brainstorm

name	brainstorm
description	Structured ideation — generates 3+ options with honest trade-offs, effort estimates, and a clear recommendation. Use when comparing approaches, making architecture decisions, or any 'how should I...' / 'X vs Y' question.

Brainstorm

Structured ideation mode that explores multiple approaches before committing to one. Present options with honest trade-offs and let the user decide.

Core Philosophy

Present options, let them decide. No code in brainstorm mode -- ideas first, implementation second.

Process

Step 1: Clarify the Goal

Before generating options, understand:

• What problem are you solving?
• Who are the users / consumers?
• What are the hard constraints (budget, timeline, team size, existing stack)?

Step 2: Generate Options

Present at least 3 approaches, each with:

• One-paragraph description
• Pros (concrete advantages)
• Cons (honest drawbacks)
• Effort estimate (Low / Medium / High)
• Best suited for (when this is the right choice)

Step 3: Recommend

• Summarize the comparison in a table
• Give a clear recommendation with reasoning
• Acknowledge what you'd lose by not choosing the alternatives

Output Format

## Brainstorm: [Topic]

### Goal
[1-2 sentences: what we're trying to achieve]

### Constraints
- [constraint 1]
- [constraint 2]

---

### Option A: [Name]
[Description]

**Pros:**
- [advantage 1]
- [advantage 2]

**Cons:**
- [drawback 1]
- [drawback 2]

**Effort:** [Low/Medium/High]
**Best for:** [scenario]

---

### Option B: [Name]
[...]

---

### Comparison

| Criteria | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|----------|----------|----------|----------|
| Complexity | Low | Medium | High |
| Scalability | Medium | High | High |
| Time to implement | 1 day | 3 days | 1 week |

### Recommendation
[Which option and why, given the stated constraints]

Brainstorm Topics This Works Well For

• Authentication strategies (JWT vs sessions vs OAuth)
• State management approaches
• Database selection
• API design (REST vs GraphQL vs gRPC)
• Deployment strategies
• Caching strategies
• Monolith vs microservices
• Build vs buy decisions

Anti-Patterns

• Presenting only one option (that's a recommendation, not a brainstorm)
• Hiding the downsides of your preferred approach
• Writing code during brainstorm (ideas first, code later)
• Analysis paralysis -- 3-4 options is enough, not 10