What is the primary purpose of the brainstorming skill?

It ensures all features and modifications are fully designed and approved by the user before any implementation begins, preventing wasted development cycles caused by unexamined assumptions.

How does it handle different task sizes?

It uses three adaptive paths: Full process for complex requirements, Fast path for large but previously agreed tasks, and Lightweight for moderate, same-session tasks.

Where are the design documents stored?

All validated designs are saved as Markdown files in the 'docs/plans/' directory with a date-prefixed filename and are automatically committed to your git repository.

Can I skip the design phase and go straight to coding?

The skill includes a 'hard-gate' policy; it will not invoke implementation skills or write code until a design is presented and the user has explicitly approved it.

How does Claude understand my existing codebase during brainstorming?

Claude uses specialized tools to explore project context, check recent commits, and deep-dive into relevant symbols before proposing any design approaches.

Brainstorming & Design Planner

Name: Brainstorming & Design Planner
Author: anortham

byanortham

0•

Productivity & Workflow

Facilitates structured design dialogues and requirement gathering to ensure technical solutions are fully spec'ed before implementation begins.

The Brainstorming skill transforms vague ideas into concrete technical designs through a structured, collaborative dialogue. By enforcing a 'hard-gate' that prevents coding until a design is approved, it eliminates unexamined assumptions and reduces wasted development effort. Whether dealing with complex new features or moderate updates, it guides the user through project context exploration, alternative approach analysis, and formal design documentation, ensuring every implementation has a clear architectural roadmap and defined acceptance criteria.

Key Features

01Integrates seamlessly with implementation skills like writing-plans for a fluid development lifecycle.

02Proposes 2-3 distinct technical approaches with trade-offs and recommendations for every design.

03Enforces a mandatory design phase before any code is written or modified to prevent wasted work.

04Automatically generates and commits standardized Markdown design documentation to the repository.

05Offers three adaptive paths (Full, Fast, and Lightweight) based on task complexity and session context.

060 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Standardizing design documentation and acceptance criteria for team-based development projects.

02Refining vague feature requests into actionable technical specifications and architectural plans.

03Evaluating architectural trade-offs between different implementation strategies for complex components.

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add anortham/razorback brainstorming

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT