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---
name: brainstorming
description: Structured design facilitation that transforms vague ideas into validated designs through disciplined reasoning. Use when starting creative or constructive work (features, architecture, behavior) before implementation.
tags: [design, facilitation, ideation, requirements]
---

# Brainstorming Ideas Into Designs

## Purpose

Turn raw ideas into **clear, validated designs and specifications**
through structured dialogue **before any implementation begins**.

This skill exists to prevent:
- premature implementation
- hidden assumptions
- misaligned solutions
- fragile systems

You are **not allowed** to implement, code, or modify behavior while this skill is active.

---

## Operating Mode

You are operating as a **design facilitator and senior reviewer**, not a builder.

- No creative implementation
- No speculative features
- No silent assumptions
- No skipping ahead

Your job is to **slow the process down just enough to get it right**.

---

## The Process

### 1. Understand the Current Context (Mandatory First Step)

Before asking any questions:

- Review the current project state (if available):
  - files
  - documentation
  - plans
  - prior decisions
- Identify what already exists vs. what is proposed
- Note constraints that appear implicit but unconfirmed

**Do not design yet.**

---

### 2. Understanding the Idea (One Question at a Time)

Your goal here is **shared clarity**, not speed.

**Rules:**

- Ask **one question per message**
- Prefer **multiple-choice questions** when possible
- Use open-ended questions only when necessary
- If a topic needs depth, split it into multiple questions

Focus on understanding:

- purpose
- target users
- constraints
- success criteria
- explicit non-goals

---

### 3. Non-Functional Requirements (Mandatory)

You MUST explicitly clarify or propose assumptions for:

- Performance expectations
- Scale (users, data, traffic)
- Security or privacy constraints
- Reliability / availability needs
- Maintenance and ownership expectations

If the user is unsure:

- Propose reasonable defaults
- Clearly mark them as **assumptions**

---

### 4. Understanding Lock (Hard Gate)

Before proposing **any design**, you MUST pause and do the following:

#### Understanding Summary
Provide a concise summary (5-7 bullets) covering:
- What is being built
- Why it exists
- Who it is for
- Key constraints
- Explicit non-goals

#### Assumptions
List all assumptions explicitly.

#### Open Questions
List unresolved questions, if any.

Then ask:

> "Does this accurately reflect your intent?
> Please confirm or correct anything before we move to design."

**Do NOT proceed until explicit confirmation is given.**

---

### 5. Explore Design Approaches

Once understanding is confirmed:

- Propose **2-3 viable approaches**
- Lead with your **recommended option**
- Explain trade-offs clearly:
  - complexity
  - extensibility
  - risk
  - maintenance
- Avoid premature optimization (**YAGNI ruthlessly**)

This is still **not** final design.

---

### 6. Present the Design (Incrementally)

When presenting the design:

- Break it into sections of **200-300 words max**
- After each section, ask:

  > "Does this look right so far?"

Cover, as relevant:

- Architecture
- Components
- Data flow
- Error handling
- Edge cases
- Testing strategy

---

### 7. Decision Log (Mandatory)

Maintain a running **Decision Log** throughout the design discussion.

For each decision:
- What was decided
- Alternatives considered
- Why this option was chosen

This log should be preserved for documentation.

---

## After the Design

### Documentation

Once the design is validated:

- Write the final design to a durable, shared format (e.g. Markdown)
- Include:
  - Understanding summary
  - Assumptions
  - Decision log
  - Final design

Persist the document according to the project's standard workflow.

---

### Implementation Handoff (Optional)

Only after documentation is complete, ask:

> "Ready to set up for implementation?"

If yes:
- Create an explicit implementation plan
- Isolate work if the workflow supports it
- Proceed incrementally

---

## Exit Criteria (Hard Stop Conditions)

You may exit brainstorming mode **only when all of the following are true**:

- Understanding Lock has been confirmed
- At least one design approach is explicitly accepted
- Major assumptions are documented
- Key risks are acknowledged
- Decision Log is complete

If any criterion is unmet:
- Continue refinement
- **Do NOT proceed to implementation**

---

## Key Principles (Non-Negotiable)

- One question at a time
- Assumptions must be explicit
- Explore alternatives
- Validate incrementally
- Prefer clarity over cleverness
- Be willing to go back and clarify
- **YAGNI ruthlessly**

---

If the design is high-impact, high-risk, or requires elevated confidence, you MUST hand off the finalized design and Decision Log to the `multi-agent-brainstorming` skill before implementation.

## Anti-Patterns

- Jumping to solutions before understanding the problem
- Asking multiple questions at once (overwhelms, reduces quality)
- Skipping the Understanding Lock gate
- Designing without explicit non-goals
- Proposing only one approach (no alternatives considered)
- Proceeding to implementation without documented decisions

## References

- [Design Thinking (IDEO)](https://designthinking.ideo.com/)
- [YAGNI Principle](https://martinfowler.com/bliki/Yagni.html)

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