Spec-Driven Development: Practical Exercises

By Panaversity -- Learn to Plan Before You Build

Welcome! This package contains all the practice materials, scenario files, and instructions for 24 exercises + 3 capstone projects designed to teach you Spec-Driven Development (SDD) using Claude Code and Cowork. No coding required -- these exercises use real-world planning and problem-solving scenarios.

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What Is Spec-Driven Development?

SDD is a four-phase workflow that transforms vague ideas into clear, executable plans:

1. Research -- Gather context from multiple angles before deciding anything
2. Specification -- Write a clear document describing what you're building and why
3. Refinement -- Interview stakeholders to find gaps and ambiguities
4. Implementation -- Break the spec into delegatable tasks and execute

You'll practice each phase individually, then combine them in full end-to-end cycles.

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Package Structure

sdd-exercises/
├── README.md                         <- You are here
├── EXERCISE-GUIDE.md                 <- Full pedagogical guide
├── module-1/                         -- Spec vs. Vibe: Seeing the Difference
│   ├── exercise-1.1-event-gone-wrong/     (botched event scenario)
│   ├── exercise-1.2-side-by-side-test/    (vague vs. spec comparison)
│   └── exercise-1.3-vibe-to-spec-rescue/  (rescue a failed plan)
│
├── module-2/                         -- Research Phase: Gathering Context
│   ├── exercise-2.1-multi-angle-investigation/  (3-perspective research)
│   ├── exercise-2.2-source-reliability-audit/   (evaluate source quality)
│   └── exercise-2.3-research-summary/           (raw notes to structured doc)
│
├── module-3/                         -- Writing Your First Spec
│   ├── exercise-3.1-home-renovation-spec/    (kitchen renovation)
│   ├── exercise-3.2-charity-fundraiser-spec/ (fundraiser planning)
│   └── exercise-3.3-spec-from-chaos/         (voice memos to spec)
│
├── module-4/                         -- Constraints & Success Criteria
│   ├── exercise-4.1-missing-guardrails/      (find missing constraints)
│   ├── exercise-4.2-measurable-vs-vague/     (rewrite vague criteria)
│   └── exercise-4.3-constraint-stress-test/  (adversarial scenario testing)
│
├── module-5/                         -- Refinement: Finding What's Missing
│   ├── exercise-5.1-interview-challenge/       (Claude interviews you)
│   ├── exercise-5.2-ambiguity-hunter/          (find more gaps than Claude)
│   ├── exercise-5.3-stakeholder-perspectives/  (3 viewpoints, 3 gap sets)
│
├── module-6/                         -- Task Breakdown & Delegation
│   ├── exercise-6.1-dependency-map/          (tasks + dependencies)
│   ├── exercise-6.2-atomic-task-writer/      (rewrite vague tasks)
│   └── exercise-6.3-delegation-simulation/   (assign to 3 team members)
│
├── module-7/                         -- Full SDD Cycle: End to End
│   ├── exercise-7.1-community-newsletter/    (full 4-phase cycle)
│   ├── exercise-7.2-office-move-planner/     (full cycle, complex)
│   └── exercise-7.3-product-launch-playbook/ (full cycle, most complex)
│
└── module-8/                         -- Capstone Projects
    ├── capstone-A-wedding-planner/       (multi-stakeholder SDD)
    ├── capstone-B-small-business-launch/  (business operations SDD)
    └── capstone-C-personal-goal-system/   (apply SDD to your own life)

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How to Get Started

With Cowork (Recommended for Beginners)

1. Open Claude Desktop app on macOS
2. Switch to the Cowork tab
3. Point Cowork at the exercise folder you want to work on
4. Read the INSTRUCTIONS.md file in the exercise folder
5. Start describing your task to Claude

With Claude Code (For Terminal Users)

1. Open your terminal
2. Navigate to the exercise folder: cd module-1/exercise-1.1-event-gone-wrong
3. Launch Claude Code
4. Read the INSTRUCTIONS.md and start working

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Recommended Order

Week 1 (Why Specs Matter): Exercises 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 Week 2 (Research): Exercises 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 Week 3 (Specifications): Exercises 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 Week 4 (Constraints): Exercises 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 Week 5 (Refinement): Exercises 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 Week 6 (Delegation): Exercises 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 Week 7 (Full Cycle): Exercises 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 Week 8 (Capstone): Choose one capstone project

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The SDD Problem-Solving Framework

Use this for every exercise:

1. Research -- What context do I need before deciding anything?
2. Specify -- What exactly am I building, for whom, and with what constraints?
3. Refine -- What did I miss? What's ambiguous? What would stakeholders question?
4. Delegate -- How do I break this into clear, independent tasks?
5. Execute -- Run the tasks and verify each output
6. Reflect -- What would I change about my spec or process?

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Self-Assessment Rubric

Criteria	1 (Beginner)	2 (Developing)	3 (Proficient)	4 (Advanced)
Research Quality	Skipped research	Surface-level search	Multi-angle investigation	Identified conflicting sources
Spec Completeness	Missing sections	Has basics, gaps remain	All sections, clear criteria	Anticipates edge cases
Constraint Clarity	No constraints listed	Some constraints	Measurable constraints	Stress-tested constraints
Refinement Depth	No refinement	Found 1-2 gaps	Found 5+ ambiguities	Stakeholder-tested
Task Breakdown	Monolithic tasks	Some breakdown	Atomic, delegatable tasks	Dependencies mapped
Iteration	Single attempt	One revision	Multiple refinements	Systematic improvement

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Built for Panaversity's AI-Native Development Curriculum No programming knowledge required -- just clear thinking and structured planning.