Start from the reader's question

A pattern is how a page reads: where the answer sits, what repeats, and what the reader does last. Find the question your reader is asking. The pattern follows, and so do its presets — thirty-four of them across eleven patterns. If none of the presets fits, compose in that pattern.

Reader's question, pattern, and presets
The reader asksPatternPresets in that pattern
Should we do this, and what do you need from me?DecisionDesign doc, Discovery brief, Proposal, Project charter, Basis of estimate, Change request
Why is it like this, and is that settled?RecordArchitecture decision record
What exactly must be true, and how do I check it?ContractSpecification, API contract, Reference, Requirements specification, Statement of work, Support model
What do I do, in what order, and how do I recover?ProcedureEngineering handoff, How-to guide, Runbook
How does this work, so I can reason about it myself?LearningExplanation, Onboarding, Tutorial
How is it arranged, and where are the boundaries?SystemArchitecture guide, Design-to-engineering handoff
What happened, why, and what stops it recurring?IncidentPostmortem
Where is each fact about this service owned?SuiteService documentation suite
How will the work get done, and what gates it?PlanDelivery plan, Migration and cutover plan, Test strategy
Is it good enough, on what evidence?AssuranceTest report, Threat model, Production readiness review, Risk and RAID register
Where are we now, and what needs my attention?BriefDelivery status report, Release notes, Workshop summary, Incident update

Decision

Orient to the ask, compare choices, record what is needed next.

Put the ask and trade-offs before the implementation detail.

Characteristic modules

Design docShould we do this, and is the approach sound?Theme: field-notes Discovery briefWhat did we learn, and should we proceed?Theme: field-notes ProposalShould I approve this?Theme: executive-navy Project charterWhat are we committing to, and who can decide?Theme: executive-navy Basis of estimateWhat will this take, and how confident are we?Theme: executive-navy Change requestShould we change the agreed baseline?Theme: executive-navy

Record

Confirm status, read the decision, trace consequences.

Preserve one settled choice and make its consequences traceable.

Characteristic modules

Architecture decision recordWhy is it like this?Theme: field-notes

Contract

Find an exact rule, example, or compliance condition.

Make exact rules, specimens, and compliance conditions easy to scan.

Characteristic modules

SpecificationWhat exactly must I build, and how do I know I am done?Theme: field-notes API contractHow do I call this correctly, and what happens when I do it wrong?Theme: console-violet ReferenceWhat is the exact fact?Theme: console-violet Requirements specificationWhat outcome and behavior must delivery satisfy?Theme: field-notes Statement of workWhat services and acceptance are agreed?Theme: executive-navy Support modelWho supports this service, and under what rules?Theme: field-notes

Procedure

Establish safety, execute in order, verify or recover.

Keep safe execution, verification, and recovery in one visible path.

Characteristic modules

Engineering handoffWhat do I run, change, and not break after you leave?Theme: field-notes How-to guideHow do I get this job done?Theme: editorial-coral RunbookWhat do I do right now?Theme: console-violet

Learning

Build context, complete a path, consolidate understanding.

Build understanding through staged context, practice, and checkpoints.

Characteristic modules

ExplanationWhy is it like this?Theme: field-notes OnboardingHow do I get it running and prove it works?Theme: field-notes TutorialCan I learn this by doing it once?Theme: editorial-coral Platform primerComposedCan I reuse what I know from batch loads here?Theme: field-notes. Nearest preset: Explanation

System

Build a spatial model, then inspect boundaries and states.

Use maps, boundaries, interfaces, and states to build a spatial model.

Characteristic modules

Architecture guideHow is it arranged today?Theme: field-notes Design-to-engineering handoffWhat do I build, in every state?Theme: editorial-coral

Incident

See severity first, reconstruct time, connect cause to action.

Lead with impact, reconstruct time, then connect cause to owned action.

Characteristic modules

PostmortemWhat happened, why, and what stops it recurring?Theme: console-violet

Suite

Orient across a linked documentation set.

Orient readers across a linked set with ownership and freshness visible.

Characteristic modules

Service documentation suiteWhat does this service do, and where is each fact owned?Theme: field-notes

Plan

Follow work from baseline through dependencies and control gates.

Make workstreams, dependencies, gates, and forecast movement visible.

Characteristic modules

Delivery planHow will the agreed outcome be delivered and governed?Theme: executive-navy Migration and cutover planHow do we move safely and back out?Theme: console-violet Test strategyHow will quality risks be tested?Theme: editorial-coral

Assurance

See the verdict, inspect evidence, then accept or close exposure.

Put the verdict beside the evidence, findings, and residual risk.

Characteristic modules

Test reportCan we ship, on this build?Theme: editorial-coral Threat modelWhat can go wrong, and what will we do?Theme: console-violet Production readiness reviewIs this change ready for production?Theme: console-violet Risk and RAID registerWhere is delivery exposed, and who owns it?Theme: executive-navy

Brief

Read current state, material change, required action, next checkpoint.

Expose current state, material change, required action, and next update.

Characteristic modules

Delivery status reportWhere are we now, and what needs attention?Theme: executive-navy Release notesWhat changed, and what must readers do?Theme: editorial-coral Workshop summaryWhat did the workshop establish and leave open?Theme: field-notes Incident updateWhat is happening now, and when is the next update?Theme: console-violet

The same catalog, by engagement stage

Each stage lists the documents that usually own its questions. Choose the smallest set the engagement needs.

  1. Frame and agree

    Why, scope, outcome, effort, commercial delivery boundary.

  2. Define

    Observable need, target design, current system, decisions, interfaces, threats.

  3. Plan and govern

    Work, dependencies, quality, exposure, status, controlled change.

  4. Verify and transition

    Readiness, test verdict, cutover, release impact, support and handoff.

  5. Operate and improve

    Find truth, execute safely, communicate incidents, learn.

Familiar names, one owner each

A filename someone already uses routes to the preset that owns the job. A familiar name never becomes a second type.

Compatibility profiles

An older specialised command stays supported while the canonical preset stays general.

mulesoftProfileThe service documentation suite, specialised for one integration platformTheme: field-notes

Not listed?

Compose it. The writing skill does this when no preset fits, in three steps.

  1. Match a type or a familiar name

    If a preset or one of its names fits, use it. Composition is the fallback, not a second catalog.

  2. Pick the pattern by the reader's question

    The question table above names the pattern. The pattern fixes the reading order.

  3. Compose from the pattern's modules

    Use only the modules the pattern allows, and borrow the nearest preset's section discipline and theme.

A shape composed three times becomes a preset. That is the only way the catalog grows.