[BLOCKING] Execute skill steps in declared order. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval. [BLOCKING] Before each step or sub-skill call, update task tracking: setin_progresswhen step starts, setcompletedwhen step ends. [BLOCKING] Every completed/skipped step MUST include brief evidence or explicit skip reason. [BLOCKING] If Task tools are unavailable, create and maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with the same status transitions.
[IMPORTANT] Use TaskCreate to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting. This prevents context loss from long sessions.Critical Thinking Mindset — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.
AI Mistake Prevention — Failure modes to avoid on every task: - Check downstream references before deleting. Deleting components causes documentation and code staleness cascades. Map all referencing files before removal. - Verify AI-generated content against actual code. AI hallucinates APIs, class names, and method signatures. Always grep to confirm existence before documenting or referencing. - Trace full dependency chain after edits. Changing a definition misses downstream variables and consumers derived from it. Always trace the full chain. - Trace ALL code paths when verifying correctness. Confirming code exists is not confirming it executes. Always trace early exits, error branches, and conditional skips — not just happy path. - When debugging, ask "whose responsibility?" before fixing. Trace whether bug is in caller (wrong data) or callee (wrong handling). Fix at responsible layer — never patch symptom site. - Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing. Before changing any constant, limit, flag, or pattern: read comments, check git blame, examine surrounding code. - Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. Changes touching multiple stacks require verifying EVERY output. One green check is not all green checks. - Holistic-first debugging — resist nearest-attention trap. When investigating any failure, list EVERY precondition first (config, env vars, DB names, endpoints, DI registrations, data preconditions), then verify each against evidence before forming any code-layer hypothesis. - Surgical changes — apply the diff test. Bug fix: every changed line must trace directly to the bug. Don't restyle or improve adjacent code. Enhancement task: implement improvements AND announce them explicitly. - Surface ambiguity before coding — don't pick silently. If request has multiple interpretations, present each with effort estimate and ask. Never assume all-records, file-based, or more complex path.
Quick Summary
Goal: Facilitate a structured PO/BA brainstorming session using the Double Diamond process — diverge to discover problems and opportunities, then converge to validate and prioritize ideas before committing to implementation.
Three Scenarios:
| Scenario | Entry Trigger | Primary Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Problem-Solving | "Something is broken / users complain / metric is bad" | 5 Whys → Fishbone → HMW → SCAMPER → Hypothesis RAT |
| New Product | "Greenfield idea / new market / no codebase yet" | JTBD → Lean Canvas → Crazy 8s → Opportunity Scoring → Lean Hypothesis |
| Feature Enhancement | "Existing product / add capability / improve flow" | Opportunity Solution Tree → SCAMPER → Impact Mapping → RICE → Value Hypothesis |
Double Diamond (master meta-framework):
DIAMOND 1: Right Problem DIAMOND 2: Right Solution
──────────────────────────── ──────────────────────────
Discover ──► Define Develop ──► Deliver
(diverge) (converge) (diverge) (converge)Golden Rule: NEVER evaluate ideas while generating them. Diverge and converge are separate modes. Mixing them kills creative output.
Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking. Every idea needs a testable hypothesis. Confidence >80% required before recommending.
Answer this question:
$ARGUMENTS
Phase 0: Session Setup (MANDATORY)
Use AskUserQuestion to detect scenario, role, and constraints before any technique.
0.1 — Scenario Detection
Ask:
- "What scenario are we in?"
- Problem-solving — something is broken, users struggle, a metric is bad - New product — greenfield, no existing product in this space - Feature enhancement — existing product, add/improve/remove capability - Mixed — multiple of the above
- "What is the primary role in this session?"
- Product Owner — outcome-focused, business value, user outcomes - Business Analyst — requirements-focused, process analysis, stakeholder mapping - Both PO + BA — full discovery and requirements - Developer / Architect — technical feasibility brainstorm
- "How much is already known?"
- Raw seed — just an intuition or observation - Problem confirmed — we know the problem, need solutions - Solution direction known — need to evaluate and score options - Idea exists — need hypothesis validation only
0.2 — Context Loading
- If project codebase exists: read
docs/business-features/to understand domain - If greenfield: skip codebase reading; rely on user input and web research
- Load
docs/project-reference/domain-entities-reference.mdif entity context needed - Use
WebSearchfor market/competitor context when scenario = New Product or Enhancement
Phase 1: Problem Framing — Diamond 1 Diverge
Goal: Fully understand the problem space before jumping to solutions. The #1 failure in brainstorming: solving the wrong problem.
