| name | brainstorming |
| description | Structured ideation before committing to a design. Socratic questioning to surface hidden requirements and constraints. Produces 2-3 concrete approaches with explicit tradeoffs. Runs at the start of the PLAN workflow.
|
| allowed-tools | Read |
Brainstorming
Run before writing-plans. Goal: surface the right approach before committing to it.
Phase 1: Socratic Questioning (max 5 questions)
Ask questions that reveal hidden requirements or constraints:
- "What happens when [edge case]?"
- "What's the most important constraint — speed, reliability, or simplicity?"
- "What would make this solution a failure?"
- "Is there an existing pattern in the codebase we should follow?"
- "Who is the user and what do they actually need?"
If the user uses project-specific terms, check .ohc/PROJECT.md first. Also
read optional domain docs (CONTEXT.md / CONTEXT-MAP.md) when present.
If they attach outside authoritative docs in non-OHC layouts, run document-intake so naming aligns with glossary rules in skills/writing-plans/references/domain-docs.md. For greenfield framing, optionally use references/product-brief-template.md.
Sharpen overloaded terms before designing.
Clarity Scoring Rubric
Before brainstorming, internally score the user's initial request:
- Vague (0-25%) → Need 3+ clarifying questions.
- Unclear (25-50%) → Need 1-2 clarifying questions.
- Clear (50-75%) → Confirm understanding, proceed with 0-1 questions.
- Precise (75-100%) → Skip questions, go straight to Phase 2.
Stop asking questions when the request reaches Clear (50-75%) or higher. You must understand the problem well enough to design for it.
Phase 2: Idea Expansion
Generate 3 approaches. Go broad first — don't self-censor.
Include at least one "boring but reliable" and one "creative but risky" approach.
## Approach A: [Name] — [simple/fast/scalable/etc]
Description: [2 sentences]
Pros: [2-3 bullets]
Cons: [2-3 bullets]
Best when: [conditions]
Estimate: Xh
## Approach B: [Name]
...
## Recommendation: [A/B/C]
[2-3 sentences explaining why this fits the current situation]
Phase 3: Confirmation
Present to user. Get explicit confirmation before moving to writing-plans.
"Does this match what you were thinking? Any constraints I'm missing?"
See references/brainstorm-formats.md for alternative formats.
See references/domain-docs.md for glossary and ADR-aware brainstorming.
