55 lines
2.5 KiB
Markdown
55 lines
2.5 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
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 cipherpowers:using-git-worktrees to create isolated workspace
|
|
- Use cipherpowers: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
|