Brainstorming

Brainstorming

You MUST use this skill before any creative work to explore user intent, requirements and design before implementation.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• Creating new features
• Building new components
• Adding new functionality
• Modifying existing behavior
• Starting any non-trivial implementation

Process

Follow this structured approach:

1. Understand the Request

Ask clarifying questions to understand:

• What is the core problem being solved?
• Who are the users/stakeholders?
• What are the success criteria?
• Are there any constraints (technical, time, resources)?
• What is the scope?

2. Explore Requirements

Gather detailed requirements:

• Functional requirements: What should it do?
• Non-functional requirements: Performance, security, usability
• Edge cases: What could go wrong?
• Integration points: How does it fit with existing systems?

3. Design Exploration

Propose multiple approaches:

• Option 1: [Approach A]

  • Pros: ...
  • Cons: ...
  • Complexity: Low/Medium/High

• Option 2: [Approach B]

  • Pros: ...
  • Cons: ...
  • Complexity: Low/Medium/High

4. Get User Feedback

Present options to user and ask:

• Which approach aligns best with your goals?
• Are there trade-offs you're willing to accept?
• Do you have preferences or constraints?

5. Create Action Plan

Once approach is agreed:

• Break down into implementation steps
• Identify dependencies
• Estimate effort
• Define testing strategy

Example

User Request: "Add user authentication"

Your Response: Before implementing, let me understand:

1. Authentication Method: What type of auth do you need?

   • Email/password
   • OAuth (Google, GitHub, etc.)
   • API keys
   • Other?

2. Session Management: How should sessions be handled?

   • JWT tokens
   • Session cookies
   • Server-side sessions

3. Security Requirements:

   • MFA support needed?
   • Password strength requirements?
   • Session timeout preferences?

4. User Experience:

   • Remember me functionality?
   • Password reset flow?
   • Email verification?

Let me propose two approaches:

Option A: JWT-based stateless auth

• Pros: Scalable, works well with microservices
• Cons: Token revocation is complex

Option B: Session-based auth

• Pros: Simple to implement, easy to revoke
• Cons: Requires server state, harder to scale

Which approach interests you? Or would you like to explore other options?

Converted and distributed by TomeVault — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.