Time-box: 20–45 minutes of session time.
1.1 — Problem Statement (POV Format)
Formulate a crisp problem statement BEFORE any ideation:
[User/Persona] needs [need/job-to-be-done]
because [insight/root cause/context],
but [current barrier/friction/failure].Example:
HR Managers need to quickly identify top performers for promotion
because quarterly reviews create promotion backlogs,
but the current system shows raw scores with no ranking or comparison.Use AskUserQuestion to validate:
- "Is this the core problem, or a symptom of a deeper problem?"
- "Who specifically experiences this? How often? What's the cost?"
- "What evidence do we have this problem actually exists?"
1.2 — Root Cause Analysis (for Problem-Solving scenario)
Apply one of:
5 Whys:
Problem: [stated problem]
Why 1: [first cause]
Why 2: [cause of cause 1]
Why 3: [cause of cause 2]
Why 4: [cause of cause 3]
Why 5: [root cause] ← Fix HERE, not at Why 1Fishbone (Ishikawa) — for systemic problems: Spine = problem statement. Bones = 6 cause categories:
- People, Process, Technology, Data, Environment, Policy
- For each bone: ask "What in this category could cause the problem?"
1.3 — JTBD (Jobs-To-Be-Done) — for New Product & Enhancement
Replace user stories with job stories to expose real motivation:
User Story (what): As a manager, I want to see employee scores, so that I can make decisions.
Job Story (why + context): When I'm preparing for quarterly reviews with limited time, I want to instantly see who deserves promotion without reading every profile, so I can make fair, defensible decisions before the deadline.
Job Story Formula:
When [triggering situation + context],
I want to [motivation / job to be done],
so I can [outcome / expected result].Generate 3–5 job stories covering main user segments. Each story = one opportunity.
1.4 — HMW (How Might We) Reframing
Transform problem statements into ideation-ready questions:
Formula: "How might we [verb] [object] so that [desired outcome]?"
From the POV statement:
- "How might we help HR managers rank employees so that promotion decisions take minutes not days?"
- "How might we surface hidden top performers so that managers discover talent they'd otherwise miss?"
- "How might we reduce bias in performance scoring so that promotion feels fair to all employees?"
Rules:
- Each HMW covers ONE idea direction
- Generate 5–10 HMW questions per problem
- Too broad = "How might we improve HR?" (useless) → too narrow = "How might we add a sort button?" (skip ideation, just build it)
- Sweet spot: one-concept questions that invite multiple solutions
Output of Phase 1:
- Problem statement (POV format)
- Root cause (5 Whys or Fishbone) — Problem-Solving only
- 3–5 Job Stories
- 5–10 HMW questions
Phase 2: Opportunity Framing — Diamond 1 Converge
Goal: Narrow problem space to the highest-opportunity focus areas before ideating solutions.
2.1 — Opportunity Solution Tree (OST) — for Enhancement
Teresa Torres' framework. Maps desired outcome → opportunities → solutions → experiments.
Desired Outcome (business metric)
├── Opportunity 1 (unmet user need / pain / want)
│ ├── Solution A
│ └── Solution B
├── Opportunity 2
│ ├── Solution C
│ └── Solution D
└── Opportunity 3 (deprioritized)Step 1: State ONE desired outcome (lagging metric the team owns — e.g., "Increase manager satisfaction with review process from 3.2 to 4.0 CSAT") Step 2: Map ALL known opportunities (pains, needs, wants) from research/interviews Step 3: For each top opportunity, generate solution directions (not detailed solutions yet) Step 4: Pick 1–2 opportunities to develop further in Phase 3
2.2 — Lean Canvas — for New Product
One-page business model for greenfield ideas (Ash Maurya):
| Block | Question |
|---|---|
| Problem | Top 3 problems being solved |
| Customer Segments | Who has this problem? Early adopters? |
| Unique Value Prop | Single compelling message |
| Solution | Top 3 features (not full spec) |
| Channels | How to reach customers |
| Revenue Streams | How to make money |
| Cost Structure | Fixed + variable costs |
| Key Metrics | One number that measures success |
| Unfair Advantage | What can't easily be copied? |
Fill one canvas per major target segment. Keep it to 20 min — speed is the point.
