Core Principles of SED
Six fundamental principles that ensure specification integrity
Spec-Exactness Principle
Development implements only what the specification defines.
- AI executes only what is explicitly written in the specification
- If the specification is incomplete, AI must immediately return a Spec Error and stop development
- No assumptions, no guessing, no improvisation allowed
Spec Completeness Scoring
Specifications are scored before development begins.
- AI evaluates the specification and assigns a score from 0-100
- Development may start only when the score is 90 or higher
- Score evaluates: database design, business logic, UI/UX, testing plan, deployment environment
SpecError: Insufficient specification to execute.
Required Score: ≥90 | Current Score: 42
Spec Is the Law
AI never attempts to infer human intent.
- Ambiguous sentences in the specification are ignored and not implemented
- Guessing is forbidden - only written instructions are executed
- Even if the specification is wrong, AI must follow it without inference
- AI may request confirmation or revisions from a developer when errors are suspected
- Ultimately, the AI must always follow the specification
AI's Role in Validation
AI serves as executor and quality assurance advisor.
- Logic Verification: Analyze specifications for inconsistencies and contradictions
- Testing and Validation: Execute tests based on specifications and report results
- Advisory Function: Recommend spec updates and suggest improvements
- Feedback Loop: Report findings to developers who update specifications accordingly
- While AI cannot modify specifications, it maintains spec quality through validation
No Incremental Modifications
Iterative adjustments through progressive prompting are prohibited.
Developer: "Make the button bigger" Developer: "Change color to blue" Developer: "Add shadow effect" Developer: "Move it to the right"
[Updates design spec] - Button: 48px height - Color: Black (#000000) - Shadow: 0 2px 8px - Position: Right-aligned "Re-implement per updated spec"
When AI output is unsatisfactory, update the specification first, then instruct AI to re-implement based on the updated spec.
Complete Specification
Specifications must include everything needed for implementation.
Must include:
- Class names, function names, method names
- Implementation details: calculations, algorithms, business logic
- Data structures: variable names, types, data flow
- Control flow: conditional logic, loops, error handling
- Complete source code with comments and documentation
- CSS styling: colors, spacing, fonts, animations, responsive breakpoints
- User-facing text: labels, buttons, messages, tooltips
- Internationalization: translation dictionaries, locale-specific formats
🤖 SED is AI Agnostic
One of SED's greatest strengths is its complete independence from any specific AI platform or vendor.
🔄 Works with Any AI Model
SED specifications work seamlessly with:
- OpenAI's GPT (GPT-4, GPT-3.5, etc.)
- Anthropic's Claude (any version)
- Google's Gemini
- Meta's LLaMA
- Mistral, Cohere, and other LLMs
- Any future AI models
✅ Specification Universality
SED specifications remain unchanged and fully compatible across different AI models because:
- The methodology focuses on precise specifications, not AI-specific prompts
- No vendor lock-in — your specs are portable
- Future-proof — new AI models can use existing specs
- Standards-based format (Markdown + YAML)
Strategic Advantage
By using SED, you gain complete independence from any specific AI platform. Your specifications remain valuable regardless of which AI tools you choose today or in the future. You can seamlessly switch between different AI models without modifying your specifications—only your system prompts need adjustment.