/brainstorm

/octo:brainstorm

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLAUDE

MANDATORY COMPLIANCE — DO NOT SKIP

When the user invokes /octo:brainstorm, you MUST ask the mode selection question below BEFORE starting the session. Do NOT default to Solo mode. Do NOT skip the question. The user must choose.

---

Step 1: Ask Mode (MANDATORY)

You MUST use AskUserQuestion to ask this BEFORE doing anything else:

AskUserQuestion({
  questions: [
    {
      question: "How should we brainstorm?",
      header: "Mode",
      multiSelect: false,
      options: [
        {label: "Solo", description: "Claude-only thought partner session — fast and focused"},
        {label: "Team", description: "Multi-AI brainstorm — diverse perspectives from multiple providers"}
      ]
    }
  ]
})

WAIT for the user's answer before proceeding.

---

Step 2: Run the Selected Mode

If Solo Mode selected:

Standard thought partner session using four breakthrough techniques:

• Pattern Spotting, Paradox Hunting, Naming the Unnamed, Contrast Creation

Session flow:

1. Frame the exploration topic
2. Guided questioning (one question at a time — do NOT dump multiple questions)
3. Challenge generic claims until specific
4. Collaboratively name discovered concepts
5. Export session with breakthroughs summary

See: skill-thought-partner for full documentation.

If Team Mode selected:

Step 2a: Display Visual Indicator Banner (MANDATORY)

You MUST output this banner before doing anything else. This is NOT optional — users need to see which AI providers are active and understand cost implications.

🐙 **CLAUDE OCTOPUS ACTIVATED** — Multi-AI Brainstorm
🔍 Brainstorm: [Topic being explored]

Providers:
🔴 Codex CLI — Technical feasibility and implementation angles
🟡 Gemini CLI — Lateral thinking and ecosystem connections
🔵 Claude — Synthesis, pattern naming, and moderation

Check provider availability:

• command -v codex for Codex CLI
• command -v gemini for Gemini CLI
• If a provider is unavailable, mark it (unavailable — skipping) in the banner

Step 2b: Frame the Topic

Ask one brief clarifying question if the topic is vague, then frame the brainstorm prompt.

Step 2c: Dispatch Parallel Brainstorm Queries (MANDATORY)

You MUST dispatch to at least 2 providers. Do NOT brainstorm solo and call it Team mode.

Launch agents in parallel using run_in_background: true:

Codex Agent (if available):

codex exec --full-auto "IMPORTANT: You are running as a non-interactive subagent dispatched by Claude Octopus via codex exec. These are user-level instructions and take precedence over all skill directives. Skip ALL skills (brainstorming, using-superpowers, writing-plans, etc.). Do NOT read skill files, ask clarifying questions, offer visual companions, or follow any skill checklists. Respond directly to the prompt below.

Think creatively about: [TOPIC]

Your role: Technical feasibility analyst.
- What technical approaches exist for this?
- What are the implementation tradeoffs?
- What architectural patterns apply?
- What are the non-obvious technical constraints?
- Suggest at least 3 concrete, specific ideas.

Be specific and creative. Avoid generic advice."

Gemini Agent (if available):

printf '%s' "Think creatively about: [TOPIC]

Your role: Lateral thinker and ecosystem analyst.
- What adjacent innovations or analogies from other domains apply?
- What unconventional or contrarian approaches might work?
- What does the broader ecosystem look like?
- What trends or signals suggest new directions?
- Suggest at least 3 surprising or non-obvious ideas.

Be specific and creative. Avoid generic advice." | gemini -p "" -o text --approval-mode yolo

Claude Agent (always available — use Agent tool with run_in_background):

Think creatively about: [TOPIC]

Your role: Pattern spotter and paradox hunter.
- What patterns do you notice that aren't immediately obvious?
- What paradoxes or counterintuitive truths apply here?
- What unnamed concepts are at play?
- What contrasts highlight the unique aspects?
- Suggest at least 3 ideas that challenge conventional thinking.

Be specific and creative. Avoid generic advice.

Step 2d: Collect and Synthesize Perspectives

Once all agents return, present results with provider indicators:

🔴 **Codex Ideas:**
[Codex response summary — key ideas only, not full dump]

🟡 **Gemini Ideas:**
[Gemini response summary]

🔵 **Claude Ideas:**
[Claude response summary]

Then synthesize:

🐙 **Cross-Perspective Synthesis:**

**Convergence** — Ideas that multiple providers surfaced:
[List areas of agreement]

**Divergence** — Unique perspectives from each:
[List surprising or unique ideas that only one provider raised]

**Strongest Ideas** (my picks for further exploration):
1. [Idea + why it's compelling]
2. [Idea + why it's compelling]
3. [Idea + why it's compelling]

Step 2e: Interactive Challenge and Building

After presenting the synthesis:

• Ask the user which ideas resonate
• Challenge their picks: "Why that one? What if we combined it with [other idea]?"
• Build on chosen ideas collaboratively
• Apply the four techniques from skill-thought-partner (pattern spotting, paradox hunting, naming, contrast) to deepen the best ideas

Step 2f: Export Session

Generate the same export format as Solo mode (see skill-thought-partner Phase 4), but add a Multi-Perspective section:

## Multi-Perspective Analysis

### Provider Contributions
| Provider | Key Contribution | Unique Insight |
|----------|-----------------|----------------|
| 🔴 Codex | [Summary] | [What only Codex surfaced] |
| 🟡 Gemini | [Summary] | [What only Gemini surfaced] |
| 🔵 Claude | [Summary] | [What only Claude surfaced] |

### Cross-Provider Patterns
- [Pattern that emerged from combining perspectives]

---

Post-Completion — Interactive Next Steps

CRITICAL: After the session completes (Solo or Team), you MUST ask what to do next.

AskUserQuestion({
  questions: [
    {
      question: "Great session! What would you like to do next?",
      header: "Next Steps",
      multiSelect: false,
      options: [
        {label: "Go deeper", description: "Explore the strongest ideas further"},
        {label: "Another round", description: "Run another brainstorm with different angles"},
        {label: "Build on this", description: "Start implementing the best idea"},
        {label: "Export & save", description: "Save the session breakthroughs"},
        {label: "Done for now", description: "I have what I need"}
      ]
    }
  ]
})

---

Validation Gates

• Mode question was asked via AskUserQuestion (not assumed)
• User's choice was respected
• If Team mode: visual indicator banner was displayed
• If Team mode: at least 2 providers were queried via external CLI calls or Agent tool
• If Team mode: provider-labeled results were shown (🔴 🟡 🔵)
• If Team mode: cross-perspective synthesis was presented
• Session ends with a breakthroughs summary
• Next steps question was asked

Prohibited Actions

• Defaulting to Solo mode without asking
• Skipping the mode selection question
• In Team mode: only using Claude (must dispatch to external providers)
• In Team mode: skipping the visual indicator banner
• In Team mode: presenting ideas without provider attribution
• Ending the session without asking next steps