brainstorming
Guided brainstorming before features — clarify intent, explore approaches, and capture design decisions
## Overview
Guides focused brainstorming before implementing features or making changes. Helps clarify user intent, surface constraints and success criteria, and explore alternative approaches so planning starts from a shared understanding of WHAT to build.
## How it works
Assesses whether brainstorming is needed by checking signals of clarity or ambiguity. Asks targeted questions one at a time to understand purpose, users, constraints, and success metrics. Proposes 2–3 concrete approaches with pros/cons, captures key decisions in a short design summary, and offers clear handoff choices.
## When to use
Requirements are vague or have multiple valid interpretations. You want to compare distinct implementation approaches before planning. The feature scope needs refinement. You don't yet know success criteria or target users.
## Best practices
Ask one question at a time and prefer multiple-choice prompts when natural. Start broad, then narrow. Propose 2–3 approaches and lead with a recommendation. Apply YAGNI: prefer simple, proven patterns over speculative complexity.