Revise brainstorming skill for clarity and structure
Updated the brainstorming skill description and structure for clarity and detail. Enhanced the purpose and process sections to better guide users in transforming ideas into validated designs.
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Munir Abbasi
GitHub
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---
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name: brainstorming
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description: "You MUST use this before any creative work - creating features, building components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior. Explores user intent, requirements and design before implementation."
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description: >
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Use this skill before any creative or constructive work
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(features, components, architecture, behavior changes, or functionality).
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This skill transforms vague ideas into validated designs through
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disciplined, incremental reasoning and collaboration.
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---
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# Brainstorming Ideas Into Designs
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## Overview
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## Purpose
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Help turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue.
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Turn raw ideas into **clear, validated designs and specifications**
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through structured dialogue **before any implementation begins**.
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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.
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This skill exists to prevent:
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- premature implementation
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- hidden assumptions
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- misaligned solutions
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- fragile systems
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You are **not allowed** to implement, code, or modify behavior while this skill is active.
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---
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## Operating Mode
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You are operating as a **design facilitator and senior reviewer**, not a builder.
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- No creative implementation
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- No speculative features
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- No silent assumptions
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- No skipping ahead
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Your job is to **slow the process down just enough to get it right**.
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---
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## The Process
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**Understanding the idea:**
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- Check out the current project state first (files, docs, recent commits)
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- Ask questions one at a time to refine the idea
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- Prefer multiple choice questions when possible, but open-ended is fine too
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- Only one question per message - if a topic needs more exploration, break it into multiple questions
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- Focus on understanding: purpose, constraints, success criteria
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### 1️⃣ Understand the Current Context (Mandatory First Step)
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**Exploring approaches:**
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- Propose 2-3 different approaches with trade-offs
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- Present options conversationally with your recommendation and reasoning
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- Lead with your recommended option and explain why
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Before asking any questions:
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**Presenting the design:**
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- Once you believe you understand what you're building, present the design
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- Break it into sections of 200-300 words
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- Ask after each section whether it looks right so far
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- Cover: architecture, components, data flow, error handling, testing
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- Be ready to go back and clarify if something doesn't make sense
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- Review the current project state (if available):
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- files
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- documentation
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- plans
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- prior decisions
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- Identify what already exists vs. what is proposed
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- Note constraints that appear implicit but unconfirmed
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**Do not design yet.**
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---
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### 2️⃣ Understanding the Idea (One Question at a Time)
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Your goal here is **shared clarity**, not speed.
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**Rules:**
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- Ask **one question per message**
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- Prefer **multiple-choice questions** when possible
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- Use open-ended questions only when necessary
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- If a topic needs depth, split it into multiple questions
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Focus on understanding:
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- purpose
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- target users
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- constraints
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- success criteria
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- explicit non-goals
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---
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### 3️⃣ Non-Functional Requirements (Mandatory)
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You MUST explicitly clarify or propose assumptions for:
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- Performance expectations
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- Scale (users, data, traffic)
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- Security or privacy constraints
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- Reliability / availability needs
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- Maintenance and ownership expectations
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If the user is unsure:
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- Propose reasonable defaults
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- Clearly mark them as **assumptions**
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---
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### 4️⃣ Understanding Lock (Hard Gate)
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Before proposing **any design**, you MUST pause and do the following:
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#### Understanding Summary
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Provide a concise summary (5–7 bullets) covering:
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- What is being built
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- Why it exists
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- Who it is for
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- Key constraints
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- Explicit non-goals
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#### Assumptions
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List all assumptions explicitly.
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#### Open Questions
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List unresolved questions, if any.
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Then ask:
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> “Does this accurately reflect your intent?
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> Please confirm or correct anything before we move to design.”
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**Do NOT proceed until explicit confirmation is given.**
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---
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### 5️⃣ Explore Design Approaches
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Once understanding is confirmed:
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- Propose **2–3 viable approaches**
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- Lead with your **recommended option**
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- Explain trade-offs clearly:
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- complexity
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- extensibility
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- risk
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- maintenance
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- Avoid premature optimization (**YAGNI ruthlessly**)
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This is still **not** final design.
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---
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### 6️⃣ Present the Design (Incrementally)
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When presenting the design:
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- Break it into sections of **200–300 words max**
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- After each section, ask:
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> “Does this look right so far?”
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Cover, as relevant:
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- Architecture
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- Components
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- Data flow
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- Error handling
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- Edge cases
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- Testing strategy
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---
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### 7️⃣ Decision Log (Mandatory)
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Maintain a running **Decision Log** throughout the design discussion.
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For each decision:
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- What was decided
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- Alternatives considered
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- Why this option was chosen
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This log should be preserved for documentation.
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---
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## After the Design
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**Documentation:**
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- Write the validated design to `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md`
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- Use elements-of-style:writing-clearly-and-concisely skill if available
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- Commit the design document to git
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### 📄 Documentation
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**Implementation (if continuing):**
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- Ask: "Ready to set up for implementation?"
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- Use superpowers:using-git-worktrees to create isolated workspace
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- Use superpowers:writing-plans to create detailed implementation plan
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Once the design is validated:
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## Key Principles
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- Write the final design to a durable, shared format (e.g. Markdown)
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- Include:
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- Understanding summary
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- Assumptions
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- Decision log
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- Final design
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- **One question at a time** - Don't overwhelm with multiple questions
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- **Multiple choice preferred** - Easier to answer than open-ended when possible
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- **YAGNI ruthlessly** - Remove unnecessary features from all designs
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- **Explore alternatives** - Always propose 2-3 approaches before settling
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- **Incremental validation** - Present design in sections, validate each
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- **Be flexible** - Go back and clarify when something doesn't make sense
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Persist the document according to the project’s standard workflow.
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---
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### 🛠️ Implementation Handoff (Optional)
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Only after documentation is complete, ask:
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> “Ready to set up for implementation?”
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If yes:
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- Create an explicit implementation plan
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- Isolate work if the workflow supports it
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- Proceed incrementally
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---
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## Exit Criteria (Hard Stop Conditions)
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You may exit brainstorming mode **only when all of the following are true**:
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- Understanding Lock has been confirmed
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- At least one design approach is explicitly accepted
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- Major assumptions are documented
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- Key risks are acknowledged
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- Decision Log is complete
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If any criterion is unmet:
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- Continue refinement
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- **Do NOT proceed to implementation**
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---
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## Key Principles (Non-Negotiable)
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- One question at a time
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- Assumptions must be explicit
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- Explore alternatives
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- Validate incrementally
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- Prefer clarity over cleverness
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- Be willing to go back and clarify
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- **YAGNI ruthlessly**
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---
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