
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- BMM version (check your installed version)
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- Steps to reproduce (for bugs)
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- Expected vs actual behavior
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- Relevant workflow or agent involved
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**Have a question not answered here?** Please [open an issue](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues) or ask in [Discord](https://discord.gg/gk8jAdXWmj) so we can add it!
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