idea-generator

name	idea-generator
description	Brainstorm and rank iOS/macOS app ideas tailored to developer skills. Use when user says "what should I build", "give me app ideas", "I don't know what to build", "brainstorm app ideas", or "help me find an app idea".
allowed-tools	["Read","Write","WebSearch","WebFetch","AskUserQuestion"]

Idea Generator Skill

Generates a ranked shortlist of 3-5 app ideas tailored to the developer's skills, interests, and constraints. Output is formatted to feed directly into product-agent discover for validation.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when the user:

• Doesn't have an app idea yet
• Says "what should I build?" or "I don't know what to build"
• Wants to brainstorm app ideas
• Is stuck after a previous idea was rejected or abandoned
• Wants to explore what's possible with a specific technology (e.g., "what can I build with Foundation Models?")
• Wants inspiration based on their skills or domain expertise
• Asks for a brainstorm session

Already has a specific idea? Skip this skill. Use product-agent discover instead.

What This Skill Does

1. Developer Profile Elicitation

Gathers context about the developer to personalize ideas:

• Technical skills — Languages, frameworks, platforms (Swift, SwiftUI, UIKit, CloudKit, etc.)
• Domain interests — Health, finance, productivity, education, creativity, etc.
• Platform preference — iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, or multi-platform
• Time availability — Side project (5-10 hrs/week), full-time, weekend hack
• Constraints — Budget, backend experience, design skills, existing audience

2. Five Brainstorming Lenses

Each lens generates 5-8 raw ideas. Lenses are applied in order:

1. Skills & Interests — What can you uniquely build given what you know?
2. Problem-First — What took 30 seconds today that should take 5? What's annoying?
3. Technology-First — Which Apple frameworks have few indie apps? (Foundation Models, ActivityKit, WidgetKit, VisionKit, WeatherKit, MapKit)
4. Market Gap — Where are App Store categories underserved, stale, or overpriced?
5. Trend-Based — What macro trends create new app opportunities? (AI-native, privacy-first, health/wellness, single-use utilities, Apple Silicon productivity)

3. Feasibility Filtering

Each raw idea is evaluated against five filters:

Filter	Question
Solo Dev Scope	Can one developer ship an MVP in 4-8 weeks?
Platform API Fit	Does this leverage Apple platform APIs well?
Monetization Viability	Is there a clear path to revenue?
Competition Density	How crowded is this space?
Technical Complexity	Does the developer have the skills to build this?

4. Scoring and Ranking

Each surviving idea is scored across five dimensions:

Dimension	WEAK (1-2)	MODERATE (3-5)	STRONG (6-8)	EXCELLENT (9-10)
Solo Dev Scope	6+ months	3-6 months	4-8 weeks	2-4 weeks
Platform API Fit	Generic/cross-platform	Some native APIs	Good platform integration	Deep Apple API usage
Monetization	Unclear model	Ad-supported or low ARPU	Subscription viable	Premium pricing justified
Competition	Dominated by incumbents	Crowded but fragmented	Few quality options	Blue ocean
Technical Fit	Major skill gaps	Some learning needed	Good skill match	Perfect skill match

Overall Score = weighted average on 1-10 scale (Solo Dev Scope and Technical Fit weighted 1.5x).

5. Shortlist Output

Final output is a ranked list of 3-5 ideas, each with:

• One-liner description
• Which lens generated it
• Problem statement and target user
• Feasibility scores
• Monetization model
• MVP scope estimate
• next_step formatted as an exact product-agent discover command

