Structured ideation and trade-off analysis for design and architecture decisions.

Brainstorming Protocol (The Socratic Engine)

Execute §CMD_EXECUTE_SKILL_PHASES.

Session Parameters

json

{
  "taskType": "BRAINSTORM",
  "phases": [
    {"label": "0", "name": "Setup",
      "steps": ["§CMD_PARSE_PARAMETERS", "§CMD_SELECT_MODE", "§CMD_INGEST_CONTEXT_BEFORE_WORK"],
      "commands": [],
      "proof": ["mode", "session_dir", "parameters_parsed"]},
    {"label": "1", "name": "Dialogue Loop",
      "steps": ["§CMD_INTERROGATE"],
      "commands": ["§CMD_ASK_ROUND", "§CMD_LOG_INTERACTION", "§CMD_APPEND_LOG"],
      "proof": ["depth_chosen", "rounds_completed", "log_entries"]},
    {"label": "2", "name": "Execution",
      "steps": ["§CMD_SELECT_EXECUTION_PATH"],
      "commands": [],
      "proof": ["path_chosen", "paths_available"]},
    {"label": "2.A", "name": "Inline Synthesis",
      "steps": [],
      "commands": [],
      "proof": []},
    {"label": "2.B", "name": "Agent Handoff",
      "steps": ["§CMD_HANDOFF_TO_AGENT"],
      "commands": [],
      "proof": []},
    {"label": "2.C", "name": "Parallel Agent Handoff",
      "steps": ["§CMD_PARALLEL_HANDOFF"],
      "commands": [],
      "proof": []},
    {"label": "3", "name": "Synthesis",
      "steps": ["§CMD_RUN_SYNTHESIS_PIPELINE"], "commands": [], "proof": []},
    {"label": "3.1", "name": "Checklists",
      "steps": ["§CMD_VALIDATE_ARTIFACTS", "§CMD_RESOLVE_BARE_TAGS", "§CMD_PROCESS_CHECKLISTS"], "commands": [], "proof": []},
    {"label": "3.2", "name": "Debrief",
      "steps": ["§CMD_GENERATE_DEBRIEF"], "commands": [], "proof": ["debrief_file", "debrief_tags"]},
    {"label": "3.3", "name": "Pipeline",
      "steps": ["§CMD_MANAGE_DIRECTIVES", "§CMD_PROCESS_DELEGATIONS", "§CMD_DISPATCH_APPROVAL", "§CMD_CAPTURE_SIDE_DISCOVERIES", "§CMD_MANAGE_ALERTS", "§CMD_REPORT_LEFTOVER_WORK"], "commands": [], "proof": []},
    {"label": "3.4", "name": "Close",
      "steps": ["§CMD_REPORT_ARTIFACTS", "§CMD_REPORT_SUMMARY", "§CMD_CLOSE_SESSION", "§CMD_PRESENT_NEXT_STEPS"], "commands": [], "proof": []}
  ],
  "nextSkills": ["/implement", "/analyze", "/document", "/fix", "/chores"],
  "directives": [],
  "logTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM_LOG.md",
  "debriefTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM.md",
  "requestTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM_REQUEST.md",
  "responseTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM_RESPONSE.md",
  "modes": {
    "explore": {"label": "Explore", "description": "Wide ideation, divergent, creative", "file": "modes/explore.md"},
    "focused": {"label": "Focused", "description": "Decision-oriented, trade-off analysis", "file": "modes/focused.md"},
    "adversarial": {"label": "Adversarial", "description": "Stress-test assumptions, devil's advocate", "file": "modes/adversarial.md"},
    "custom": {"label": "Custom", "description": "User provides framing, agent blends modes", "file": "modes/custom.md"}
  }
}

0. Setup

§CMD_REPORT_INTENT:

Brainstorming ___ topic. Mode: ___. Trigger: ___. Focus: session activation, mode selection, context loading.

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(0.*)

•Scope: Understand the [Topic] and [Goal].

Mode Selection (§CMD_SELECT_MODE):

On selection: Read the corresponding modes/{mode}.md file. It defines Role, Goal, Mindset, and Dialogue Topics.

On "Custom": Read ALL 3 named mode files first (modes/explore.md, modes/focused.md, modes/adversarial.md), then accept user's framing. Parse into role/goal/mindset.

Record: Store the selected mode. It configures:

•Phase 0 role (from mode file)
•Phase 1 dialogue topics (from mode file)

1. Dialogue Loop (Socratic Exploration)

Engage in Socratic inquiry to uncover constraints and opportunities.

§CMD_REPORT_INTENT:

Exploring ___ problem space through Socratic dialogue. Depth: ___. Drawing from mode-specific topics.

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(1.*)

Dialogue Depth Selection

Before asking any questions, present this choice via AskUserQuestion (multiSelect: false):

"How deep should the brainstorming dialogue go?"

Depth	Minimum Rounds	When to Use
Short	3+	Narrow topic, clear constraints, quick exploration
Medium	6+	Moderate complexity, several trade-offs to explore
Long	9+	Complex architecture, many stakeholders, deep design space
Absolute	Until ALL questions resolved	Novel domain, critical decision, zero ambiguity tolerance

Record the user's choice. This sets the minimum -- the agent can always ask more, and the user can always say "converge" after the minimum is met.

