brainstorming

name	brainstorming
description	Use when the human partner asks to build, add, change, or modify anything (features, components, functionality, behavior). Explores intent, requirements, and design before implementation. Hard-gated; nothing implements until the human partner approves the written product spec.

Announce on entry

I'm using the brainstorming skill to produce a product spec before any implementation. No code, no scaffolding, no implementation skill runs until you approve the written spec.

Hard gate

Do NOT invoke any implementation skill, write any code, scaffold any project, or take
any implementation action until you have presented a product spec and the human partner
has approved it. This applies to EVERY project regardless of perceived simplicity.

Violating the letter of the rules is violating the spirit of the rules.

Why the gate exists

"Simple" projects are where unexamined assumptions cause the most wasted work. The cost of a 10-minute spec is one tenth of the cost of throwing away a half-built feature that solved the wrong problem. Skipping the gate to "save time" is the dominant failure mode for agents under pressure.

When to use

digraph when_to_use {
    "Human partner: 'let's build X' / 'add Y' / 'make Z'" [shape=doublecircle];
    "Spec already exists and approved?" [shape=diamond];
    "Tiny tweak with no behavior change?" [shape=diamond];
    "Use brainstorming" [shape=box];
    "Skip to writing-plans" [shape=box];
    "Make the change directly" [shape=box];

    "Human partner: 'let's build X' / 'add Y' / 'make Z'" -> "Spec already exists and approved?";
    "Spec already exists and approved?" -> "Skip to writing-plans" [label="yes"];
    "Spec already exists and approved?" -> "Tiny tweak with no behavior change?" [label="no"];
    "Tiny tweak with no behavior change?" -> "Make the change directly" [label="yes - typo, formatting, comment"];
    "Tiny tweak with no behavior change?" -> "Use brainstorming" [label="no"];
}

The "tiny tweak" exit applies only to changes a code reviewer would not flag. Anything that adds, removes, or alters behavior goes through brainstorming.