ck-brainstorm

name

ck:brainstorm

description

Explore and debate solutions before writing code. Use when the user poses a design question, asks "how should I approach X", wants to think through options before committing, or says anything like "let's brainstorm", "what's the best way to...", "I'm not sure how to tackle this", or "should I use X or Y". Always runs before /ck:plan for novel or ambiguous features. No code is written — only: explore → clarify → spec → report.

ck:brainstorm — Surface Ideas, Then Decide

Hard gate: zero implementation code. Only explore → expand → spec → report. Implementation happens later via /ck:plan → /ck:cook.

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Step 0 — Listen First

Do NOT scout the codebase yet. Do NOT present options yet.

Ask one open question to understand the user's existing thinking:

"What directions are you already leaning toward — even loosely?"

Wait for their answer. Understand their mental model before adding yours.

// Listen before scouting.
// The user's intuition is the starting point, not a blank slate.

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Step 1 — Draw Out Ideas

Use AskUserQuestion to surface the user's thinking. Ask 1–2 questions per turn — never all at once.

Focus on generative questions:

• What approaches have you considered, even ones you've dismissed?
• What would the ideal outcome look like if there were no constraints?
• Is there a simpler version that would still solve the core problem?
• What's the one thing you're most uncertain about?

Add your own perspective after the user speaks — suggest angles they haven't mentioned, framed as possibilities, not recommendations.

Loop until the idea space feels explored and the user has expressed a preference or direction.

// User ideas first → Claude expands → iterate
// Aim for breadth (4–6 directions sketched lightly), not depth on one

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Step 2 — Scout (Only If Needed)

If a specific question from Step 1 requires codebase context, spawn 1–2 targeted Explore sub-agents inline.

// Scout is optional and reactive, not automatic.
// Only spawn if "I need to check X before we can evaluate Y."

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Step 3 — Narrow Together

Once the user signals interest in 1–2 directions, briefly compare them:

• What each does well for this project
• What it costs or risks
• Any hard incompatibilities with the existing codebase

Be direct. If one option is over-engineered or a poor fit, say so. The user drives the final call.

// Option A: [name] — [one-liner]
//   ✓ [specific upside]
//   ✗ [real cost]
//
// Option B: [name] — [one-liner]
//   ✓ ...
//   ✗ ...

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Step 4 — Clarification Gate

Before writing artifacts, scan the narrowed direction for ambiguity:

• Flag at most 3 items with [NEEDS CLARIFICATION: <what's missing>]
• Ask 1–2 targeted questions per turn — stop when resolved or user signals "close enough"
• Red flags: no measurable success criteria, vague scale ("fast", "many users"), missing priority signal (MVP vs. nice-to-have)

Don't block on minor uncertainty. Mark it and move on.

// Clarification is cheap here; ambiguity in planning is expensive.
// Max 3 flags, max 5 questions total across the session.

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Step 5 — Write Artifacts

Write two files:

A. Brainstorm report → plans/reports/YYMMDD-{slug}-brainstorm.md

# Brainstorm: {challenge}

**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD

## Ideas Explored
{All directions considered — even ones dismissed. 1–2 lines each.}

## User's Direction
{What the user leaned toward and why — in their words where possible}

## Open Questions
{Unresolved items that /ck:plan must address}

## Risks
{Top 2–3 risks worth watching}

B. Spec file → plans/{slug}/spec.md (from .claude/skills/ck-brainstorm/references/spec-template.md)

Fill in the template with what was established during Steps 0–4:

• Populate user stories with P1/P2/P3 from the narrowed direction
• Set measurable success criteria (numbers, not adjectives)
• Leave [NEEDS CLARIFICATION] for any unresolved flags

// spec.md is the living artifact — plan and cook will reference it.
// The brainstorm report is exploration narrative — context only.

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Step 6 — Handoff

Ask via AskUserQuestion:

"Spec written at plans/{slug}/spec.md. What next?"

• → /ck:plan plans/{slug}/spec.md — proceed to planning
• → /ck:journal — archive, no plan yet
• Keep exploring — return to Step 1 or Step 3