Rails Analyst

Business and systems analysis for Rails applications. Decompose features, estimate work, analyze risks, and document requirements.

When to Use This Skill

• Feature decomposition into implementable tasks
• Task complexity estimation (story points, time estimates)
• Architecture design and documentation
• Writing JTBD (Jobs To Be Done) for product features
• Creating use cases and user stories
• Risk identification and mitigation planning
• Project weakness analysis
• Technical feasibility assessment
• Requirements gathering and documentation
• Stakeholder communication and clarification

Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) Framework

JTBD focuses on why users "hire" your product, not what they do with it.

Format:

When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome].

Example:

• When I have a draft article ready, I want to publish it with one click, so I can share my ideas without technical hassle.

Translating to Features:

• One-click publish button
• Draft auto-save
• Validation before publish
• Preview before publishing

Use Cases

Use Case Template

## Use Case: [Name]

**Actor:** [Who performs this action]
**Goal:** [What they want to achieve]
**Preconditions:** [What must be true before]

### Main Flow:
1. User does X
2. System validates Y
3. System performs Z
4. User sees confirmation

### Error Scenarios:
- Validation fails → Show errors
- Authorization fails → Show 403

Task Decomposition

Break features into implementable chunks:

## Epic: Article Comments System

### Stage 1: Data & Models (2 days)
- [ ] Create Comment migration
- [ ] Add Comment model with associations
- [ ] Write model specs (100% coverage)

### Stage 2: Business Logic (2 days)
- [ ] Create Comments::Create interaction
- [ ] Add comment moderation (AASM)
- [ ] Write interaction specs

### Stage 3: API/Controllers (2 days)
- [ ] Create CommentsController
- [ ] Add authorization (Pundit)
- [ ] Write request specs

**Total:** 6 days + 20% buffer = 7-8 days

Estimation Techniques

Story Points (Fibonacci)

• 1 point: Trivial (add validation, update text)
• 2 points: Simple (add model field, basic CRUD)
• 3 points: Moderate (new model with associations)
• 5 points: Complex (feature with multiple models)
• 8 points: Very complex (new subsystem)
• 13+ points: Too large - decompose further

T-Shirt Sizing

• XS (< 2h): Trivial changes, bug fixes
• S (2-4h): Simple features, single file
• M (1-2 days): Moderate features, multiple files
• L (3-5 days): Complex features, cross-cutting
• XL (1-2 weeks): Major features, architecture
• XXL (> 2 weeks): Epic - must decompose

Risk Analysis

Risk Matrix

Risk	Probability	Impact	Mitigation
Database migration fails	Medium	Critical	Test on staging, plan rollback
Third-party API limits	High	Medium	Implement caching, retry logic
Security vulnerability	Low	Critical	Add encryption, security audit

Risk Levels:

• Critical: Data loss, security breach, compliance
• High: Performance degradation, user experience
• Medium: Minor bugs, cosmetic issues
• Low: Nice-to-have features

Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)

# ADR-001: Use Solid Queue for Background Jobs

## Status
Accepted

## Context
Need background job processing for emails, reports, exports.

## Decision
Use Solid Queue (Rails 7.1+ native, database-backed).

## Rationale
- No additional infrastructure (vs Redis/Sidekiq)
- Mission Control web UI included
- Simpler deployment
- Good enough for our scale

## Consequences
**Positive:** Lower costs, simpler ops
**Negative:** Slightly slower than Redis
**Review Date:** 6 months

Project Weakness Analysis

Analysis Framework

1. Code Quality

   • Test coverage gaps
   • Code duplication
   • Complex methods

2. Architecture

   • Tight coupling
   • Missing abstractions
   • Technical debt

3. Security

   • Unencrypted sensitive data
   • Missing authorization
   • Vulnerabilities

4. Performance

   • N+1 queries
   • Missing indexes
   • Slow endpoints

5. Operations

   • Missing monitoring
   • No backup strategy
   • Deployment risks

Quick Assessment

## Critical Issues
1. No database backups (Priority: Immediate)
2. Unencrypted PII (Priority: This week)
3. Missing rate limiting (Priority: This month)

## Recommendations
- **Immediate:** Setup backups, fix N+1 queries
- **Short Term:** Encrypt PII, add rate limiting
- **Long Term:** Refactor controllers, improve tests

Communication Templates

Feature Proposal

# Feature Proposal: [Name]

## Problem Statement
[What problem? Who experiences it?]

## Jobs To Be Done
[3-5 JTBD from different user perspectives]

## Proposed Solution
[High-level description]

## Success Metrics
- Reduce support tickets by 30%
- Increase engagement by 20%

## Complexity
- **Estimate:** 2 weeks
- **Risk Level:** Medium
- **Dependencies:** None

## Recommendation
[Go / No-Go / Defer]

Best Practices

✅ Do

• Start with JTBD - Understand the "why"
• Decompose ruthlessly - No task >2 days
• Document decisions - Use ADRs
• Identify risks early - Surface concerns upfront
• Estimate conservatively - Add 20% buffer
• Track velocity - Use historical data
• Communicate clearly - Write for stakeholders
• Update estimates - Revise as you learn

❌ Don't

• Don't skip use cases - They catch edge cases
• Don't ignore risks - Hope is not mitigation
• Don't overestimate - Be realistic
• Don't work in isolation - Validate with devs
• Don't ignore feedback - Users know best
• Don't plan too far - Requirements change

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Reference Documentation

For detailed examples and templates:

• Full analyst guide: analyst-reference.md (comprehensive templates, examples, and workflows)

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Remember: The analyst's job is to reduce uncertainty and enable informed decisions. Good analysis turns "we should build X" into "here's exactly what X means, what it costs, what could go wrong, and whether we should do it."