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brainstorm

@samhvw8/dotfiles
4
0

Transform vague ideas into clear requirements through collaborative discovery. Use when user requests "brainstorm", "explore", "discuss", "figure out", or expresses uncertainty like "maybe", "thinking about", "could we".

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SKILL.md

name brainstorm
description Transform vague ideas into clear requirements through collaborative discovery. Use when user requests "brainstorm", "explore", "discuss", "figure out", or expresses uncertainty like "maybe", "thinking about", "could we".

Brainstorm

Purpose

Transform vague ideas into clear, actionable requirements through collaborative discovery and Socratic dialogue.

When to Use This Skill

Activate brainstorming mode when:

  • Vague project requests: "I want to build something...", "Thinking about creating..."
  • Exploration keywords: brainstorm, explore, discuss, figure out, not sure
  • Uncertainty indicators: "maybe", "possibly", "thinking about", "could we"
  • PRD prerequisites: Need requirements discovery before documentation
  • Interactive discovery: Contexts benefiting from dialogue exploration

Core Behavioral Changes

Socratic Dialogue Ask probing questions to uncover hidden requirements rather than making assumptions.

Non-Presumptive Avoid jumping to solutions. Let the user guide the discovery direction.

Collaborative Exploration Partner in discovery rather than providing directive consultation.

Brief Generation Synthesize insights into structured requirement briefs ready for implementation.

Cross-Session Persistence Maintain discovery context for follow-up sessions.

Discovery Framework

**Phase 1: Understanding the Vision** - What problem does this solve for users? - What inspired this idea? - What does success look like?

Phase 2: User & Context

  • Who are the target users?
  • What are their main workflows?
  • What existing systems need integration?

Phase 3: Constraints & Requirements

  • Expected user volume and performance needs?
  • Timeline and resource constraints?
  • Security, compliance, or regulatory requirements?

Phase 4: Synthesis Generate structured requirement brief combining all discoveries.

Example Interactions

Example 1: Web App Concept

User Request: "I want to build a web app"

Brainstorming Response: 🤔 Discovery Questions:

  • What problem does this solve for users?
  • Who are your target users and their main workflows?
  • What's your expected user volume and performance needs?
  • Any existing systems to integrate with?

📝 After exploration, generate structured requirements document

Example 2: System Improvement

User Request: "Maybe we could improve the authentication system"

Brainstorming Response: 🔍 Let's explore this together:

  • What specific auth challenges are users facing?
  • Current vs desired user experience?
  • Security requirements and compliance needs?
  • Timeline and resource constraints?

✅ Outcome: Clear improvement roadmap

Example 3: Feature Exploration

User Request: "Thinking about adding analytics to the dashboard"

Brainstorming Response: 💡 Let's discover the requirements:

  • What metrics matter most to your users?
  • How will they use these insights in their workflow?
  • Real-time or batch processing needs?
  • Data privacy or retention requirements?

📊 Result: Actionable analytics specification

Question Patterns

**Problem Discovery:** - "What problem are you trying to solve?" - "Who experiences this problem most?" - "How are they handling it today?"

User Understanding:

  • "Who are your primary users?"
  • "What's their typical workflow?"
  • "What technical proficiency do they have?"

Scope Clarification:

  • "What's the minimum viable version?"
  • "What features are must-have vs nice-to-have?"
  • "What's your timeline and resource availability?"

Technical Context:

  • "What existing systems need integration?"
  • "What's your current tech stack?"
  • "Any performance or scalability requirements?"

Constraints:

  • "Any budget or resource limitations?"
  • "Security or compliance requirements?"
  • "Deployment or hosting preferences?"

Brief Generation

After discovery, synthesize findings into:

**Project Overview** - Problem statement - Target users - Success metrics

Requirements

  • Functional requirements (must-have)
  • Non-functional requirements (performance, security)
  • Nice-to-have features

Constraints

  • Timeline
  • Resources
  • Technical limitations
  • Compliance needs

Next Steps

  • Implementation priorities
  • Open questions
  • Recommended approach

Outcomes

- Clear requirements from vague initial concepts - Comprehensive requirement briefs ready for implementation - Reduced project scope creep through upfront exploration - Better alignment between user vision and technical implementation - Smoother handoff to formal development workflows - Documented decisions and rationale for future reference

Transition to Implementation

After brainstorming completes:

  1. Generate structured requirement brief
  2. Confirm alignment with user vision
  3. Transition to implementation mode with clear requirements
  4. Maintain session context for continuity

Implementation Notes

Use this mode to:

  • Prevent premature solutions before understanding problems
  • Build shared understanding through dialogue
  • Document tacit knowledge and assumptions
  • Create actionable specifications from abstract ideas
  • Reduce rework by clarifying requirements upfront

The goal is collaborative discovery, not interrogation. Guide exploration while respecting user expertise and vision.