2.3 — Blue Ocean ERRC Grid — for Enhancement or New Product
Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create grid (Chan Kim & Mauborgne):
| Eliminate | Reduce |
|---|---|
| Features users never use | Features that are over-engineered |
| Raise | Create |
| Features users want more of | Features no competitor offers |
Rule: Every innovation should have at least ONE item in Create AND one in Eliminate. A product with only Raise entries is incremental — not differentiated.
2.4 — Value Proposition Canvas
Connects customer profile to product value:
Customer Profile:
- Jobs (functional, social, emotional)
- Pains (frustrations, obstacles, risks)
- Gains (benefits, desires, measures of success)
Value Map:
- Products & Services (what you offer)
- Pain Relievers (how you reduce pains)
- Gain Creators (how you produce gains)
Fit = where Pain Relievers match Pains + Gain Creators match Gains.
Output of Phase 2:
- OST with 2 selected opportunities (Enhancement)
- Lean Canvas (New Product)
- ERRC grid (New Product or Enhancement)
- Value Proposition fit assessment
Phase 3: Ideation — Diamond 2 Diverge
Goal: Generate maximum quantity of solution ideas without judgment. Quality comes in Phase 4.
Critical rule: NO evaluation in this phase. Every idea is valid. "Yes, and..." not "Yes, but..."
3.1 — SCAMPER
Apply each lens to the problem/existing product to generate solution directions:
| Letter | Prompt | Example for HR review feature |
|---|---|---|
| Substitute | What can be replaced? | Replace manual scoring with AI-assisted ranking |
| Combine | What can be merged? | Combine performance + feedback + OKR in one view |
| Adapt | What can be borrowed? | Adapt Netflix recommendation to suggest top performers |
| Modify | What can be scaled/shrunk? | Minimize review to a weekly pulse check |
| Put to other use | Different context? | Use review data for learning path recommendations |
| Eliminate | What can be removed? | Eliminate annual review — replace with continuous signals |
| Reverse | Flip the process? | Let employees score managers instead |
Generate at least 2 ideas per SCAMPER letter = minimum 14 ideas.
3.2 — Crazy 8s (Rapid Visual Ideation)
Time-box: 8 minutes. 8 ideas. No refinement.
Process:
- Fold paper into 8 sections (or create 8 boxes mentally)
- Sketch one idea concept per box — rough is fine
- Timer forces quantity over perfection
- Share and build on sketches
For AI-facilitated sessions:
- AI generates 8 distinct solution directions in 2 minutes
- User picks top 3 to explore deeper
- Each direction = 1 sentence + 1 key differentiator
3.3 — Brainwriting 6-3-5
For multi-stakeholder sessions (async-friendly):
- 6 participants, 3 ideas each, 5 rounds
- Each round: read previous ideas → add 3 new ideas OR build on existing
- Result: up to 108 ideas in 30 minutes (works async via shared doc)
For AI-facilitated sessions:
- AI plays all 6 roles across 3 rounds
- Generates ideas from: PO perspective, BA perspective, End User perspective, Dev perspective, Ops perspective, Business perspective
3.4 — Impact Mapping
Gojko Adzic's technique. Maps Goal → Actors → Impacts → Deliverables:
GOAL: [business outcome with measurable target]
├── ACTOR: Who can help/hinder?
│ ├── IMPACT: How should behavior change?
│ │ └── DELIVERABLE: What feature produces this impact?
│ └── IMPACT: What negative behavior to prevent?
│ └── DELIVERABLE: What reduces this risk?
└── ACTOR: ...Key insight: Work backward from GOAL. If a deliverable doesn't trace to an actor behavior change, don't build it.
