brainstorm

Brainstorm

Turn ideas into designs through collaborative dialogue before implementation.

Process

Phase 1: Understand the Idea

Check project context first, then ask questions one at a time:

1. Gather context - check files, docs, recent commits relevant to the idea
2. Ask questions one at a time - prefer multiple choice when possible
3. Focus on: purpose, constraints, success criteria, integration points

Do not overwhelm with multiple questions. One question per message. If a topic needs more exploration, break it into multiple questions.

Phase 2: Explore Approaches

Once the problem is understood:

1. Propose 2-3 different approaches with trade-offs
2. Lead with recommended option and explain reasoning
3. Present conversationally - not a formal document yet

Example format:

I see three approaches:

**Option A: [name]** (recommended)
- how it works: ...
- pros: ...
- cons: ...

**Option B: [name]**
- how it works: ...
- pros: ...
- cons: ...

Which direction appeals to you?

Phase 3: Present Design

After approach is selected:

1. Break design into sections of 200-300 words each
2. Ask after each section whether it looks right
3. Cover: architecture, components, data flow, error handling, testing
4. Be ready to backtrack if something doesn't make sense

Do not present entire design at once. Incremental validation catches misunderstandings early.

Phase 4: Next Steps

After design is validated, use AskUserQuestion tool:

{
  "questions": [{
    "question": "Design looks complete. What's next?",
    "header": "Next step",
    "options": [
      {"label": "Write plan", "description": "Create docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>.md with implementation steps via /planning:make"},
      {"label": "Plan mode", "description": "Enter plan mode for structured implementation planning"},
      {"label": "Start now", "description": "Begin implementing directly"}
    ],
    "multiSelect": false
  }]
}

• Write plan: invoke /planning:make command to create the plan file. Pass brainstorm context (discovered files, selected approach, design decisions) as arguments so the plan command has full context without re-asking questions
• Plan mode: uses EnterPlanMode tool for detailed planning with user approval workflow
• Start now: proceeds directly if design is simple enough

Key Principles

• One question at a time - do not overwhelm with multiple questions
• Multiple choice preferred - easier to answer than open-ended when possible
• YAGNI ruthlessly - remove unnecessary features from all designs, keep scope minimal
• Explore alternatives - always propose 2-3 approaches before settling
• Incremental validation - present design in sections, validate each
• Be flexible - go back and clarify when something doesn't make sense
• Lead with recommendation - have an opinion, explain why, but let user decide
• Duplication vs abstraction - when code repeats, ask user: prefer duplication (simpler, no coupling) or abstraction (DRY but adds complexity)? explain trade-offs before deciding

Task Tracking

When implementing after brainstorm:

• Track implementation tasks using available task management tools (task lists, plan file checkboxes, or similar)
• Mark each task as completed immediately when done (do not batch)
• Keep user informed of progress through status updates