Quick Brainstorm

MANDATORY: Do NOT call any file-edit, file-create, or code-generation tools until Phase 1 Q&A self-check has passed or Fast Track criteria are met. Reading files for context is allowed. Violation = immediate stop and return to Q&A.

Lightweight brainstorming → deep Q&A → design confirmation → Plan Mode → execution.

Core principle: Only ask deep, non-obvious questions. Goal is accurate output, not question count.

Process

digraph quick_brainstorm {
    "Understand context" [shape=box];
    "Fast Track?" [shape=diamond];
    "Scope Check" [shape=diamond];
    "Q&A" [shape=box];
    "Multiple approaches?" [shape=diamond];
    "Compare options" [shape=box];
    "Present design" [shape=box];
    "User approves?" [shape=diamond];
    "Plan Mode" [shape=box];
    "Execute" [shape=box];

    "Understand context" -> "Fast Track?";
    "Fast Track?" -> "Plan Mode" [label="yes"];
    "Fast Track?" -> "Scope Check" [label="no"];
    "Scope Check" -> "Q&A" [label="in scope"];
    "Scope Check" -> "Escalate to\nfull brainstorming" [label="too large"];
    "Q&A" -> "Multiple approaches?";
    "Multiple approaches?" -> "Compare options" [label="yes"];
    "Multiple approaches?" -> "Present design" [label="no"];
    "Compare options" -> "Present design";
    "Present design" -> "User approves?";
    "User approves?" -> "Present design" [label="revise"];
    "User approves?" -> "Plan Mode" [label="yes"];
    "Plan Mode" -> "Execute";
}

Fast Track

May skip Q&A only if ALL three conditions are true:

1. The change is mechanical (single-line fix, typo, rename, or user gave exact code to write)
2. Zero design decisions or trade-offs involved
3. User's instruction leaves no room for interpretation

If any condition fails → go to Phase 1. When in doubt, ask one question to verify.

Scope Check

If during context reading or Q&A you discover the task involves multiple subsystems, architectural decisions, or greenfield design — stop and tell the user this task exceeds quick-brainstorm's scope. Suggest using a full brainstorming skill instead.

Phase 1: Q&A

Rules:

• One question at a time, prefer multiple choice
• Skip anything Claude can infer from code/context
• Before proposing solutions, understand existing patterns in the codebase — follow them unless there's a clear reason not to
• Keep asking until self-check passes — not based on a minimum question count

Self-check before ending Q&A:

• [ ] Core functionality approach is clear
• [ ] Edge cases and error handling covered
• [ ] No missing related requirements
• [ ] User has confirmed or implicitly indicated discussion is sufficient (e.g., answered last question with no new concerns)

Phase 2: Compare Options

When: 2+ reasonable approaches exist. Skip when: One clearly optimal solution.

Present each option with pros/cons and a recommendation with reasoning. Keep brief.

Phase 3: Present Design

Present the design scaled to the task. Include only sections that carry information — skip any that add nothing:

1. What and why — Change overview
2. Technical approach — Implementation details, files involved
3. Affected interfaces — API/data/UI changes (skip if none)
4. Key edge cases — (skip if obvious or none)
5. Implementation steps — Brief execution order

Confirm each section before continuing.

Phase 4: Plan Mode

After design confirmation, switch to planning-only mode (no code output yet):

1. Create implementation plan — List each step: files to change, what to change, expected outcome. If the environment supports a built-in plan mode, use it; otherwise present as a structured list in chat.
2. Wait for explicit user approval before writing any code.
3. During execution, pause and ask if encountering scenarios not covered in the plan.

Guardrails

STOP and return to the correct phase if any of these occur:

• Calling edit/create tools before Q&A self-check passed (unless Fast Track criteria met)
• User says "no" but continuing with original approach
• Entering Plan Mode without design confirmation
• Executing without Plan Mode approval
• Judging a task as "obvious" without verifying all three Fast Track conditions