Brainstorming

{
  "sections": {
    "Key Principles": "- **One question at a time** - Don't overwhelm with multiple questions\r\n- **Multiple choice preferred** - Easier to answer than open-ended when possible\r\n- **YAGNI ruthlessly** - Remove unnecessary features from all designs\r\n- **Explore alternatives** - Always propose 2-3 approaches before settling\r\n- **Incremental validation** - Present design in sections, validate each\r\n- **Be flexible** - Go back and clarify when something doesn't make sense",
    "After the Design": "**Documentation:**\r\n- Write the validated design to `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md`\r\n- Use elements-of-style:writing-clearly-and-concisely skill if available\r\n- Commit the design document to git\r\n\r\n**Implementation (if continuing):**\r\n- Ask: \"Ready to set up for implementation?\"\r\n- Use superpowers:using-git-worktrees to create isolated workspace\r\n- Use superpowers:writing-plans to create detailed implementation plan",
    "Overview": "Help turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue.\r\n\r\nStart by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a time to refine the idea. Once you understand what you're building, present the design in small sections (200-300 words), checking after each section whether it looks right so far.",
    "The Process": "**Understanding the idea:**\r\n- Check out the current project state first (files, docs, recent commits)\r\n- Ask questions one at a time to refine the idea\r\n- Prefer multiple choice questions when possible, but open-ended is fine too\r\n- Only one question per message - if a topic needs more exploration, break it into multiple questions\r\n- Focus on understanding: purpose, constraints, success criteria\r\n\r\n**Exploring approaches:**\r\n- Propose 2-3 different approaches with trade-offs\r\n- Present options conversationally with your recommendation and reasoning\r\n- Lead with your recommended option and explain why\r\n\r\n**Presenting the design:**\r\n- Once you believe you understand what you're building, present the design\r\n- Break it into sections of 200-300 words\r\n- Ask after each section whether it looks right so far\r\n- Cover: architecture, components, data flow, error handling, testing\r\n- Be ready to go back and clarify if something doesn't make sense"
  },
  "id": "brainstorming_obra",
  "name": "brainstorming",
  "description": "Use when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative exploration, and incremental validation. Don't use during clear 'mechanical' processes"
}

---
name: brainstorming
description: Use when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative exploration, and incremental validation. Don't use during clear 'mechanical' processes
---

# Brainstorming Ideas Into Designs

## Overview

Help turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue.

Start by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a time to refine the idea. Once you understand what you're building, present the design in small sections (200-300 words), checking after each section whether it looks right so far.

## The Process

**Understanding the idea:**
- Check out the current project state first (files, docs, recent commits)
- Ask questions one at a time to refine the idea
- Prefer multiple choice questions when possible, but open-ended is fine too
- Only one question per message - if a topic needs more exploration, break it into multiple questions
- Focus on understanding: purpose, constraints, success criteria

**Exploring approaches:**
- Propose 2-3 different approaches with trade-offs
- Present options conversationally with your recommendation and reasoning
- Lead with your recommended option and explain why

**Presenting the design:**
- Once you believe you understand what you're building, present the design
- Break it into sections of 200-300 words
- Ask after each section whether it looks right so far
- Cover: architecture, components, data flow, error handling, testing
- Be ready to go back and clarify if something doesn't make sense

## After the Design

**Documentation:**
- Write the validated design to `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md`
- Use elements-of-style:writing-clearly-and-concisely skill if available
- Commit the design document to git

**Implementation (if continuing):**
- Ask: "Ready to set up for implementation?"
- Use superpowers:using-git-worktrees to create isolated workspace
- Use superpowers:writing-plans to create detailed implementation plan

## Key Principles

- **One question at a time** - Don't overwhelm with multiple questions
- **Multiple choice preferred** - Easier to answer than open-ended when possible
- **YAGNI ruthlessly** - Remove unnecessary features from all designs
- **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