Output Structure

{
  "developer_profile": {
    "skills": ["Swift", "SwiftUI", "HealthKit", "Core Motion"],
    "interests": ["fitness", "wearables", "data visualization"],
    "platform": "iOS + watchOS",
    "time_availability": "side project (10 hrs/week)",
    "constraints": ["no backend experience", "solo developer"]
  },
  "brainstorm_lenses_used": [
    "skills_and_interests",
    "problem_first",
    "technology_first",
    "market_gap",
    "trend_based"
  ],
  "shortlist": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "idea": "Workout Recovery Timer",
      "lens": "skills_and_interests",
      "one_liner": "Apple Watch app that tracks heart rate recovery between sets and suggests optimal rest periods",
      "platform": "watchOS + iOS companion",
      "problem_statement": "Gym-goers either rest too long (wasting time) or too short (risking injury). No app uses real-time HR data to personalize rest periods.",
      "target_user": "Regular gym-goers who wear Apple Watch during workouts",
      "feasibility": {
        "solo_dev_scope": "STRONG (6 weeks — HealthKit + WatchKit + simple UI)",
        "platform_api_fit": "EXCELLENT (HealthKit, WorkoutKit, Live Activities)",
        "monetization_viability": "STRONG (subscription $3.99/mo — fitness users pay for tools)",
        "competition_density": "STRONG (few apps focus specifically on HR-based rest timing)",
        "technical_fit": "EXCELLENT (matches HealthKit + Core Motion skills)"
      },
      "overall_score": 8.4,
      "monetization_model": "Freemium — free with 3 workouts/week, $3.99/mo unlimited + insights",
      "competition_notes": "Strong Timer+ and Intervals Pro exist but focus on pre-set timers, not adaptive HR-based rest",
      "mvp_scope": "Watch app with HR monitoring during rest, vibration alert when ready, basic iOS companion for history",
      "next_step": "product-agent discover --idea \"Apple Watch app that tracks heart rate recovery between sets and suggests optimal rest periods based on real-time HR data\" --platform \"watchOS + iOS\" --output-format json"
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "idea": "Walking Meetings Tracker",
      "lens": "problem_first",
      "one_liner": "Track steps, route, and calories during meetings — share walking meeting summaries with attendees",
      "platform": "iOS + watchOS",
      "problem_statement": "Walking meetings are popular for health but there's no way to track the health benefit or share it. Calendar apps don't connect to HealthKit.",
      "target_user": "Knowledge workers and managers who take walking meetings",
      "feasibility": {
        "solo_dev_scope": "STRONG (5 weeks — HealthKit + MapKit + Calendar integration)",
        "platform_api_fit": "EXCELLENT (HealthKit, MapKit, EventKit, WidgetKit)",
        "monetization_viability": "MODERATE (niche audience, $2.99 one-time or $1.99/mo)",
        "competition_density": "EXCELLENT (no dedicated walking meeting app exists)",
        "technical_fit": "STRONG (HealthKit skills transfer, MapKit is new but manageable)"
      },
      "overall_score": 7.6,
      "monetization_model": "One-time purchase $4.99 with optional $1.99/mo for team features",
      "competition_notes": "Pedometer apps exist but none integrate with calendar or frame walking as meetings",
      "mvp_scope": "Start/stop walking meeting, auto-detect from calendar, log steps + route, share summary",
      "next_step": "product-agent discover --idea \"iOS app that tracks steps, route, and calories during walking meetings and shares summaries with attendees\" --platform \"iOS + watchOS\" --output-format json"
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "idea": "Gym Equipment Wait Time",
      "lens": "market_gap",
      "one_liner": "Crowdsourced gym equipment availability — see which machines are free before you go",
      "platform": "iOS",
      "problem_statement": "Gyms are crowded at peak hours. No way to know if the squat rack is free without going. Leads to wasted time and frustration.",
      "target_user": "Gym members at commercial gyms (Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, Equinox)",
      "feasibility": {
        "solo_dev_scope": "MODERATE (8 weeks — needs crowdsource mechanics and gym database)",
        "platform_api_fit": "MODERATE (MapKit for gym location, but core logic is custom)",
        "monetization_viability": "STRONG (subscription or gym partnership revenue)",
        "competition_density": "STRONG (no quality solution exists — GymBook is workout logging, not availability)",
        "technical_fit": "MODERATE (needs backend for crowdsource data — outside current skills)"
      },
      "overall_score": 6.8,
      "monetization_model": "Freemium — free for 1 gym, $2.99/mo for multiple gyms + predictions",
      "competition_notes": "Some gyms have their own capacity apps but no cross-gym equipment-level tracking exists",
      "mvp_scope": "Single gym support, manual check-in/check-out for equipment, peak time predictions",
      "next_step": "product-agent discover --idea \"Crowdsourced gym equipment availability app that shows which machines are free at your gym\" --platform iOS --output-format json"
    }
  ],
  "ideas_filtered_out": [
    {
      "idea": "AI Personal Trainer",
      "lens": "technology_first",
      "reason": "Extremely competitive (Fitbod, Future, Hevy). Would need 6+ months to differentiate. Failed solo_dev_scope filter."
    },
    {
      "idea": "Sleep Architecture Analyzer",
      "lens": "trend_based",
      "reason": "Apple's own sleep tracking in watchOS 10+ covers most of this. Failed competition_density filter — competing with platform owner."
    }
  ],
  "recommendation": "Start with Rank 1 (Workout Recovery Timer). It scores highest, leverages your exact skills (HealthKit + Core Motion), has a clear monetization path, and can ship in 6 weeks. Run product-agent discover to validate the problem before committing."
}

