Brainstorm

Workflow

1 Parse the user intent

• Primary user goal (what "success" looks like)
• Inputs/outputs
• Ambiguous terms and implied constraints
• Hidden subproblems or coupled concerns

2 Decide whether this is one task or multiple tasks

grill-hard

3 Challenge and validate ideas or proposals

• Does the potential solution solve the right problem, for the right user?
• Are terms unambiguous (add glossary if needed)?
• Are there contradictions or missing states (edge cases, error states)?
• Is the request actually a prerequisite problem (e.g., missing abstraction, missing data model)?
• Are constraints real or assumed? Flag weak assumptions explicitly.
• Are the proposed features or requirements justified by user value, or are they "nice to have" features that should be deferred?

4 Ground in codebase reality

• Identify the existing types, interfaces, and modules that the feature touches.
• Reference concrete method signatures and data structures—not vague module names.
• Note architectural constraints (layer boundaries, dependency direction) that shape what is achievable.
• Surface risks: missing abstractions, type gaps, invariants that may break.

5 Ask targeted questions

• Use AskUserQuestion tool to ask the smallest set of questions that materially affects behavior, scope boundaries, acceptance criteria, or feasibility
• Prefer multiple choice questions when possible, but open-ended is fine too
• Present options conversationally with your recommendation and rationale

Principles

• Be blunt: explicitly state what is unclear or inconsistent.
• Assume nothing: if a term has multiple interpretations, define it or ask.
• No weak assumptions: if something "should probably work", verify it or flag it as a risk. Underestimated risks poison downstream plans.
• YAGNI ruthlessly: Remove unnecessary features from all designs
• Focus: Keep the conversation and artifacts anchored to the chosen initial theme. Do not expand scope or switch to adjacent concepts unless they are required to clarify, make feasible, or verify the proposed ideas.