# Brainstorming

> Use when designing features, planning components, or exploring approaches before implementation. Explores user intent, requirements and design through collaborative dialogue.

- Skill: `hjewkes/brainstorming` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add hjewkes/brainstorming`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/hjewkes/brainstorming/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: hjewkes (https://skillmd.com/u/hjewkes)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/hjewkes/brainstorming

---


# Brainstorming Ideas Into Designs

## Overview

Help turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue.

Start by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a time to refine the idea. Once you understand what you're building, present the design and get user approval.

<HARD-GATE>
Do NOT invoke any implementation skill, write any code, scaffold any project, or take any implementation action until you have presented a design and the user has approved it. This applies to EVERY project regardless of perceived simplicity.
</HARD-GATE>

## Anti-Pattern: "This Is Too Simple To Need A Design"

Every project goes through this process. "Simple" projects are where unexamined assumptions cause the most wasted work. The design can be short, but you MUST present it and get approval.

## Checklist

You MUST create a task for each of these items and complete them in order:

1. **Explore project context** — check files, docs, recent commits
2. **Ask clarifying questions** — one at a time, understand purpose/constraints/success criteria
3. **Propose 2-3 approaches** — with trade-offs and your recommendation
4. **Present design** — in sections scaled to their complexity, including test strategy, error handling approach, and verification criteria (see Quality Principles below), get user approval after each section
5. **Write design doc** — save to `.claude/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md` and commit
6. **Transition to implementation** — invoke writing-plans skill to create implementation plan

## Quality Principles

Plans produced by this skill should address these concerns at design time:
- Test strategy: [references/tdd-principles.md](references/tdd-principles.md)
- Error handling & debugging approach: [references/debugging-principles.md](references/debugging-principles.md)
- Verification criteria: [references/verification-principles.md](references/verification-principles.md)

## Process Flow

```dot
digraph brainstorming {
    "Explore project context" [shape=box];
    "Ask clarifying questions" [shape=box];
    "Propose 2-3 approaches" [shape=box];
    "Present design sections" [shape=box];
    "User approves design?" [shape=diamond];
    "Write design doc" [shape=box];
    "Invoke writing-plans skill" [shape=doublecircle];

    "Explore project context" -> "Ask clarifying questions";
    "Ask clarifying questions" -> "Propose 2-3 approaches";
    "Propose 2-3 approaches" -> "Present design sections";
    "Present design sections" -> "User approves design?";
    "User approves design?" -> "Present design sections" [label="no, revise"];
    "User approves design?" -> "Write design doc" [label="yes"];
    "Write design doc" -> "Invoke writing-plans skill";
}
```

**The terminal state is invoking writing-plans.** Do NOT invoke frontend-design, mcp-builder, or any other implementation skill.

For detailed process steps (questioning technique, design presentation, documentation, key principles), see [references/detailed-process.md](references/detailed-process.md).