Brainstorming

When This Skill Activates

• •User asks to "build", "create", "implement", "add", or "make" something
• •User describes a feature, system, or component they want
• •User says "let's work on..." or "I need..."
• •ANY request that will result in new code being written

CRITICAL: Do NOT Skip This

If you are about to write code without having gone through brainstorming first, STOP. This skill is mandatory for any non-trivial feature.

Process

Step 1: Understand the Request

Ask targeted questions to uncover:

• •What problem is the user actually solving?
• •Who is the end user?
• •What does success look like?
• •Are there existing patterns in the codebase to follow?

Present no more than 3 questions at a time. Don't overwhelm.

Step 2: Explore Alternatives

Before committing to an approach:

• •Identify at least 2 different ways to solve the problem
• •Briefly describe trade-offs of each
• •Recommend one with reasoning
• •Let the user choose

Step 3: Draft the Spec

Use the spec-writer subagent via Task tool:

Task tool → subagent_type: spec-writer

Provide it with the brainstorm summary and repo path.

Step 4: Present for Approval

Show the spec to the user in digestible chunks:

• •Summary first (1-2 sentences)
• •Architecture overview
• •Component details one at a time
• •Acceptance criteria
• •Non-goals

Ask for explicit approval: "Does this spec capture what you want? Any changes?"

Step 5: Save the Spec

Save the approved spec to .factory/docs/specs/[feature-name].md for reference by downstream skills.

Output

An approved specification document ready for the writing-plans skill.