3.5 — Analogical Thinking
"How does [industry X] solve [similar problem Y]?"
| Analogy Source | Application to HR |
|---|---|
| Spotify Discover Weekly | Personalized learning recommendations |
| Uber surge pricing | Dynamic bonus pool allocation |
| GitHub PR reviews | Peer skill endorsement with evidence |
| Amazon recommendation engine | Next goal suggestion |
| Netflix "because you watched" | "Colleagues like you also achieved..." |
Output of Phase 3:
- SCAMPER grid with 14+ ideas
- Crazy 8s — 8 solution directions
- Impact Map (top 2 goals)
- Analogy-inspired ideas (3–5)
- Total raw idea count: target 25–40 ideas
Phase 4: Evaluation & Convergence — Diamond 2 Converge
Goal: Reduce 25–40 raw ideas to a ranked shortlist of 3–5 candidates for hypothesis testing.
4.1 — Dot Voting (First Pass)
Before scoring, do a quick gut-check elimination:
- Each idea gets a ✅ (keep) / ❌ (drop) / 🔄 (merge with another)
- Merge near-identical ideas
- Drop ideas that violate hard constraints (budget, tech, legal)
- Target: reduce to 10–15 candidates
4.2 — RICE Scoring
Rank remaining candidates:
RICE Score = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort
Reach: Users affected per quarter (100 / 500 / 1000 / 5000+)
Impact: 0.25 minimal | 0.5 low | 1 medium | 2 high | 3 massive
Confidence: 0.5 low (gut feel) | 0.8 medium (some data) | 1.0 high (validated)
Effort: Story Points — 1 trivial | 3 small | 5 medium | 8 large | 13 very largeScore all 10–15 candidates. Sort descending. Top 5 = shortlist.
4.3 — Kano Model Classification
For each shortlisted idea, classify:
| Category | Description | If absent | If present | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Must-Be | Baseline expectation | Users angry | Users neutral | Login works |
| Performance | More = better | Users dissatisfied | Users satisfied | Faster load |
| Delighter | Unexpected value | Users neutral | Users delighted | Smart suggestion |
| Indifferent | Doesn't matter | Users neutral | Users neutral | Icon colors |
| Reverse | Some want, some don't | Segment upset | Segment happy | Auto-fill |
Strategy: Must-Be → Performance → Delighter. Never skip Must-Be items for Delighters.
4.4 — Effort × Impact 2×2
Quick visual triage:
HIGH IMPACT
│ Quick Wins ★ │ Major Projects ⚙️
│ (do first) │ (schedule carefully)
────┼──────────────────┼────────────────────
│ Fill-Ins 📋 │ Money Pits ⚠️
│ (if time) │ (avoid or cut)
LOW IMPACT
LOW EFFORT HIGH EFFORTPlot each shortlisted idea. Quick Wins = default first picks unless Major Project has strategic necessity.
4.5 — MoSCoW for Release Scope
For each idea in the shortlist, assign release priority:
| Priority | Meaning | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Must Have | MVP is broken without it | Include if >80% of value depends on it |
| Should Have | Important but MVP works without it | Include if RICE > median |
| Could Have | Nice to have, low risk to cut | Include if effort ≤ 3 SP |
| Won't Have | Explicitly out of scope this cycle | Document for future |
Output of Phase 4:
- Dot-voted shortlist (10–15 ideas)
- RICE-scored table (top 5 ranked)
- Kano classification for each shortlisted idea
- 2×2 matrix placement
- MoSCoW assignment per idea
Phase 5: Hypothesis Validation
Goal: Before committing to build, test your riskiest assumptions. 42% of startups fail because no market need — validate before building.
5.1 — Problem Hypothesis
**We believe** [target users/persona]
**Experience** [specific problem]
**Because** [root cause]
**We'll know this is true when** [validation metric/observable evidence]Example:
We believe HR Managers
Experience frustration identifying top performers during review cycles
Because scoring data is fragmented across 3 systems with no unified ranking
We'll know this is true when 3+ managers confirm they spend >2hrs per cycle on manual data aggregation5.2 — Value Hypothesis
**We believe** [feature/solution]
**Will deliver** [specific value/outcome]
**To** [target users]
**We'll know we're right when** [measurable success metric]5.3 — Riskiest Assumption Test (RAT)
Identify the ONE assumption whose failure kills the idea:
- List all assumptions: user behavior, technical feasibility, market demand, business model
- Score each:
Probability of being wrong (0–1) × Impact if wrong (0–1) - Highest score = Riskiest Assumption
- Design cheapest possible test to validate/invalidate it before full build:
- User interview (2–3 days) - Landing page / fake door test (1 week) - Prototype click-through (3–5 days) - Concierge MVP (1–2 weeks) - Smoke test / pre-sell (2–4 weeks)
5.4 — Build-Measure-Learn Loop
For each top idea, define the loop:
BUILD: Minimum experiment to test the assumption (not a full product)
MEASURE: One metric that proves/disproves the hypothesis
LEARN: What decision do we make if metric is met / not met?
