| name | brainstorm |
| description | Generate ideas and explore possibilities with AI. Use for creative problem solving, generating alternatives, and expanding on concepts. |
Brainstorming Assistant
Generate and explore ideas systematically.
Prerequisites
pip install google-generativeai
export GEMINI_API_KEY=your_api_key
Brainstorming Operations
Generate Ideas
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Generate 10 creative ideas for: [topic]
Requirements:
- Mix of conventional and unconventional
- Varying levels of complexity
- Consider different user perspectives
- Include at least 2 'wild card' ideas
For each idea:
- Brief description
- Key benefit
- Main challenge"
Quick Brainstorm
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Quick brainstorm (5 ideas in 1 sentence each):
Topic: [your topic]
Just list ideas, no explanation needed."
Expand an Idea
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Expand on this idea:
IDEA: [brief idea]
CONTEXT: [relevant background]
Explore:
1. How it would work in practice
2. Required components/resources
3. Potential variations
4. Who would benefit most
5. First steps to validate"
Structured Techniques
SCAMPER Method
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Apply SCAMPER to: [product/feature/process]
- Substitute: What can be replaced?
- Combine: What can be merged?
- Adapt: What can be modified?
- Modify/Magnify: What can be enlarged or emphasized?
- Put to other uses: What else could this be used for?
- Eliminate: What can be removed?
- Reverse/Rearrange: What can be reorganized?"
Six Thinking Hats
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Analyze this decision using Six Thinking Hats:
DECISION: [what you're considering]
- White Hat (Facts): What do we know?
- Red Hat (Feelings): Gut reactions?
- Black Hat (Caution): What could go wrong?
- Yellow Hat (Optimism): What are the benefits?
- Green Hat (Creativity): What alternatives exist?
- Blue Hat (Process): What's the best approach?"
Reverse Brainstorming
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Reverse brainstorm: How could we make [goal] FAIL?
Goal: [your goal]
1. List ways to guarantee failure
2. Then flip each into a success strategy
3. Identify hidden risks from the failure scenarios"
Constraint Removal
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Brainstorm without constraints:
PROBLEM: [your problem]
CURRENT CONSTRAINTS: [list constraints]
1. What would you do with unlimited budget?
2. What if time wasn't a factor?
3. What if you had any technology?
4. What if there were no legacy systems?
Then: Which ideas can be scaled down to reality?"
Domain-Specific Brainstorms
Feature Ideas
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Generate feature ideas for:
PRODUCT: [description]
USERS: [who uses it]
CURRENT PAIN POINTS: [list issues]
Suggest features that:
- Solve real problems
- Differentiate from competitors
- Are technically feasible
- Can be built incrementally"
Architecture Options
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Brainstorm architecture approaches for:
REQUIREMENTS:
- [requirement 1]
- [requirement 2]
CONSTRAINTS:
- [constraint 1]
- [constraint 2]
Generate 5 different architectural approaches with trade-offs."
Naming Ideas
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Generate name ideas for:
WHAT: [what is being named]
QUALITIES: [characteristics to convey]
AVOID: [things to avoid]
Provide 15 options across categories:
- Descriptive names
- Abstract/creative names
- Compound words
- Acronyms
- References/allusions"
Problem Decomposition
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Break down this complex problem:
PROBLEM: [description]
1. Identify sub-problems
2. Find the core challenge
3. Map dependencies between parts
4. Suggest which to tackle first
5. Identify quick wins vs. hard parts"
Evaluation and Selection
Idea Evaluation
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Evaluate these ideas against criteria:
IDEAS:
1. [idea 1]
2. [idea 2]
3. [idea 3]
CRITERIA:
- Feasibility (1-5)
- Impact (1-5)
- Effort (1-5, lower is better)
- Risk (1-5, lower is better)
Create a comparison matrix and recommend top choice."
Combine Ideas
gemini -m pro -o text -e "" "Combine the best elements of these ideas:
IDEA A: [description]
IDEA B: [description]
IDEA C: [description]
Create hybrid approaches that take the strengths of each."
Best Practices
- Quantity first - Generate many ideas before judging
- Defer judgment - Don't critique during generation
- Build on ideas - Use 'yes, and...' thinking
- Embrace wild ideas - They often lead to practical ones
- Visualize - Sketch or diagram ideas
- Set constraints - Paradoxically, limits boost creativity
- Take breaks - Let ideas incubate
- Mix inputs - Combine different perspectives