How to Generate Ideas

Step 1: Gather Developer Profile

If the user hasn't provided context, ask using AskUserQuestion:

Questions to ask:

• What programming languages and frameworks do you know? (Swift, SwiftUI, UIKit, etc.)
• What topics or domains interest you? (health, finance, productivity, etc.)
• Which Apple platforms do you want to target?
• How much time can you dedicate? (side project, full-time, weekend hack)
• Any constraints? (no backend, solo dev, no design skills, etc.)

If the user provides partial info, infer reasonable defaults and state assumptions.

Step 2: Apply Skills & Interests Lens

Generate 5-8 ideas from the intersection of what the developer knows and cares about.

Process:

1. List the developer's top 3-5 skills
2. List their top 3-5 interests
3. For each skill-interest pair, ask: "What app could a developer with [skill] build for people interested in [interest]?"
4. Prefer ideas that use 2+ of their skills simultaneously

Example: Swift + HealthKit + fitness interest → workout recovery timer, exercise form checker, fitness challenge app

Step 3: Apply Problem-First Lens

Find real problems worth solving.

Process:

1. Ask the developer: "What took 30 seconds today that should take 5?"
2. Think about common daily friction points in their domain
3. Search for complaint threads: "[domain] app sucks" OR "[domain] app wish" site:reddit.com
4. Look for manual processes people do with spreadsheets or notes

Example: "I always forget which supplements I took" → supplement tracking app

Step 4: Apply Technology-First Lens

Identify Apple frameworks with few quality indie apps.

High-opportunity frameworks (2026):

• Foundation Models — On-device LLM, few indie apps yet
• ActivityKit / Live Activities — Sports, cooking, transit, workout tracking
• WidgetKit — Glanceable info apps (many categories underserved)
• VisionKit — Document scanning, text recognition, visual lookup
• WeatherKit — Hyper-local weather for niche use cases
• SensorKit / Core Motion — Movement, posture, activity detection
• DeviceActivity / Screen Time API — Digital wellness, parental controls

Process:

1. Pick 2-3 frameworks matching the developer's platform preference
2. Search App Store for apps using that framework
3. Identify gaps — what should exist but doesn't?

Step 5: Apply Market Gap Lens

Use WebSearch to find underserved App Store categories.

Searches to run:

"underserved App Store categories 2026"
"indie app opportunities iOS 2026"
"App Store category [domain] top apps" (check staleness)
"[category] app reviews complaints" site:reddit.com

Signals of opportunity:

• Top apps haven't been updated in 12+ months
• Reviews complain about the same issues across multiple apps
• Premium pricing ($9.99+) with mediocre ratings (< 4.0)
• Category has few apps but clear demand

Step 6: Apply Trend Lens

Identify macro trends creating new app opportunities.

