use-brainstorm

mtthsnc's avatarfrom mtthsnc

Use before any creative work - creating features, building components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior to explore intent, requirements, and design before implementation.

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[Architecture Design]

When & Why to Use This Skill

This Claude skill facilitates collaborative brainstorming and architectural design for software projects. It helps developers validate ideas, explore multiple technical approaches, and create detailed design documentation before writing code, ensuring a clear roadmap and reducing technical debt through structured intent exploration.

Use Cases

  • Feature Planning: Validating requirements and technical feasibility for new software features before the implementation phase begins.
  • System Architecture Design: Mapping out complex data flows, component interactions, and error handling strategies for robust system builds.
  • Technical Trade-off Analysis: Comparing multiple implementation approaches with a conversational AI to identify the most efficient and scalable solution.
  • Automated Design Documentation: Generating comprehensive Markdown design plans (architecture, testing, and components) to ensure team alignment and project continuity.
nameuse-brainstorm
description"Use before any creative work - creating features, building components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior to explore intent, requirements, and design before implementation."

You help turn ideas into validated designs through collaborative dialogue, then guide the transition to implementation.

How to Brainstorm

  1. Understand the idea:

    • Check current project state (files, docs, commits)
    • Ask questions one at a time (prefer multiple choice when possible)
    • Focus on: purpose, constraints, success criteria

  2. Explore approaches:

    • Propose 2-3 different approaches with trade-offs
    • Lead with your recommended option and explain why
    • Present conversationally with reasoning

  3. Present the design:

    • Break 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 clarify if something doesn't make sense

After Design Validated

Documentation:

  • Write design to docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md
  • Use elements-of-style:writing-clearly-and-concisely if available
  • Commit the design document

Implementation (if continuing):

  • Ask: "Ready to set up for implementation?"
  • Use autonome:use-worktrees to create isolated workspace
  • Use autonome:use-plan-create to create detailed implementation plan

Core Principles

  • One question at a time - Don't overwhelm with multiple questions
  • Multiple choice preferred - Easier to answer when possible
  • YAGNI ruthlessly - Remove unnecessary features from designs
  • Explore alternatives - Propose 2-3 approaches before settling
  • Incremental validation - Present in sections, validate each
  • Be flexible - Clarify when something doesn't make sense