brainstorming

Refines ideas into approved designs through sequential depth-first question-and-answer dialogue.

Updated Mar 18, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/pgoell/pgoell-claude-tools --skill brainstorming-pgoell
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: brainstorming
Source: https://github.com/pgoell/pgoell-claude-tools/tree/main/plugins/workbench/skills/brainstorming
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/pgoell/pgoell-claude-tools --skill brainstorming-pgoell

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Jumping straight into implementation on a vague idea produces rework and misaligned results. This Skill structures the pre-implementation phase by grilling the user with one question at a time, walking the design tree depth-first until a shared, approved design concept exists. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Depth-first design grilling: Walks the design tree branch by branch, prioritizing architecture-changing questions over cosmetic details, and stops only when no answer could change the design. - Lane-scaled workflow: Serves medium lanes (a few targeted questions feeding a plan's Design preamble) and large lanes (full grilling toward a spec), with a hard gate blocking implementation before design approval. - HTML brainstorm summary: Records the Q/A timeline, agreed decisions, parking-lot items, and handoff link in a styled HTML artifact, with optional design-system theming. - Use Case: Before building a new feature, invoke this Skill to explore project context via a subagent, ask clarifying questions one at a time, compare 2-3 approaches with trade-offs, and hand off an approved design to the spec-writing step. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to brainstorm the design for your new feature before writing any code, answering its questions one at a time until the design is approved.

Frequently Asked Questions about brainstorming

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I brainstorm a software design before writing code?

Invoke the brainstorming skill before any implementation work. It explores project context with a subagent, then asks one question at a time, walking the design tree depth-first until you approve a design, which it hands off to spec or plan writing.

What is depth-first design-tree questioning?

It treats the design as a tree whose root is what you are building and why. Each branch is followed through its dependencies to a decision before moving on, with architecture-changing questions asked before cosmetic details.

Can brainstorming run without a user present to answer questions?

Yes. In autonomous runs such as a gateless pilot run, the skill substitutes self-answered Q&A, extends the exploration subagent to find similar existing implementations, and converges on a decision block covering every walked branch.

When does the brainstorming skill stop asking questions?

It stops only when no remaining question's answer would change the design and the user can restate the design concept in their own words. A fixed question count is explicitly not the stopping rule.

What output does the brainstorming skill produce?

It writes an HTML brainstorm summary to .workbench/brainstorms/ containing the Q/A timeline, agreed decisions, parking-lot items, and a handoff link. Format and path can be overridden per prompt or via .workbench/config.md.

Does brainstorming handle visual design questions like mockups?

It defers visual work to the visualizing-options skill, offering it in its own message when visual questions arise. If the user stalls on a visual question, it renders 3-4 divergent directions for reaction instead of description.