# Hard Problems Meeting

This directory contains documentation for hard problems discussed in the Hard Problems meeting series.

## Purpose

The Hard Problems meeting is a forum for discussing cross-component technical challenges that don't have obvious solutions. These are problems where:
- Multiple components/teams are affected
- The solution may require design changes or new guidelines
- Multiple approaches have been considered but rejected
- Expert input and collaborative discussion would be valuable

## Process

### Before the Meeting

1. **Create a problem document** using the [TEMPLATE.md](TEMPLATE.md)
2. **Fill in the required sections:**
   - Problem Summary
   - Context
   - Problem Details
   - Solutions Considered and Rejected
   - Open Questions
3. **Merged PR** with your problem document to this directory
4. **Send out document to meeting chat before meeting.**

### During the Meeting

- Present the problem (5-10 minutes)
- Open discussion with the group
- Explore potential solutions
- Drive towards a decision (if possible)

### After the Meeting

1. **Update the problem document** with:
   - Meeting notes (date, attendees, discussion summary)
   - Decision made (if any)
   - Rationale for the decision
   - Action items
2. **Create follow-up work items** as needed
3. **Link to implementation PRs** once work begins

## Guidelines

- **Not everyone needs to attend every meeting** - only join discussions relevant to your expertise
- **Problems, not solutions** - you don't need a full proposal, just a well-documented problem
- **Cross-component focus** - if it only affects one component, handle it in your team's normal process
- **Write it down** - decisions and rationale must be documented for future reference
- **Keep it small** - typically 3-5 people actively engaged per problem

## Example Problems

Hard problems might include:
- Files-by-Association (FBA) heuristics and behavior
- Cross-component architectural decisions
- Product conventions and guidelines that affect multiple areas
- Design decisions with customer-facing impact

## Meeting Archive

- [FBA Problem](./fba-problem.md) - Example problem document