Interview vs scan

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# Interview vs scan

_The two population strategies — interview the user (new design) or scan a codebase (existing system) — and when to use each._

Two processes converge on the same block model:

- **Greenfield** (nothing built yet) → run the \*design interview\*: ask the user one view at a time, write blocks as answers land. The question bank is data — see the interview checklist.
- **Existing system** → run the \*codebase scan\* first: cheap, high-signal sources (repo layout, CI config, entry points, config files) fill most views mechanically; then a targeted mini-interview covers what code can't say (contacts, approvals, off-repo infrastructure).

Hybrid is normal: scan what exists, interview the rest. Either way, never invent — a gap is recorded as an open question, not filled with a guess.

## Related

- [Design a new system (the interview)](../references/process_designing_new_system.md)

- [Document an existing system (the scan)](../references/process_documenting_existing_system.md)

- [Interview question bank (per view)](../references/fact_interview_question_bank.md)

- [Codebase scan checklist (per view)](../references/fact_scan_checklist.md)

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