The 5 steps

The full SR Method workflow can be summarized in five steps.

User product intent
-> Product Discovery
-> Domain Expertise
-> Codex Project Pack
-> SR Development
-> Delivery & Handoff

1. Product Discovery

Objective: clarify the idea before discussing code.

This usually happens with ChatGPT or Claude. The goal is to turn a still vague intent into a usable product vision: users, problem, promise, V0, exclusions, risks, data and UX.

Expected output: product framing and first list of required documents.

2. Domain Expertise

Objective: prevent Codex from treating the project as a generic CRUD.

Identify domain vocabulary, critical rules, likely LLM mistakes, validated decisions and sources of truth. Important elements become domain Codex skills.

Expected output: domain map and Codex skills plan.

3. Codex Project Pack

Objective: turn discovery into a folder Codex can use.

The pack contains brief, PRD, specs, architecture, data, API, UX, tests, first lots, prompts and domain skills.

Expected output: complete starter folder validated by the user.

4. SR Development

Objective: make Codex work in the repo through verifiable lots.

Codex reads sources, chooses skills, creates or resumes a lot, applies gates, changes the minimum necessary, verifies and documents.

Expected output: executed, verified, traceable and testable lot.

5. Delivery & Handoff

Objective: deliver cleanly and prevent context loss.

Codex updates SR memory, gives user E2E tests, prepares a resume prompt if needed, then commits or pushes only if scope is clean and validated.

Expected output: clean repo, clear next step and reliable resume.