# Technical Design Document That Fits Your Code

Source: https://maito.app/workflows/write-a-technical-design-draft

Maito turns a feature idea into a design document based on how your code works today: data, API, screens, phases and the problems to fix first.

Turn a feature idea into a design doc that fits how the code works today.

[Engineering](https://maito.app/workflows/team/engineering) · [Software](https://maito.app/workflows/industry/software) · When you ask · Updated October 19, 2026

Works with

-   Slack
-   Email

## How do you write a technical design document?

To write a technical design document, send Maito the feature idea in Slack. It reads the repository, maps what has to change in data, API and screens, splits the work into phases, flags existing code that gets in the way, and attaches a draft for your team to edit and review.

## How it's done today

Design docs miss how the current code really works.

## What Maito does

1.  Read the request and the relevant code
2.  Draft the approach, changes and risks

## Example

**Alex** (3:30 PM):

draft a design for adding team-level permissions. Admins should be able to give a team access to a project.

**Maito** (3:52 PM):

Draft attached: team-permissions-design.pdf (4 pages).

**Data:** 3 new tables: teams, team\_members, project\_team\_roles.  
**API:** 6 endpoints, 4 of them new.  
**Screens:** team list, team detail, a Teams tab on project settings, and the invite dialog.  
**Phases:** 1) one permission check, 2) tables and API, 3) screens.

**Catch:** permissions are checked in 31 places with user.role === 'admin', not through one function. That has to be fixed first, or a team member will be allowed in some places and refused in others.

Open questions:  
• Does the most permissive team role win?  
• What happens to today's members?  
• Do API keys inherit team access?

From reading the auth and projects code. I can start phase 1 on a branch.

## How to set it up

When you ask Write a technical design draft

Set up

Nothing to set up. Ask in Slack or by email whenever you need it.

## What it won't do

A design draft is a starting point. Trade-offs, cost and timing decisions are made by your team, not by Maito.

## Questions

### Does the design match our current code?

Yes. It reads the repository first, so the plan refers to real tables, endpoints and files instead of a generic template.

### What format is the draft?

A document attached in Slack, such as a PDF. You can ask for a different layout.

### Can it ask me questions first?

Yes. If the idea leaves out a decision, it asks in the thread and continues when you reply.

## More engineering workflows

-   [Turn a ticket into a tested pull request Hand over a well-scoped ticket and get back a pull request with tests. Engineering · When you ask Works with Linear, Jira.](https://maito.app/workflows/turn-a-ticket-into-a-tested-pull-request)
-   [Review a teammate's pull request Get a first review that catches bugs and missed cases before a person looks. Engineering · When something happens Works with Slack, Email.](https://maito.app/workflows/review-a-teammates-pull-request)
-   [Check a change for security problems Look at a change for injection, leaked secrets and missing permission checks. Engineering · When you ask Works with Slack, Email.](https://maito.app/workflows/check-a-change-for-security-problems)
-   [Write the changelog Twice a week, turn merged pull requests into a changelog people can read. Engineering · On a schedule Works with Slack, Email.](https://maito.app/workflows/write-the-changelog)
-   [Nudge stale pull requests Pull requests waiting too long get a polite reminder to the right reviewer. Engineering · On a schedule Works with Slack, Email.](https://maito.app/workflows/nudge-stale-pull-requests)
-   [File a bug from a Slack thread When a bug comes up in chat, mention Maito and it gets filed once, with details and no duplicates. Engineering · When you ask Works with Linear, Jira.](https://maito.app/workflows/file-a-bug-from-a-slack-thread)

[See all workflows](https://maito.app/workflows)

## Put your AI teammate to work.

Set it up in minutes. Start with this one, and let it earn the next one.

[Put Maito to work](https://maito.app/login?returnTo=%2Fworkflows%2Fwrite-a-technical-design-draft)[Book a demo](mailto:support@maito.app?subject=Maito%20demo)