ADR-009: Quick Chat Docs Assistant Modes¶
Status: Accepted
Date: 2026-06-03
Backfilled from: Docs/Design/Quick_Chat_Docs_Assistant.md
Decision owner: Human requester approval of TASK-509 inventory defaults
Related task: TASK-514
Related spec/plan: Docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-03-adr-follow-up-sprint-implementation-plan.md
Decision¶
Quick Chat uses three explicit modes: Chat, Docs Q&A, and Browse Guides.
Context¶
Quick Chat needs to provide lightweight help without replacing the main chat UI or creating a new backend surface. The helper supports normal conversation, retrieval-grounded documentation answers, and deterministic local guidance from tutorials and curated workflow cards.
The modal owns mode switching and route handoff. Docs Q&A uses the existing RAG search API with a docs-focused retrieval profile. Browse Guides uses local tutorial and workflow-guide registries so guidance remains fast and deterministic even when retrieval quality varies.
Alternatives considered¶
| Option | Why rejected |
|---|---|
| Single chat mode for all helper interactions | Blurs retrieval-grounded documentation answers, deterministic guide browsing, and normal model conversation into one unclear path. |
| Add a new backend endpoint for Quick Chat docs help | Existing RAG search already provides the needed retrieval surface; a new endpoint would add ownership and testing burden without a clear need. |
| Generate workflow cards dynamically | Curated/static workflow cards and validated overrides are more deterministic and easier to test for route-aware help. |
Consequences¶
Quick Chat mode selection must preserve the intended send path: standard chat for Chat, docs-scoped RAG for Docs Q&A, and local tutorial/workflow lookup for Browse Guides.
Docs retrieval profile settings, citation formatting, and suggested-page generation are part of the Quick Chat contract. Browse-mode cards remain curated or validated rather than free-form generated.
Follow-up¶
- Use this ADR as the covering record for
INV-020. - If Quick Chat later adds a dedicated backend API or generated workflow-card system, create a superseding ADR or a new ADR for that durable change.