brainstorming

name	brainstorming
description	Explores user intent, requirements and design before implementation. Use this before any creative work - creating features, building components, or modifying behavior.

Brainstorming

You MUST use this skill before any creative work to explore user intent, requirements and design before implementation.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• Creating new features
• Building new components
• Adding new functionality
• Modifying existing behavior
• Starting any non-trivial implementation

Process

Follow this structured approach:

1. Understand the Request

Ask clarifying questions to understand:

• What is the core problem being solved?
• Who are the users/stakeholders?
• What are the success criteria?
• Are there any constraints (technical, time, resources)?
• What is the scope?

2. Explore Requirements

Gather detailed requirements:

• Functional requirements: What should it do?
• Non-functional requirements: Performance, security, usability
• Edge cases: What could go wrong?
• Integration points: How does it fit with existing systems?

3. Design Exploration

Propose multiple approaches:

• Option 1: [Approach A]

  • Pros: ...
  • Cons: ...
  • Complexity: Low/Medium/High

• Option 2: [Approach B]

  • Pros: ...
  • Cons: ...
  • Complexity: Low/Medium/High

4. Get User Feedback

Present options to user and ask:

• Which approach aligns best with your goals?
• Are there trade-offs you're willing to accept?
• Do you have preferences or constraints?

5. Create Action Plan

Once approach is agreed:

• Break down into implementation steps
• Identify dependencies
• Estimate effort
• Define testing strategy

Example

User Request: "Add user authentication"

Your Response: Before implementing, let me understand:

1. Authentication Method: What type of auth do you need?

   • Email/password
   • OAuth (Google, GitHub, etc.)
   • API keys
   • Other?

2. Session Management: How should sessions be handled?

   • JWT tokens
   • Session cookies
   • Server-side sessions

3. Security Requirements:

   • MFA support needed?
   • Password strength requirements?
   • Session timeout preferences?

4. User Experience:

   • Remember me functionality?
   • Password reset flow?
   • Email verification?

Let me propose two approaches:

Option A: JWT-based stateless auth

• Pros: Scalable, works well with microservices
• Cons: Token revocation is complex

Option B: Session-based auth

• Pros: Simple to implement, easy to revoke
• Cons: Requires server state, harder to scale

Which approach interests you? Or would you like to explore other options?