# Brainstorming

> Use when creating a feature/component or adding functionality. Fires BEFORE APEX Analyze to refine requirements via structured questioning.

- Skill: `fusengine/brainstorming` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add fusengine/brainstorming`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/fusengine/brainstorming/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Web & Frontend, Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: fusengine (https://skillmd.com/u/fusengine)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/fusengine/brainstorming

---


<objective>
Brainstorming runs a design-first, no-code-before-approval process ahead of any non-trivial feature, component, or behavior change: explore project context, ask clarifying questions one at a time, diverge to 6-8 approaches via a named technique before converging on 2-3 with a trade-off table, present the design for explicit approval, save it to `docs/plans/`, then hand off to APEX Analyze along with the research already gathered (so Analyze doesn't repeat it).

Skip it entirely for trivial fixes, typos, or simple renames -- those go straight to APEX.
</objective>

# Brainstorming Skill

**Design-first approach: no code before design approval.**

---

## Agent Workflow (MANDATORY)

Before ANY brainstorming session, spawn agents in parallel, one `Agent` call each with a `name`:

1. **fuse-ai-pilot:explore-codebase** - Understand project context, patterns, constraints
2. **fuse-ai-pilot:research-expert** - Fetch best practices and documentation

After design approval, transition to **APEX Analyze** phase, **passing along the explore-codebase and research-expert findings** in the handoff (not just the design doc). APEX Analyze re-runs those same agents by default — carrying forward what was already gathered here avoids re-doing the same research twice.

---

## Overview

| Scenario | Action |
|----------|--------|
| **New feature** | Full brainstorming (6 steps) |
| **Major change** | Full brainstorming (6 steps) |
| **Component creation** | Full brainstorming (6 steps) |
| **Trivial fix (1-3 lines)** | Skip brainstorming, go to APEX |
| **Simple rename/typo** | Skip brainstorming, go to APEX |

---

## 6-Step Process

### Step 1: Explore Project Context

Gather context before asking questions:

- `git log --oneline -20` - Recent changes and direction
- Existing code patterns and conventions
- Related documentation and prior decisions
- Tech stack and dependency constraints

### Step 2: Ask Clarifying Questions (ONE AT A TIME)

Ask focused questions sequentially. Wait for each answer before the next.

Categories: purpose, constraints, success criteria, users, integrations.

> See [workflow.md](references/workflow.md) for question categories

### Step 3: Diverge, Then Converge to 2-3 Approaches

Generate ≥6-8 distinct approaches via a named technique (SCAMPER / reverse-brainstorming / analogies), judgment suspended — not 3 sizes of the same idea. Only then converge to 2-3 with trade-offs in table format:

| Approach | Pros | Cons | Recommendation |
|----------|------|------|----------------|
| Option A | ... | ... | ... |
| Option B | ... | ... | ... |
| Option C | ... | ... | ... |

Always include a clear recommendation with rationale.

### Step 4: Present Design for Approval

Break design into digestible sections:

1. Architecture overview
2. Key components and responsibilities
3. Data flow and state management
4. Edge cases and error handling

**Wait for explicit user approval before proceeding.**

### Step 5: Save Design Document

Save approved design to: `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md`

### Step 6: Transition to APEX

Hand off to APEX Analyze phase with the approved design as input.

---

## Reference Guide

| Topic | Reference | When to Consult |
|-------|-----------|-----------------|
| **Workflow** | [workflow.md](references/workflow.md) | Question categories, proposal format, design template |
| **Anti-Patterns** | [anti-patterns.md](references/anti-patterns.md) | Catching rationalizations to skip brainstorming |

---

## Quick Reference

```text
1. Explore   → git log, codebase, docs (agents in parallel)
2. Question  → ONE AT A TIME, wait for answers
3. Diverge   → 6-8 options (named technique), converge to 2-3 with trade-offs table
4. Design    → Present sections, get approval
5. Save      → docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md
6. Handoff   → APEX Analyze with approved design + prior research (no re-research)
```

---

## Critical Rules

1. **NEVER write code before design approval** - Design first, always
2. **Ask questions ONE AT A TIME** - Never dump a list of 10 questions
3. **Always propose alternatives** - Minimum 2 approaches with trade-offs
4. **Save the design doc** - Creates audit trail and shared reference
5. **Get explicit approval** - "Looks good" or similar before proceeding