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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://doc.getrationale.app/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Rationale takes you from sign-up to a completed audit in a handful of steps. You choose a workflow that matches where your project is right now — whether you have both a spec and designs, designs only, or a spec only — then connect your sources and let Rationale do the analysis.
Rationale’s free plan lets you run audits on a sample project and import your own designs without entering a credit card. You can explore every part of the product before committing to a paid plan.

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Before you start

You’ll need at least one of the following, depending on which workflow you choose:
  • A Figma file or frame URL (e.g. https://figma.com/file/…) for workflows that involve designs
  • A PRD in one of the supported formats — a Notion page, a file (.pdf, .doc, .docx, .md, .txt), or any public doc URL — for workflows that involve a spec

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Step-by-step

1

Sign up

Go to rationale.so and click See it in action. You can create an account with Google or with an email and password. No credit card required.Once you’re in, you land on your Projects workspace — a grid of all your projects, empty on first visit.
2

Create your first project

Click New Project in the top-right corner. A setup flow opens in two stages:
  1. Choose a workflow — pick the path that matches your starting point (see the workflow descriptions below).
  2. Add a name and connect your sources — give the project a name, then connect the inputs the workflow requires.
You can also press Enter once all inputs are filled to start immediately.
3

Choose a workflow

Rationale offers three starting points. Pick the one that fits where your project is right now.
Ship what was specced. Every Figma save is audited against your PRD. Logic drift is flagged. Dev handoff is locked until requirements are covered.Requires: a PRD and a Figma file or frame URL.This is the recommended workflow for ongoing projects where both spec and design exist. Rationale watches for drift continuously and surfaces new gaps whenever Figma is saved.
4

Connect your sources

After picking a workflow, Rationale shows you the input cards that workflow needs. Fill in what’s required:PRD source (required for Match and PRD to design brief):
Click Choose a page from Notion to open the Notion page picker. Select any page from your connected workspace. Rationale imports the full content automatically.
Design source (required for Match and Design to PRD):Paste your Figma file or frame URL into the Design field. The URL should look like https://figma.com/file/…. Rationale accepts both full file URLs and individual frame links.
To connect Notion or push findings to Linear later, go to Settings → Connections and connect each integration with OAuth. You can revoke access at any time.
5

Run the audit

Once all required fields are filled, click the workflow’s action button — Start watching, Generate PRD, or Generate design brief — or press Enter.Rationale processes your sources and streams progress in real time:
  • Design to PRD: reads your Figma file, downloads screen images, writes the PRD, and saves it to your project.
  • PRD to design brief: reads your PRD, structures a screen-by-screen brief, and saves it.
  • Match: creates the project immediately and begins watching for changes as soon as you save in Figma.
When processing completes, Rationale opens your project automatically.
6

Review your results

Your project opens to a tabbed results view. Each tab focuses on a different part of the output:
TabWhat you’ll find
SummaryA high-level overview of the audit findings and overall alignment status.
RequirementsThe full list of requirements extracted or cross-referenced from your PRD.
Gaps & edge casesEvery gap, contradiction, missing state, or undefined behavior Rationale found, with a plain-language explanation for each.
Decisions & notesA record of findings you’ve accepted or dismissed, and any notes attached to the version.
Dev handoffThe export-ready spec — requirements, resolved gaps, and acceptance criteria — that engineering can build from.
For each gap in the Gaps & edge cases tab, you can accept it (confirm the issue and optionally push it to Linear) or dismiss it (mark it as not applicable).
When you’re ready to hand off to engineering, open the Dev handoff tab and export the document. Rationale generates a clean Word document with full context attached.

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What’s next

Watch for drift

Learn how to set up continuous Figma monitoring with the Match workflow.

Generate a PRD from designs

See how Rationale reads Figma screens and writes requirements automatically.

Brief your designer

Turn a spec into a screen-by-screen design brief in one step.

Connect integrations

Set up Figma, Notion, Linear, and Slack to get the most out of Rationale.