This paper submits a practical and applicable whole approach to compacted soil design, proved in actual projects. This approach is called the RAMCODES method for compacted soil design (CSD) which is supported by three main pillars: the design curve, the design pyramid and the QA/QC quadrants. The last of the pillars will be explained in a future work due to space limitations at this time. For RAMCODES, designing a compacted soil is the determination of the minimum degree of compaction at which the soil exhibits a requested response under specific conditions of hydration, surcharge and loading rate. This is carried out using a design curve which is a plot that relates a soil compaction degree to its response under constant hydration, surcharge and loading rate conditions. RAMCODES CSD uses a performance- based criterion to achieve a compacted soil design using several analyses techniques. This method allows the designer to design a soil by the simple method or by the composed method which produces a weighted average-strength value regarding several hydration conditions along the design-year. In this paper, the risks and economic implications of designing with code-driven criteria in lieu of performance-based criteria are explained using a conceptual construction called the RAMCODES pyramid of design. Present paper introduces the development of the method and applications of RAMCODES CSD to real projects.