How to browse AIES
Handbook: Reading order for the working standard
Version: 1.0 | Updated: 2026-07-29
Purpose
Give newcomers a single logical path through the site so they do not bounce between Patterns, Foundations, and Portal without knowing what to install first.
Why
A corpus this size fails when every page looks equally important. Order is a quality gate: kit before dialect, workflow before crosswalk, pattern envelope before assurance theater.
The path (do this in order)
| Step | Where | Exit criterion |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | /start |
You know your stack, IDE, role, data class |
| 2 | /quickstart (“Your kit”) |
Kit installed into IDE-native paths — not a hollow .aies/ folder |
| 3 | /workflows |
You ran one lifecycle stage end-to-end |
| 4 | AI SDLC stage tooling map | You can name the prompt/skill/pattern for your current stage |
| 5 | Pattern library — Planner → Context → Reviewer first | You opened prompt + skills + checklist for one pattern |
| 6 | Practitioner handbook | You applied one practice doc (HITL, evals, MCP, or PR review) |
| 7 | External standards map / /portal |
Only when you need assurance evidence — not day-one reading |
What each nav section is for
| Sidebar section | Job | Not for |
|---|---|---|
| Get started | Operate the product | Deep theory |
| AI SDLC | Stage → tools (prompts, skills, patterns) | Normative ISO claims |
| Patterns | Consequential envelopes with HITL gates | Casual autocomplete tips |
| Practitioner handbook | Day-to-day how-to | Certification |
| Foundations | Why harness / failure modes / XML | First-hour browsing |
| Cookbook | Stack adapters after kit install | Replacing the kit |
| Ops & assurance | Evals, hooks, portal, crosswalks | Skipping kit install |
Anti-patterns
- Opening Portal or ISO crosswalks before installing a kit
- Reading all 12 patterns before running one workflow
- Treating Foundations as onboarding
- Claiming “we follow AIES” with no kit files in the product repo
Checklist
- Kit present in IDE paths (
AIES.md, prompts, skills) - One workflow completed
- Current SDLC stage mapped to a prompt + pattern
- Assurance pages opened only with a risk question in hand
Related
Changelog
- 1.0 (2026-07-29): Initial browse-order handbook page.
Version: AIES v1.0.0✏️ Edit this page on GitHub