Current trends (2026):

• AI-native apps — Apps that couldn't exist without on-device AI
• Privacy-first — Apps that explicitly don't collect data (selling point)
• Health & wellness — Mental health, sleep, nutrition, fitness
• Single-use utilities — Do one thing exceptionally well
• Apple Silicon productivity — Pro tools for Mac (M-series GPU, Neural Engine)
• Aging population — Accessibility, health monitoring, simplified tech
• Creator economy — Tools for content creators, freelancers

Process:

1. Pick 2-3 trends relevant to the developer's interests
2. For each trend, generate 2-3 ideas that serve the trend
3. Prefer trend + skill intersections

Step 7: Filter, Score, and Rank

Filter phase:

1. Collect all raw ideas from Steps 2-6 (typically 25-40 ideas)
2. Apply the five feasibility filters (see Section 3)
3. Remove any idea that scores WEAK on Solo Dev Scope or Technical Fit
4. Remove any idea that scores WEAK on 3+ dimensions

Score phase:

1. Score each surviving idea on all five dimensions
2. Calculate overall score (Solo Dev Scope and Technical Fit weighted 1.5x)
3. Rank by overall score descending

Output phase:

1. Take the top 3-5 ideas
2. Write full entries with all fields from Output Structure
3. Format next_step as exact product-agent discover command
4. List 1-3 filtered-out ideas with reasons
5. Write a recommendation highlighting Rank 1 and why

End-to-End Example

Developer profile:

Maya, backend engineer (Python, some Swift), interested in nutrition and cooking. Wants to build her first iOS app as a side project (8 hrs/week). No design skills. Comfortable with APIs but no HealthKit experience.

Lens application:

1. Skills & Interests → Recipe nutrition calculator (Swift + API skills + nutrition interest), meal prep planner, ingredient substitution finder
2. Problem-First → "I never know if my meals hit my protein target" → macro tracker that works from photos, "grocery lists from recipes are always wrong" → smart grocery list
3. Technology-First → Foundation Models → describe leftovers and get recipe suggestions, VisionKit → scan nutrition labels and auto-log
4. Market Gap → Searched "nutrition app complaints reddit" → users hate manual food logging, want simpler interfaces, tired of ads in free tier
5. Trend → AI-native + health/wellness → on-device food recognition, privacy-first nutrition tracking (no cloud data)

After filtering and scoring:

Rank	Idea	Score	Key Strength
1	AI Leftover Recipe Finder	8.1	Foundation Models + cooking interest, blue ocean
2	Photo Macro Tracker	7.4	Problem-first (everyone hates manual logging)
3	Smart Grocery List	6.9	Simple scope, clear monetization

Recommendation: "Start with AI Leftover Recipe Finder. It uses Foundation Models (few competitors), aligns with your cooking interest, and can ship a basic version in 5 weeks. Run product-agent discover to validate demand."

Integration with Other Skills

Phase 0: idea-generator (THIS SKILL)
    ↓ pick 1 idea from shortlist
Phase 1: product-agent discover → validate the problem
    ↓
Phase 2: market-research / competitive-analysis → size the opportunity
    ↓
Phase 3: prd-generator → define features
    ↓
Phase 4: architecture-spec → technical design
    ↓
Phase 5+: ux-spec, implementation-guide, test-spec, release-spec

The next_step field in each shortlist entry is pre-formatted as the exact product-agent discover command. After the user picks their favorite idea, they can run it directly to kick off Phase 1 validation.

Feeding into product-agent:

• The one_liner becomes the --idea argument
• The platform becomes the --platform argument
• --output-format json is always included for structured output

When NOT to Use This Skill

• Already has a specific idea — Go directly to product-agent discover
• Already validated an idea — Go to market-research or competitive-analysis
• Wants code generation — Use the generators/ skills
• Building to learn only — Skip feasibility filtering; just pick what's fun
• Hard deadline — Skip brainstorming; go straight to product-agent discover with whatever idea you have

Deliverables

At the end of this skill, you should have:

• Developer profile captured (skills, interests, platform, time, constraints)
• All 5 brainstorming lenses applied
• Feasibility filtering applied (5 filters)
• Shortlist of 3-5 ideas with full scoring
• Ideas ranked by overall_score (highest first)
• Each idea has next_step formatted as product-agent discover command
• Filtered-out ideas listed with reasons
• Recommendation paragraph highlighting Rank 1

Output File Location

Save results to:

• idea-shortlist.json (project root)

Format: Use the JSON structure from the Output Structure section.

Next action: Feed Rank 1 into product-agent discover by running the next_step command.

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Generate fast, filter ruthlessly, validate before committing. The best app idea is the one that matches your skills, solves a real problem, and can ship in weeks — not months.