Merge pull request #546 from SuffolkLITLab/copilot/fix-148

Add comprehensive interview flow planning guidance with tools and methodologies

Author: nonprofittechy

docs/get_started/beginners_guide.md

@@ -41,7 +41,13 @@ The Weaver is a Document Assembly Line tool that generates a draft Docassemble i
 
 The interview generated by the Weaver is not a finished interview. It is a starting point intended for further editing.
 
-Now you are probably itching to start building your first interview! But before you do, take a moment to review the interview-building workflow and join the Document Assembly Line community.
+Now you are probably itching to start building your first interview! But before you do, take a moment to plan your interview flow and review the interview-building workflow.
+
+## Plan your interview flow first
+
+Before you start building, take time to plan your interview's structure and flow. This upfront planning can save you hours of rework later.
+
+**➡️ [Plan your interview flow and structure.](plan_interview.md)**
 
 ## Review the interview project management guide
 

docs/get_started/plan_interview.md

@@ -59,12 +59,111 @@ Reasons to avoid DOCX files:
 * DOCX files can be formatted, but content may flow unexpectedly if it is longer
   than expected
 
-## Do some advance work to draft questions and a question order
+## Plan your interview flow and structure before you build
 
-The automation process will go better if you have planned out a basic
-structure for your interview, as well as thought through the information
-that you need to gather. Focus on a rough sketch of the process that your
-form enables as well as the questions that you will ask to fill it in.
+:::tip
+Taking time to plan your interview flow before building can save you hours of rework later. A clear plan helps you identify complex branching logic early and ensures a smooth user experience.
+:::
+
+The automation process will go much better if you have planned out the basic structure for your interview, as well as thought through the information that you need to gather. Focus on creating a rough sketch of the process that your form enables as well as the questions that you will ask to fill it in.
+
+### Why plan first?
+
+Planning your interview flow before diving into coding helps you:
+
+- **Identify complex logic early**: Spot conditional sections, branching paths, and dependencies before they become problems
+- **Create a logical question order**: Ensure users aren't asked to provide information they don't have yet
+- **Avoid major rework**: Changes to flow are much easier to make in planning than after coding
+- **Ensure completeness**: Make sure you gather all required information without redundancy
+- **Design for user experience**: Think through the user's journey and mental model
+
+### Tools for planning your interview flow
+
+You have many options for mapping out your interview, from simple to sophisticated:
+
+#### Paper and pencil
+- **Best for**: Quick brainstorming and initial sketches
+- **Pros**: Fast, flexible, no learning curve
+- **Cons**: Hard to share and iterate with teams
+
+#### Digital flowchart tools
+- **[draw.io](https://draw.io)** (now Diagrams.net): Free, web-based, integrates with Google Drive/GitHub
+- **[Lucidchart](https://www.lucidchart.com/)**: Professional diagramming with collaboration features
+- **[Miro](https://miro.com/)** or **[Mural](https://www.mural.co/)**: Digital whiteboarding for collaborative planning
+- **[Whimsical](https://whimsical.com/)**: Simple, clean interface for flowcharts and wireframes
+
+#### Specialized planning methods
+- **User journey mapping**: Map the user's path from start to finish, including their goals and pain points
+- **Story mapping**: Break down the interview into user stories and organize them by priority
+- **Paper prototyping**: Create mockups of key screens to test the flow with real users
+
+### What to include in your interview plan
+
+Your planning should cover these key elements:
+
+#### 1. User journey and entry points
+- How do users find your interview?
+- What brings them to this point?
+- What's their mental state and level of legal knowledge?
+
+#### 2. Information gathering sequence
+- What information do you need to collect?
+- What order makes sense to the user?
+- Which questions depend on previous answers?
+
+#### 3. Conditional logic and branching
+- When should users skip certain sections?
+- What different paths might users take?
+- How do different user types experience the interview?
+
+#### 4. Review and completion
+- How will users review their answers?
+- What documents will be generated?
+- What happens after completion?
+
+### Sample planning workflow
+
+1. **Start with the end**: What documents need to be produced? What information is required?
+
+2. **Map the user journey**: Walk through the user's perspective from start to finish
+
+3. **Create a rough flowchart**: Use any of the tools mentioned above to sketch the basic flow
+
+4. **Identify decision points**: Mark where the interview branches based on user input
+
+5. **Group related questions**: Organize questions into logical sections or pages
+
+6. **Plan the review screen**: Decide how users will review and edit their answers
+
+7. **Test with stakeholders**: Share your plan with colleagues or potential users for feedback
+
+### Example: Planning a simple motion interview
+
+Here's how you might plan a basic court motion interview:
+
+```
+Start → Court information → User type (attorney/self-rep) 
+   ↓
+Party information → Case details → Motion type
+   ↓
+Motion-specific questions → Supporting facts → Relief requested
+   ↓
+Review screen → Document generation → Next steps/filing information
+```
+
+Even this simple flow reveals important questions:
+- Should court information come first, or party information?
+- How does the user type affect what questions we ask?
+- What motion-specific questions are needed for each type?
+
+### Integration with project management
+
+Your interview planning should connect with your broader [project management approach](project_management.md). Share your flowcharts and planning documents with your team, and use them to:
+
+- Estimate development time more accurately
+- Identify potential technical challenges early
+- Create test cases for different user paths
+- Brief developers on the intended user experience
 
 ## Preparing your template for automation
 

sidebars.js

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ module.exports = {
         'get_started/intro',
         'get_started/al_project_architecture',
         'get_started/installation',
+        'get_started/plan_interview',
         'get_started/beginners_guide',
         {
             label: 'Interview projects',