/ultra-think

name: ultra-think
description: "Use when facing architectural decisions, complex trade-offs, strategic technology choices, or scaling and migration questions that deserve more than a quick answer. Lays out options with trade-offs, then a recommendation."
domain: foundational
supports: [claude-code, cursor, codex, generic]
version: 0.1.0

Ultra Think — Deep Analysis Mode

Deep, multi-dimensional analysis and problem solving. Activates systematic reasoning across technical, business, user, and system perspectives. Generates multiple solutions with trade-offs, then synthesizes into a clear recommendation.

**Use when**: facing architectural decisions, complex trade-offs, strategic technology choices, system design problems, scaling challenges, migration decisions, or any question that deserves more than a quick answer. Attach this skill when you want rigorous, first-principles thinking.

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When This Skill Is Activated

Do NOT jump to a solution. Follow every step below in order. Think deeply at each stage before moving on.

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Step 1: Parse the Problem

Before analyzing, make sure you understand what's actually being asked.

• Extract the core challenge from the user's message
• Identify all stakeholders and constraints (stated and implied)
• Surface hidden complexities and implicit requirements
• Question assumptions — what is the user taking for granted?
• Name the unknowns explicitly

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Step 2: Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Analyze the problem from four perspectives. Do not skip any.

Technical Perspective

• Feasibility and constraints
• Scalability, performance, maintainability
• Security implications
• Technical debt and future-proofing
• Integration complexity

Business Perspective

• Business value and ROI
• Time-to-market pressure
• Competitive advantage
• Risk vs. reward trade-offs
• Cost (development, operational, opportunity)

User Perspective

• User needs and pain points
• Usability and accessibility
• Edge cases and failure states from the user's point of view
• User journeys affected

System Perspective

• System-wide impacts and ripple effects
• Integration points and coupling
• Dependencies (upstream and downstream)
• Emergent behaviors and unintended interactions

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Step 3: Generate Multiple Solutions

Brainstorm **at least 3 distinct approaches** — not variations of the same idea.

For each approach, evaluate:

• Pros and cons
• Implementation complexity (T-shirt size: S/M/L/XL)
• Resource requirements (people, time, money)
• Key risks
• Long-term implications (what does this look like in 2 years?)

Include at least one unconventional or creative solution. Consider hybrid approaches that combine strengths of different options.

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Step 4: Deep Dive on Top Candidates

For the 1–2 most promising solutions:

• Sketch a detailed implementation plan (phases, milestones)
• Identify pitfalls and mitigation strategies
• Consider a phased approach or MVP path
• Analyze **second-order effects** — what changes because of this change?
• Think through failure modes — what happens when this breaks?
• Estimate reversibility — how hard is it to undo if wrong?

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Step 5: Cross-Domain Thinking

Look beyond the immediate domain for insight:

• Are there parallels from other industries? (e.g., how did logistics solve this? Healthcare? Finance?)
• Do design patterns from other contexts apply? (e.g., circuit breakers from electrical engineering → software resilience)
• Are there natural system analogies? (e.g., biological redundancy, evolutionary pressure)
• Can existing solutions be combined in a novel way?

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Step 6: Challenge and Stress-Test

Play devil's advocate against every solution, including the one you favor.

• What's the strongest argument against each option?
• What blind spots might you have?
• Run "what if" scenarios (what if traffic is 10x? what if the team halves? what if requirements change?)
• Stress-test assumptions — which ones, if wrong, would invalidate the whole approach?
• Look for unintended consequences

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Step 7: Synthesize and Recommend

Combine all insights into a structured deliverable. Use this exact format:

## Problem Analysis
- **Core challenge**: [one sentence]
- **Key constraints**: [list]
- **Critical success factors**: [what must be true for any solution to work]
- **Assumptions**: [what we're taking as given]

## Solution Options

### Option 1: [Name]
- **Description**: [2-3 sentences]
- **Pros**: [list]
- **Cons**: [list]
- **Complexity**: [S/M/L/XL]
- **Risk level**: [Low/Medium/High]
- **Best when**: [conditions that make this the right choice]

### Option 2: [Name]
[Same structure]

### Option 3: [Name]
[Same structure]

## Recommendation
- **Recommended approach**: [which option and why]
- **Rationale**: [the decisive factors]
- **Implementation roadmap**: [phases with rough timelines]
- **Success metrics**: [how we'll know it's working]
- **Risk mitigation**: [top 3 risks and their mitigations]
- **Reversibility**: [how hard to undo if wrong]

## Contrarian View
- **The case against this recommendation**: [strongest counterargument]
- **What would change our mind**: [signals that we chose wrong]
- **Areas of uncertainty**: [what we don't know yet]

## Confidence Assessment
- **Overall confidence**: [High/Medium/Low] — [why]
- **What would increase confidence**: [additional research, prototyping, data needed]

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Step 8: Meta-Reflection

End with a brief reflection:

• Where is the analysis weakest?
• What biases might be influencing the recommendation?
• What additional expertise or data would improve the analysis?
• What's the one thing most likely to be wrong?

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Thinking Principles

Apply these mental models throughout the analysis:

| Principle | Application | |-----------|-------------| | **First Principles** | Break down to fundamental truths, don't reason by analogy alone | | **Systems Thinking** | Consider interconnections, feedback loops, emergent behavior