# Refining your PDD and the quality checklist

> Refinement patterns for updating a generated Process Design Document (PDD) through conversation, and the quality checklist to complete before handoff.

After your Process Design Document (PDD) is generated, refine it through conversation instead of editing the downloaded file directly, and confirm it is complete before handoff.

## How refinement works

1. Tell **Cartographer** what needs to change, in plain language.
2. Review the updated section and confirm.

**Result:** **Cartographer** updates the underlying process notes, and the affected PDD section is re-projected automatically.

:::tip
Use the "Refine section" link at the bottom of any section for targeted updates. This scopes the update to that section only and is faster than asking for a general refresh. Do not hand-edit the downloaded `.docx` file and then try to re-sync — changes made directly in Word can create inconsistencies with the source notes.
:::

## Refinement quick reference

| Situation | What to say | What gets updated |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Step described incorrectly | "Step N — the description should be..." | AS-IS step and the step section in the PDD |
| Missing business rule | "We missed a rule: [condition/action]..." | Business rules register and the Business Rules section |
| Wrong automation mode | "Change [step] from [mode] to [mode] because..." | Delivery model, TO-BE step, and the future-state process map |
| Missing exception path | "There's an exception we didn't capture: [describe]..." | Exception handling (AS-IS and/or TO-BE) sections in the PDD |
| Deferred gap now resolved | "We have an answer for [gap]: [answer]..." | Gap register, affected steps, and the Known Gaps section |
| Missing role or system | "We forgot to include [name] — they do [describe]..." | Entity file, affected steps, and the Roles section |
| Benefits need more detail | "Please expand benefits with these specifics: [detail]..." | Benefits notes and the Benefits section in the PDD |
| Metadata needs updating | "Update [version/author/organization name] to [value]..." | Document header, footer, and cover page |

:::note
Corrections are additive to the audit trail. When you correct information, the original is not deleted — the change is logged with the reason and date. This is useful for compliance reviews where auditors want to see what changed and why.
:::

## Quality checklist before handoff

### AS-IS completeness

* Every step has a named role or team responsible for it.
* Every step names the system or application used, not just "the system."
* All decision points have at least two named paths.
* Every business rule has a condition and a resulting action.
* All exception paths are documented with a routing destination.
* The process map matches the step-by-step walkthrough.
* All gaps are either resolved or explicitly deferred with a named owner.

### TO-BE completeness

* Every step has an assigned automation mode.
* Human Review steps name the approver and the notification mechanism.
* Agent steps describe what kind of judgment or variation the AI handles.
* The delivery model table accounts for every AS-IS step.
* Exception handling differences between AS-IS and TO-BE are documented.
* The future-state process map reflects the delivery model exactly.

### Document quality

* Document version is set correctly — 0.x for draft, 1.0 for final.
* Organization name is correct and consistent throughout.
* Author names are accurate.
* No section contains "TBD," "placeholder," or "figure to be added."
* Source attribution is present for all key facts.