| name | brainstorm |
| description | Explore possibilities for a topic by combining research digests with project knowledge and governance context. |
Brainstorm
Usage
/brainstorm <topic>
Overview
Creative exploration tool. Reads research digests, project knowledge, and
governance docs to explore possibilities for a given topic. Output stays in
the conversation unless the user asks to save it.
Lifecycle position: Before review-issue — exploratory thinking before
an issue exists. Can also be used mid-task to explore alternatives.
Steps
1. Load context
Read available knowledge sources:
.agent/knowledge/research_digest.md — workspace research (if exists)
.agent/project_knowledge/research_digest.md — project research (symlink to manifest repo's .agents/workspace-context/; may not exist)
.agent/project_knowledge/ — aggregated project knowledge (symlink to .agents/workspace-context/; may not exist)
docs/PRINCIPLES.md — workspace principles (for feasibility checks)
AGENTS.md — workspace-wide agent rules and conventions
ARCHITECTURE.md — system design and layering constraints
docs/decisions/ — ADRs for historical context
- Project-level equivalents (e.g., project
PRINCIPLES.md, .agents/README.md,
ARCHITECTURE.md, docs/decisions/) when the topic is project-specific
Check digest freshness — if older than 30 days, note it and suggest
running /research --refresh but don't block on it.
2. Explore the topic
For the given topic, consider:
- What exists: What does the workspace/project already have that relates?
- What's possible: What approaches could work? Draw on research digest
entries for external patterns and best practices.
- What's missing: What gaps exist? What would need to be built or changed?
- Trade-offs: What are the pros and cons of different approaches?
- Principle alignment: Would any approach conflict with workspace or
project principles?
3. Present findings
Structure the output as:
## Brainstorm: <topic>
### Current State
<what exists today>
### Possibilities
1. **<approach>** — <description>
- Pros: ...
- Cons: ...
- Research: <reference to digest entry if applicable>
2. **<approach>** — ...
### Gaps
- <what's missing that any approach would need>
### Principle Considerations
- <any principle alignment issues>
### Suggested Next Steps
- <concrete actions to explore further or begin implementation>
Guidelines
- Explore, don't decide — present options with trade-offs. The user
decides which direction to go.
- Reference research — when drawing on digest entries, cite them. This
validates the digests' usefulness and helps the user trace your reasoning.
- Stay grounded — possibilities should be feasible within the workspace's
architecture and constraints. Wild ideas are welcome but should be flagged
as speculative.
- Don't create issues — brainstorming output may lead to issues, but
the user should make that call.
- Keep it conversational — this is the most informal of the lifecycle
skills. Be thorough but not rigid.