Document, Code, Test, Repeat - order of operations in AI era

AI has fundamentally changed how software development works.

Yesterday’s software development process often looked like this: meet with customers, document requirements (a.k.a. a wishlist) as clearly as possible, transfer that knowledge to developers, write code, deploy, fix issues, and — if the budget allows — add tests at the end. Documentation? What documentation?  

AI offers tools to reverse this flow for good — document, code, test, repeat. 

Documentation becomes more than notes or static requirements. It becomes a clearly defined block diagram of the system — a structured representation of logic that is independent of language, whether human (English) or programming (PHP, C++, BASIC, Rust, or any other language chosen for the task). Tests and code are coming together. Iterations become faster and allow teams to catch flaws in logic, not just in code.

This session explores how modern teams can adapt their workflows to integrate AI tools responsibly and effectively into everyday development. We'll discuss the concepts of documentation-first software development and AI integration, then take a deeper dive into how you can use this approach to build a design system accessible to both AI and human consumers. 

Image Credit https://www.productftw.com/productftw-3-the-tire-swing-cartoon/