brainstorm

name	brainstorm
description	Structured ideation and trade-off analysis for design and architecture decisions. Triggers: "brainstorm ideas", "explore this problem", "think through trade-offs", "challenge assumptions", "discuss architecture".
version	3
tier	protocol

Structured ideation and trade-off analysis for design and architecture decisions.

Brainstorming Protocol (The Socratic Engine)

Execute §CMD_EXECUTE_SKILL_PHASES.

Session Parameters

{
  "taskType": "BRAINSTORM",
  "phases": [
    {"label": "0", "name": "Setup",
      "steps": ["§CMD_REPORT_INTENT", "§CMD_PARSE_PARAMETERS", "§CMD_SELECT_MODE", "§CMD_INGEST_CONTEXT_BEFORE_WORK"],
      "commands": [],
      "proof": ["mode", "sessionDir", "parametersParsed"],
      "gate": false},
    {"label": "1", "name": "Dialogue Loop",
      "steps": ["§CMD_REPORT_INTENT", "§CMD_INTERROGATE"],
      "commands": ["§CMD_ASK_ROUND", "§CMD_LOG_INTERACTION", "§CMD_APPEND_LOG"],
      "proof": ["depthChosen", "roundsCompleted", "logEntries"]},
    {"label": "2", "name": "Synthesis",
      "steps": ["§CMD_REPORT_INTENT", "§CMD_RUN_SYNTHESIS_PIPELINE"], "commands": [], "proof": [], "gate": false},
    {"label": "2.1", "name": "Checklists",
      "steps": ["§CMD_VALIDATE_ARTIFACTS", "§CMD_RESOLVE_BARE_TAGS", "§CMD_PROCESS_CHECKLISTS"], "commands": [], "proof": [], "gate": false},
    {"label": "2.2", "name": "Debrief",
      "steps": ["§CMD_GENERATE_DEBRIEF"], "commands": [], "proof": ["debriefFile", "debriefTags"], "gate": false},
    {"label": "2.3", "name": "Pipeline",
      "steps": ["§CMD_MANAGE_DIRECTIVES", "§CMD_PROCESS_DELEGATIONS", "§CMD_DISPATCH_APPROVAL", "§CMD_CAPTURE_SIDE_DISCOVERIES", "§CMD_RESOLVE_CROSS_SESSION_TAGS", "§CMD_MANAGE_BACKLINKS", "§CMD_MANAGE_ALERTS", "§CMD_REPORT_LEFTOVER_WORK"], "commands": [], "proof": [], "gate": false},
    {"label": "2.4", "name": "Close",
      "steps": ["§CMD_REPORT_ARTIFACTS", "§CMD_REPORT_SUMMARY", "§CMD_SURFACE_OPPORTUNITIES", "§CMD_OFFER_COUNCIL_REVIEW", "§CMD_OFFER_GRAPH_VIZ", "§CMD_CLOSE_SESSION", "§CMD_PRESENT_NEXT_STEPS"], "commands": [], "proof": ["reviewOffered", "decision", "graphOffered"], "gate": false}
  ],
  "nextSkills": ["/implement", "/analyze", "/document", "/fix", "/chores"],
  "directives": [],
  "logTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM_LOG.md",
  "debriefTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM.md",
  "requestTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM_REQUEST.md",
  "responseTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM_RESPONSE.md",
  "modes": {
    "explore": {"label": "Explore", "description": "Wide ideation, divergent, creative", "file": "modes/explore.md"},
    "focused": {"label": "Focused", "description": "Decision-oriented, trade-off analysis", "file": "modes/focused.md"},
    "adversarial": {"label": "Adversarial", "description": "Stress-test assumptions, devil's advocate", "file": "modes/adversarial.md"},
    "custom": {"label": "Custom", "description": "User provides framing, agent blends modes", "file": "modes/custom.md"}
  }
}

---

0. Setup

§CMD_REPORT_INTENT:

0: Brainstorming ___ topic. Trigger: ___. Focus: ___. Not: ___.

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(0.*)

• Scope: Understand the [Topic] and [Goal].

Mode Selection (§CMD_SELECT_MODE):

On selection: Read the corresponding modes/{mode}.md file. It defines Role, Goal, Mindset, and Dialogue Topics.

On "Custom": Read ALL 3 named mode files first (modes/explore.md, modes/focused.md, modes/adversarial.md), then accept user's framing. Parse into role/goal/mindset.

Record: Store the selected mode. It configures:

• Phase 0 role (from mode file)
• Phase 1 dialogue topics (from mode file)

---

1. Dialogue Loop (Socratic Exploration)

Engage in Socratic inquiry to uncover constraints and opportunities.

§CMD_REPORT_INTENT:

1: Exploring ___ problem space through Socratic dialogue. Focus: ___. Not: ___.

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(1.*)

Socratic Response Style

Each round follows this pattern:

1. Validate: "I see why you want X..."
2. Challenge: "...but have you considered the latency cost?"
3. Propose: "What if we did Z instead?"
4. Explore: "How would that handle edge case Q?"

Dialogue Topics (Brainstorm)

Examples of themes to explore. Adapt to the task -- skip irrelevant ones, invent new ones as needed.

Standard topics (typically covered once):

• Problem framing -- is the problem well-defined, are we solving the right thing
• Constraints & non-negotiables -- hard requirements, budget, timeline, compliance
• Stakeholders & perspectives -- who is affected, whose input matters, conflicting needs
• Prior attempts -- what has been tried, what worked/failed, lessons learned
• Wild ideas & provocations -- 10x solutions, unreasonable approaches, creative leaps
• Feasibility -- technical viability, resource requirements, complexity assessment
• Priorities & trade-offs -- what to optimize for, what to sacrifice, ranking criteria
• Adjacent domains -- inspiration from other fields, analogous problems, transferable patterns
• Risks of inaction -- what happens if we do nothing, cost of delay
• Evaluation criteria -- how to judge solutions, metrics for success

Repeatable topics (can be selected any number of times):

• Followup -- Clarify or revisit answers from previous rounds
• Devil's advocate -- Challenge assumptions and decisions made so far
• What-if scenarios -- Explore hypotheticals, edge cases, and alternative futures
• Deep dive -- Drill into a specific topic from a previous round in much more detail

---

2. Synthesis

When the dialogue has explored the space sufficiently.

§CMD_REPORT_INTENT:

2: Synthesizing. ___ rounds of dialogue completed. Focus: ___. Not: ___.

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(2.0.*)

Debrief notes (for BRAINSTORM.md):

• Reflect: Look back at the full session -- identify key takeaways.
• Synthesize: Don't just summarize. Connect the dots between dialogue rounds.
• Next Steps: Propose the move to IMPLEMENTATION or ANALYSIS -- guide the user.

Walk-through config:

§CMD_WALK_THROUGH_RESULTS Configuration:
  mode: "results"
  gateQuestion: "Brainstorm complete. Walk through ideas?"
  debriefFile: "BRAINSTORM.md"

Before closing, offer a /council panel review on the brainstorm <BRAINSTORM.md> via §CMD_OFFER_COUNCIL_REVIEW (offer, not force) -- diverse expert eyes on the ideas before you act on them. Then offer a /graph flowgraph of the decision tree / option structure of the design via §CMD_OFFER_GRAPH_VIZ (offer, context-gated -- skips linear artifacts).