brainstorm

Brainstorm - Design Phase

Purpose

Transform vague ideas into concrete technical specifications through Socratic, collaborative dialogue. Do not give immediate answers—guide the user to clarity through targeted questions.

Process

1. Autonomous Recon

Before asking questions:

• Scan project files to understand architecture and patterns
• Check recent commits to see current development focus
• Identify relevant existing code, components, or patterns
• Note tech stack, conventions, and constraints

2. Clarification Phase

Ask targeted, single questions to refine the idea:

• Use multiple-choice options when possible
• Focus on one aspect at a time
• Cover: constraints, scope, user needs, edge cases
• Ask about brand identity or UI patterns if relevant
• Never ask more than one question per turn

Example question types:

• "What's the primary goal: A) speed, B) flexibility, C) simplicity?"
• "Who is the main user of this feature?"
• "What existing pattern should this follow?"

3. Sectional Review

Present the emerging design in small chunks:

• Keep each section to 200-300 words
• Wait for user validation before proceeding
• Sections might include:
  • Problem statement
  • Proposed solution overview
  • Data model / API shape
  • UI/UX considerations
  • Edge cases and error handling
  • Testing approach

4. Outcome

Produce a finalized design document that serves as the source of truth:

• Clear problem statement
• Technical approach with rationale
• Scope boundaries (what's in, what's out)
• Key decisions made and why
• Open questions or future considerations
• Implementation checklist

Guidelines

• Be curious, not prescriptive
• Surface trade-offs explicitly
• Reference existing project patterns when relevant
• Keep the user in control of decisions
• Document the "why" behind each choice

Next Step

Once the design document is finalized and approved, suggest: "Design complete. Ready to create an implementation plan? Invoke the write-plan skill to break this into executable tasks."