docs(redesign): record product brief and phased audit handoff

docs/redesign/IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md

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+# Implementation Plan
+
+## Strategy
+
+Do not rewrite the entire frontend in one uncontrolled change.
+
+Use a phased migration with explicit checkpoints.
+
+## Phase 0 — Finish product functionality
+
+Before the visual/UX redesign begins:
+
+- finish current functional changes,
+- avoid spending excessive time polishing legacy visual styling,
+- stabilise backend/data-model behaviour,
+- run tests,
+- create a pre-redesign checkpoint.
+
+## Phase 1 — Audit
+
+No broad design changes.
+
+Inspect and document:
+
+- frontend framework and build setup,
+- current styling solution,
+- component libraries,
+- routing,
+- state management,
+- authentication,
+- localisation,
+- API integration,
+- test setup,
+- every current feature and workflow.
+
+Deliverables:
+
+- technical frontend audit,
+- functionality inventory,
+- route/page map,
+- component inventory,
+- risk list,
+- proposed migration approach.
+
+## Phase 2 — Functional baseline
+
+Add or improve regression coverage around critical workflows before changing them.
+
+Deliverables:
+
+- stable baseline tests,
+- known failing tests documented,
+- explicit protected-functionality checklist.
+
+## Phase 3 — UX architecture
+
+Define the target product shell and information architecture.
+
+Deliverables:
+
+- sidebar structure,
+- page hierarchy,
+- route migration plan,
+- job workflow,
+- Career Profile workflow,
+- CV workflow,
+- dashboard architecture,
+- contextual AI pattern,
+- responsive interaction model.
+
+Avoid large implementation until this architecture is coherent.
+
+## Phase 4 — Design system foundation
+
+Implement shared tokens/components:
+
+- colour tokens,
+- typography,
+- spacing,
+- radii,
+- shadows,
+- motion,
+- light/dark themes,
+- form controls,
+- buttons,
+- tables,
+- dialogs/drawers,
+- empty/loading/error states,
+- page layout primitives.
+
+The agent may replace the current UI/component layer if doing so materially improves maintainability and consistency.
+
+## Phase 5 — Representative screens
+
+Implement only the most representative areas first:
+
+1. App shell/sidebar
+2. Dashboard
+3. Jobs workspace
+4. Job detail
+5. CV builder
+
+Use these to validate the design language before migrating the entire application.
+
+## Phase 6 — Review checkpoint
+
+Before broad rollout, inspect:
+
+- consistency,
+- usability,
+- density,
+- dark mode,
+- mobile,
+- Norwegian localisation,
+- AI patterns,
+- component reuse,
+- performance.
+
+Fix system-level issues now rather than replicating them across every page.
+
+## Phase 7 — Full migration
+
+Migrate remaining areas, including:
+
+- authentication,
+- onboarding,
+- Career Profile,
+- CV library,
+- Documents,
+- application/cover-letter workflows,
+- Analytics,
+- Notifications,
+- Settings,
+- Admin,
+- error pages,
+- empty states,
+- remaining dialogs and forms.
+
+## Phase 8 — Dashboard customisation
+
+Implement per-user dashboard configuration:
+
+- visibility,
+- ordering,
+- resizing where supported,
+- reset defaults,
+- persistence.
+
+Admin dashboard remains separate.
+
+## Phase 9 — QA
+
+Run:
+
+- automated regression tests,
+- visual inspection,
+- responsive inspection,
+- keyboard/accessibility checks,
+- English/Norwegian checks,
+- light/dark checks,
+- empty/large-data edge cases,
+- document/CV pagination checks.
+
+## Phase 10 — Cleanup
+
+Remove only genuinely obsolete legacy UI code after:
+
+- confirming no route still uses it,
+- confirming tests pass,
+- confirming functionality inventory is satisfied.
+
+## Branching recommendation
+
+Suggested:
+
+- stable branch/tag: `pre-ui-redesign`
+- working branch: `feature/ui-redesign`
+
+Use smaller commits grouped by system/component or migrated workflow.