Brainstorm

Overview

Help users discover what they want to build through creative ideation and Socratic dialogue. This skill is for the "I want to make something cool but I don't know what" moments.

This is pure ideation. No codebase exploration. No implementation details. Just ideas.

Announce at start: "Let's brainstorm together. I'll help you discover what you want to build."

When to Use

• User has no clear direction ("I want to build something")
• User wants to explore possibilities before committing
• User is stuck and needs creative inspiration
• Invoked directly via /brainstorm
• Called by explore skill when it detects greenfield + no clear intent

The Process

Phase 1: Understand the Person

Goal: Know who you're helping.

Ask about (one question at a time):

• What gets them excited about building things?
• What problems do they encounter in daily life?
• What skills are they trying to develop?
• What's their experience level? (shapes complexity of suggestions)

Adapt your approach:

• Beginner → simpler project ideas, more guidance
• Experienced → more ambitious ideas, less hand-holding

Phase 2: Generate Directions

Goal: Surface 3-5 possible directions.

Based on what you learned:

1. Propose 3-5 distinct project directions
2. Each should be:
   • Concrete enough to imagine
   • Flexible enough to shape
   • Aligned with their interests/skills
3. Present as quick sketches, not detailed specs
4. Include your recommendation and why

Format:

Here are some directions we could explore:

**1. [Project Name]** (Recommended)
[2-3 sentences: what it is, why it fits them]

**2. [Project Name]**
[2-3 sentences: what it is, why it fits them]

**3. [Project Name]**
[2-3 sentences: what it is, why it fits them]

Which resonates? Or should we explore a different angle?

Phase 3: Refine the Chosen Direction

Goal: Shape the idea into something concrete.

Once they pick a direction:

1. Ask clarifying questions (one at a time)
2. Explore scope: MVP vs full vision
3. Identify the core value proposition
4. Surface potential challenges early
5. Get to a clear "what we're building" statement

End with a summary:

Here's what we've landed on:

**Project:** [Name]
**Core idea:** [1-2 sentences]
**Target user:** [Who benefits]
**Key features:** [3-5 bullet points]
**Scope:** [MVP definition]

Does this capture what you want to build?

Handoff

Once the idea is solid, offer next step:

"Great, we have a clear direction. Ready to explore the codebase and research how to build this? I'll use the explore skill to understand what we're working with and research current best practices."

Transition to: explore skill (if user confirms)

Key Principles

• One question at a time - Don't overwhelm
• Lead with recommendations - Have opinions, share them
• Stay in ideation - No implementation details yet
• Adapt to skill level - Beginner vs senior get different treatment
• Multiple choice when possible - Easier to answer than open-ended
• YAGNI mindset - Keep scope tight, features minimal

Red Flags

Never:

• Jump into codebase exploration (that's explore)
• Discuss implementation details (that's design/plan)
• Write any code
• Assume skill level without asking
• Propose only one option

Always:

• Offer multiple directions
• Include your recommendation
• Adapt to user's experience level
• End with clear summary of the idea
• Let user decide when to move forward