/brainstorming

name: brainstorming
description: Design-first methodology. Explore user intent, requirements and design before implementation. Turn ideas into fully formed specs through collaborative dialogue.

<domain_overview>

💡 BRAINSTORMING: DESIGN BEFORE CODE

> **Philosophy:** Understanding comes before implementation. A well-designed solution is half-implemented. Never code without a clear design.

**HALLUCINATION FIREWALL MANDATE (CRITICAL):** Never propose software components or libraries without verification. AI-generated designs frequently fail by hallucinating non-existent packages or misinterpreting their capabilities. Every recommended 3rd-party library MUST be validated using `npm info` or equivalent before the plan is finalized. Furthermore, you MUST provide at least one 'Counter-Architecture' (Steel-man argument) that challenges your primary recommendation to prevent homogenized or biased designs. Help turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue. **Process:** 1. Understand the current project context 2. Ask questions one at a time to refine the idea 3. Present the design in small sections (200-300 words) 4. Check after each section whether it looks right ---

📋 WHEN TO USE

**MUST use before:**

• Creating new features
• Building new components
• Adding significant functionality
• Modifying core behavior
• Any task that takes more than 30 minutes

**Skip only for:**

• Simple bug fixes with obvious solutions
• Documentation updates
• Trivial configuration changes

</domain_overview> <process_workflow>

🔄 THE PROCESS

Phase 1: Understanding the Idea

**First, check current project state:**

• Review relevant files and docs
• Check recent commits
• Understand existing patterns

**Then ask questions one at a time:**

• **MANDATORY:** Use the `AskUserQuestion` tool for ALL questions.
• Prefer multiple choice options within the tool whenever possible.
• Open-ended questions should also use `AskUserQuestion` (users can use the 'Other' option).
• **Only one question per tool call.**
• If topic needs more exploration, break into multiple sequential tool calls.

**Focus on understanding:**

• Purpose: What problem does this solve?
• Constraints: What limitations exist?
• Success criteria: How do we know it works?
• Edge cases: What could go wrong?

Phase 2: Exploring Approaches

**Always propose 2-3 different approaches with trade-offs:**

I see three possible approaches:
**Option A: [Name]**
- Pros: Simple, fast to implement
- Cons: May not scale, harder to test
- Best for: Quick prototypes
**Option B: [Name]**
- Pros: Scalable, well-tested pattern
- Cons: More complex, longer implementation
- Best for: Production systems
**Option C: [Name]**
- Pros: Flexible, future-proof
- Cons: Over-engineered for current needs
- Best for: When requirements are uncertain
**My recommendation:** Option B because [reasoning]
Which approach resonates with your goals?

**Lead with your recommended option and explain why.**

Phase 3: Presenting the Design

**Once you understand what you're building, present the design:** 1. **Break it into sections of 200-300 words** 2. **Ask after each section:** "Does this look right so far?" 3. **Be ready to go back and clarify** if something doesn't make sense **Cover these areas:**

• Architecture: How components fit together
• Components: What pieces we need to build
• Data flow: How information moves through the system
• Error handling: What happens when things fail
• Testing: How we verify it works

Phase 4: Documentation

**After design is validated:** 1. Write the design to `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md` 2. Commit the design document to git 3. Ask: "Ready to set up for implementation?" </process_workflow> <methodology_protocols>

🎤 QUESTION TECHNIQUES

Multiple Choice (MANDATORY TOOL USE)

Always use the `AskUserQuestion` tool for structured feedback:

{
  "questions": [
    {
      "header": "Auth Method",
      "question": "How should users authenticate?",
      "options": [
        {"label": "JWT Tokens", "description": "Stateless, scalable"},
        {"label": "Server Sessions", "description": "Simple, secure"},
        {"label": "OAuth Only", "description": "Delegate to providers"}
      ],
      "multiSelect": false
    }
  ]
}

Open-Ended (Using Tool)

Even for open-ended questions, use the tool. The CLI will provide an "Other" option for custom text input. "What's the most important user story for this feature?"

Clarifying

"You mentioned 'fast' - what response time would feel fast enough?" ---

🚫 ANTI-PATTERNS TO AVOID

| Anti-Pattern | Better Approach | |--------------|-----------------| | Multiple questions at once | One question per message | | Jumping to implementation | Complete design first | | Assuming requirements | Ask to confirm | | Presenting 1000-word designs | 200-300 word sections | | Ignoring trade-offs | Always present alternatives | | Skipping edge cases | Explore failure modes | </methodology_protocols> <design_artifacts>

📝 DESIGN DOCUMENT TEMPLATE

# [Feature Name] Design
**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Author:** Grandmaster (with user collaboration)
**Status:** Draft | Approved | Implemented
## Problem Statement
What problem are we solving? Why does it matter?
## Goals
- Primary goal
- Secondary goals
- Non-goals (explicitly out of scope)
## Approach
### Architecture
How components fit together.
### Components
1. **Component A**
   - Purpose
   - Interface
   - Dependencies
2. **Component B**
   - Purpose
   - Interface
   - Dependencies
### Data Flow
1. User action triggers X
2. X calls Y with Z
3. Y returns result
4. Result displayed to user
### Error Handling
| Error | Handling | User Message |
|-------|----------|--------------|
| Network failure | Retry 3x | "Connection lost, retrying..." |
| Invalid input | Reject | "Please check your input" |
## Testing Strategy
- Unit tests for each component
- Integration test for happy path
- Edge cas