feat: Add /workflows:brainstorm command and skill (#101)

* feat(workflows:plan): Add smart research decision logic

Previously, /workflows:plan always ran all 3 research agents (repo-research,
best-practices, framework-docs) regardless of task complexity. This wasted
tokens and time for simple tasks like UI tweaks or bug fixes with clear causes.

Now the workflow:
- Always runs repo research first (fast, local)
- Makes an informed decision about external research based on:
  - Signals gathered during idea refinement (familiarity, intent, risk)
  - Repo research findings (existing patterns, CLAUDE.md guidance)
- High-risk topics (security, payments, external APIs) always trigger research
- Strong local context allows skipping external research
- Announces the decision and proceeds, user can redirect if needed

This makes the planning workflow smarter about when web research adds value.

* feat: Add /workflows:brainstorm command and skill

Add brainstorming workflow to explore requirements and approaches
before planning implementation:

- New `/workflows:brainstorm` command for collaborative dialogue
- New `brainstorming` skill with process knowledge and techniques
- Update `/workflows:plan` to detect brainstorm output and skip
  idea refinement when relevant brainstorm exists
- Add brainstorm to README workflow commands table

The brainstorm → plan flow enables:
- Phase 0: Assess requirement clarity
- Phase 1: Understand the idea via repo research + dialogue
- Phase 2: Explore 2-3 approaches with trade-offs
- Phase 3: Capture design to docs/brainstorms/
- Phase 4: Handoff to /workflows:plan
This commit is contained in:
Trevin Chow
2026-01-21 15:24:10 -08:00
committed by GitHub
parent 17fe887ae7
commit cc905c7b9a
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---
name: workflows:brainstorm
description: Explore requirements and approaches through collaborative dialogue before planning implementation
argument-hint: "[feature idea or problem to explore]"
---
# Brainstorm a Feature or Improvement
**Note: The current year is 2026.** Use this when dating brainstorm documents.
Brainstorming helps answer **WHAT** to build through collaborative dialogue. It precedes `/workflows:plan`, which answers **HOW** to build it.
**Process knowledge:** Load the `brainstorming` skill for detailed question techniques, approach exploration patterns, and YAGNI principles.
## Feature Description
<feature_description> #$ARGUMENTS </feature_description>
**If the feature description above is empty, ask the user:** "What would you like to explore? Please describe the feature, problem, or improvement you're thinking about."
Do not proceed until you have a feature description from the user.
## Execution Flow
### Phase 0: Assess Requirements Clarity
Evaluate whether brainstorming is needed based on the feature description.
**Clear requirements indicators:**
- Specific acceptance criteria provided
- Referenced existing patterns to follow
- Described exact expected behavior
- Constrained, well-defined scope
**If requirements are already clear:**
Use **AskUserQuestion tool** to suggest: "Your requirements seem detailed enough to proceed directly to planning. Should I run `/workflows:plan` instead, or would you like to explore the idea further?"
### Phase 1: Understand the Idea
#### 1.1 Repository Research (Lightweight)
Run a quick repo scan to understand existing patterns:
- Task repo-research-analyst("Understand existing patterns related to: <feature_description>")
Focus on: similar features, established patterns, CLAUDE.md guidance.
#### 1.2 Collaborative Dialogue
Use the **AskUserQuestion tool** to ask questions **one at a time**.
**Guidelines (see `brainstorming` skill for detailed techniques):**
- Prefer multiple choice when natural options exist
- Start broad (purpose, users) then narrow (constraints, edge cases)
- Validate assumptions explicitly
- Ask about success criteria
**Exit condition:** Continue until the idea is clear OR user says "proceed"
### Phase 2: Explore Approaches
Propose **2-3 concrete approaches** based on research and conversation.
For each approach, provide:
- Brief description (2-3 sentences)
- Pros and cons
- When it's best suited
Lead with your recommendation and explain why. Apply YAGNI—prefer simpler solutions.
Use **AskUserQuestion tool** to ask which approach the user prefers.
### Phase 3: Capture the Design
Write a brainstorm document to `docs/brainstorms/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>.md`.
**Document structure:** See the `brainstorming` skill for the template format. Key sections: What We're Building, Why This Approach, Key Decisions, Open Questions.
Ensure `docs/brainstorms/` directory exists before writing.
### Phase 4: Handoff
Use **AskUserQuestion tool** to present next steps:
**Question:** "Brainstorm captured. What would you like to do next?"
**Options:**
1. **Proceed to planning** - Run `/workflows:plan` (will auto-detect this brainstorm)
2. **Refine design further** - Continue exploring
3. **Done for now** - Return later
## Output Summary
When complete, display:
```
Brainstorm complete!
Document: docs/brainstorms/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>.md
Key decisions:
- [Decision 1]
- [Decision 2]
Next: Run `/workflows:plan` when ready to implement.
```
## Important Guidelines
- **Stay focused on WHAT, not HOW** - Implementation details belong in the plan
- **Ask one question at a time** - Don't overwhelm
- **Apply YAGNI** - Prefer simpler approaches
- **Keep outputs concise** - 200-300 words per section max
NEVER CODE! Just explore and document decisions.