/brainstorm

name: brainstorm
license: MIT
compatibility: "Claude Code 2.1.251+. Requires memory MCP server."
description: "Design exploration using parallel agents through a 7-phase process: topic analysis, memory context, divergent ideation (10+ ideas), feasibility filtering, evaluation with devil's advocate scoring (0-10 across 7 dimensions), synthesis of top approaches, and trade-off comparison. Supports open exploration, constrained design, comparison, quick ideation, and iterative optimization modes. Use when brainstorming ideas, exploring solutions, or comparing alternatives."
argument-hint: "[topic-or-idea]"
tags: [planning, ideation, creativity, design]
context: fork
# user-typed commands stay interactive; CC >= 2.1.218 backgrounds forks by default (#3093)
background: false
version: 4.10.0
disable-model-invocation: false  # #3194: true also blocked USER-typed mid-turn invocations
author: OrchestKit
user-invocable: true
allowed-tools: [AskUserQuestion, Agent, Read, Grep, Glob, Bash, TaskCreate, TaskUpdate, TaskList, TaskStop, ToolSearch, ExitWorktree, PushNotification, mcp__memory__search_nodes]
skills: [architecture-decision-record, api-design, memory, remember, scope-appropriate-architecture, testing-unit, testing-integration, chain-patterns, design-to-code, component-search, design-context-extract, security-patterns, database-patterns, performance, devops-deployment, competitive-analysis, user-research, browser-tools]
complexity: medium
persuasion-type: collaborative
model: sonnet
hooks:
  PreToolUse:
    - matcher: "Agent"
      command: "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/bin/run-hook.mjs skill/prior-decisions-loader"
      once: true
    - matcher: "Agent"
      command: "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/bin/run-hook.mjs skill/brainstorm-instructions-loader"
      once: true
metadata:
  category: workflow-automation
  mcp-server: memory
triggers:
  keywords: [brainstorm, brianstorm, "explore ideas", "explore some ideas", ideate, "think through", "some approaches", "not sure how to architect", alternatives, "compare strategies", "help me compare"]
  examples:
    - "brainstorm how to build the notification system"
    - "what are some approaches for handling real-time updates"
    - "im not sure how to architect the billing module"
  anti-triggers: [implement, build, fix, commit, review, assess, rate]

Brainstorming Ideas Into Designs

Host-neutral workflow. Invoke by skill name (`brainstorm`). Claude Code slash routing, YAML hook loaders, and `.claude/chain` live in `references/claude-code.md`.

Transform rough ideas into fully-formed designs through intelligent agent selection and structured exploration.

**Core principle:** Analyze the topic, select relevant agents dynamically, explore alternatives in parallel, present design incrementally.

Argument Resolution

TOPIC = "$ARGUMENTS"  # Full argument string, e.g., "API design for payments"
# $ARGUMENTS[0] is the first token (CC 2.1.59 indexed access)

---

STEP -1: MCP Probe + Resume Check

Probe MCP servers once at skill start, store capabilities, and resume from any prior crashed session. Each phase emits a JSON handoff file consumed by the next.

Full procedure + handoff-file table: `Read("references/mcp-probe-resume.md")`

---

STEP 0: Project Context Discovery

**BEFORE creating tasks or selecting agents**, detect the project tier. This becomes the **complexity ceiling** for all downstream decisions.

Auto-Detection (scan codebase)

# PARALLEL — quick signals (launch all in ONE message)
Grep(pattern="take-home|assignment|interview|hackathon", glob="README*", output_mode="content")
Grep(pattern="take-home|assignment|interview|hackathon", glob="*.md", output_mode="content")
Glob(pattern=".github/workflows/*")
Glob(pattern="**/Dockerfile")
Glob(pattern="**/terraform/**")
Glob(pattern="**/k8s/**")
Glob(pattern="CONTRIBUTING.md")

Tier Classification

| Signal | Tier | |--------|------| | README says "take-home", "assignment", time limit | **1. Interview** | | < 10 files, no CI, no Docker | **2. Hackathon** | | `.github/workflows/`, 10-25 deps | **3. MVP** | | Module boundaries, Redis, background jobs | **4. Growth** | | K8s/Terraform, DDD structure, monorepo | **5. Enterprise** | | CONTRIBUTING.md, LICENSE, minimal deps | **6. Open Source** |

**If confidence is low**, ask the user:

AskUserQuestion(questions=[{
  "question": "What kind of project is this?",
  "header": "Project tier",
  "options": [
    {"label": "Interview / take-home", "description": "8-15 files, 200-600 LOC, simple architecture"},
    {"label": "Startup / MVP", "description": "MVC monolith, managed services, ship fast"},
    {"label": "Growth / enterprise", "description": "Modular monolith or DDD, full observability"},
    {"label": "Open source library", "description": "Minimal API surface, exhaustive tests"}
  ],
  "multiSelect": false
}])

**Pass the detected tier as context to ALL downstream agents and phases.** The tier constrains which patterns are appropriate — see `scope-appropriate-architecture` skill for the full matrix.

> **Override:** User can always override the detected tier. Warn them of trade-offs if they choose a higher tier than detected.

---

STEP 0a: Verify User Intent with AskUserQuestion

**Clarify brainstorming constraints:**

# NOTE: AskUserQuestion caps each question at 4 options (CC schema: minItems 2,
# maxItems 4). Use plain `label` + `description` only — the schema permits a
# `preview` field, but on current CC it forces a side-by-side picker layout with
# dead up/down keyboard nav (confirmed 2026-05-28), so skills no longer use it
# (`markdown` was never valid). The 6 legacy
# modes are split across 3 valid questions: Q1 = exploration flow, Q2 folds the
# old "Constrained design" mode into constraints, Q3 carries the orthogonal
# "Plan first" preamble (it composes with any Q1 mode — it was never mutually
# exclusive). "Quick ideation" + STEP 0c /effort=low overlap