Dialogue Protocol (Rounds)

Round counter: Output it on every round: "Round N / {depth_minimum}+"

Topic selection: Pick from the topic menu below each round. Do NOT follow a fixed sequence -- choose the most relevant uncovered topic based on what you've learned so far.

Each round follows the Socratic pattern:

Step A: Listen & Analyze

•Input: Read the user's latest message.
•Check: Did they answer a question? Did they pose a new constraint?
•Action: Execute §CMD_LOG_INTERACTION immediately to capture this interaction.

Step B: Log Internal Thoughts

•Action: Execute §CMD_APPEND_LOG to BRAINSTORM_LOG.md.
•Scope: Log internal decisions, alternatives, and risks.

Step C: The Socratic Response

•Action: Reply to the user with questions on the next topic.
•
Style:
1. •Validate: "I see why you want X..."
2. •Challenge: "...but have you considered the latency cost?"
3. •Propose: "What if we did Z instead?"
4. •Explore: "How would that handle edge case Q?"

Dialogue Topics (Brainstorm)

Examples of themes to explore. Adapt to the task -- skip irrelevant ones, invent new ones as needed.

Standard topics (typically covered once):

•Problem framing -- is the problem well-defined, are we solving the right thing
•Constraints & non-negotiables -- hard requirements, budget, timeline, compliance
•Stakeholders & perspectives -- who is affected, whose input matters, conflicting needs
•Prior attempts -- what has been tried, what worked/failed, lessons learned
•Wild ideas & provocations -- 10x solutions, unreasonable approaches, creative leaps
•Feasibility -- technical viability, resource requirements, complexity assessment
•Priorities & trade-offs -- what to optimize for, what to sacrifice, ranking criteria
•Adjacent domains -- inspiration from other fields, analogous problems, transferable patterns
•Risks of inaction -- what happens if we do nothing, cost of delay
•Evaluation criteria -- how to judge solutions, metrics for success

Repeatable topics (can be selected any number of times):

•Followup -- Clarify or revisit answers from previous rounds
•Devil's advocate -- Challenge assumptions and decisions made so far
•What-if scenarios -- Explore hypotheticals, edge cases, and alternative futures
•Deep dive -- Drill into a specific topic from a previous round in much more detail

Dialogue Exit Gate

After reaching minimum rounds, present this choice via AskUserQuestion (multiSelect: true):

"Round N complete (minimum met). What next?"

•"Proceed to Synthesis" -- (terminal: if selected, skip all others and move on)

•"More dialogue (3 more rounds)" -- Standard topic rounds, then this gate re-appears

•"Devil's advocate round" -- 1 round challenging assumptions, then this gate re-appears

•"What-if scenarios round" -- 1 round exploring hypotheticals, then this gate re-appears

•"Deep dive round" -- 1 round drilling into a prior topic, then this gate re-appears

Execution order (when multiple selected): Standard rounds first -> Devil's advocate -> What-ifs -> Deep dive -> re-present exit gate.

For Absolute depth: Do NOT offer the exit gate until you have zero remaining questions. Ask: "Round N complete. I still have questions about [X]. Continuing..."

Phase Transition

Execute §CMD_GATE_PHASE.

2. Execution

§CMD_REPORT_INTENT:

Selecting execution path for convergence synthesis.

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(2.*)

This is a gateway phase. The agent presents execution path options and routes to the selected branch.

2.A. Inline Synthesis

Continue convergence synthesis inline in this conversation.

Proceed directly to Phase 3: Synthesis.

2.B. Agent Handoff

Only if user selected agent handoff in the execution path.

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(2.B.*)

§CMD_HANDOFF_TO_AGENT with:

json

{
  "agentName": "analyzer",
  "startAtPhase": "3: Synthesis",
  "planOrDirective": "Synthesize brainstorming findings into BRAINSTORM.md following the template. Focus on: [key themes and decisions from dialogue]",
  "logFile": "BRAINSTORM_LOG.md",
  "debriefTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM.md",
  "logTemplate": "assets/TEMPLATE_BRAINSTORM_LOG.md",
  "taskSummary": "Synthesize brainstorm: [brief description from taskSummary]"
}

2.C. Parallel Agent Handoff

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(2.C.*)

§CMD_PARALLEL_HANDOFF with:

•Agent type: analyzer
•Plan file: BRAINSTORM_LOG.md (dialogue summary as work items)
•Start at phase: "3: Synthesis"

3. Synthesis

When the dialogue has explored the space sufficiently.

§CMD_REPORT_INTENT:

Synthesizing. ___ rounds of dialogue completed. Producing BRAINSTORM.md with connected insights and next steps.

§CMD_EXECUTE_PHASE_STEPS(3.0.*)

Debrief notes (for BRAINSTORM.md):

•Reflect: Look back at the full session -- identify key takeaways.
•Synthesize: Don't just summarize. Connect the dots between dialogue rounds.
•Next Steps: Propose the move to IMPLEMENTATION or ANALYSIS -- guide the user.

Walk-through config:

code

§CMD_WALK_THROUGH_RESULTS Configuration:
  mode: "results"
  gateQuestion: "Brainstorm complete. Walk through ideas?"
  debriefFile: "BRAINSTORM.md"