PIVOT: If hypothesis invalidated — which alternative from Phase 3 do we try next?Output of Phase 5:
- Problem hypothesis card per top-3 idea
- Value hypothesis card per top-3 idea
- Riskiest Assumption identified per idea
- Cheapest test designed
- Build-Measure-Learn loop defined
Phase 6: Decision & Recommendations
Goal: Present a clear, opinionated recommendation with trade-offs. Not "here are all the options" — "here's what we recommend and why."
6.1 — Top 3 Options Table
Present final shortlist as a decision table:
| Option | RICE | Kano | Effort | Risk | RAT Test | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option A | 320 | Delighter | 5 SP | Medium | 3-day interview | ⭐ Recommended |
| Option B | 180 | Performance | 8 SP | Low | Prototype | Viable |
| Option C | 90 | Must-Be | 13 SP | High | Pre-sell | Defer |
6.2 — Recommendation Statement
RECOMMENDED: [Option Name]
Why: [1–2 sentences on RICE + Kano + strategic fit]
Risk: [Primary risk + mitigation]
First step: [Cheapest test to validate before full commitment]
Time to validation: [Days/weeks]6.3 — Dependency & Sequencing Check
- Does Option A depend on any existing feature/data/service not yet built?
- Can experiments run in parallel?
- What's the critical path to first validated learning?
Phase 7: Documentation & Handoff
Report Output
Use naming pattern from ## Naming section in injected context.
Create markdown summary report:
# Brainstorm Session Report: [Topic]
## Session Context
- Scenario: [Problem-Solving / New Product / Enhancement]
- Role: [PO / BA / Mixed]
- Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
- Input: [Original question/problem]
## Problem Statement
[POV format]
## Root Cause Analysis
[5 Whys or Fishbone — if Problem-Solving]
## Job Stories
1. [Job Story 1]
2. [Job Story 2]
3. [Job Story 3]
## HMW Questions
1. How might we...
2. How might we...
## Opportunity Map
[OST or Lean Canvas — per scenario]
## Raw Ideas Generated
[Total count: XX ideas across SCAMPER / Crazy 8s / Impact Mapping]
## Scored Shortlist (RICE)
| Rank | Idea | RICE | Kano | Effort | Priority |
| ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ------ | ----------- |
| 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | Must Have |
| 2 | ... | ... | ... | ... | Should Have |
## Hypothesis Cards
### Top Recommendation: [Option Name]
- Problem Hypothesis: ...
- Value Hypothesis: ...
- Riskiest Assumption: ...
- Cheapest Test: ...
- Success Metric: ...
## Decision
[Recommendation + rationale]
## Next Steps
- [ ] [First concrete action]
- [ ] [Validation test]
- [ ] [Stakeholder alignment needed]Technique Quick Reference
| Technique | Phase | When to Use | Time-box |
|---|---|---|---|
| POV Statement | P1 | Always | 10 min |
| 5 Whys | P1 | Problem-solving scenario | 15 min |
| Fishbone | P1 | Systemic/complex problems | 20 min |
| JTBD / Job Stories | P1 | New product or enhancement | 20 min |
| HMW Questions | P1 | Always — bridge problem → ideation | 15 min |
| Opportunity Solution Tree | P2 | Enhancement scenario | 30 min |
| Lean Canvas | P2 | New product scenario | 20 min |
| Blue Ocean ERRC | P2 | Differentiation needed | 20 min |
| Value Proposition Canvas | P2 | Product-market fit unclear | 25 min |
| SCAMPER | P3 | Always — structured ideation | 30 min |
| Crazy 8s | P3 | Need quantity fast | 8 min |
| Brainwriting 6-3-5 | P3 | Multi-stakeholder, async | 30 min |
| Impact Mapping | P3 | Outcome-first thinking | 30 min |
| Analogical Thinking | P3 | Novel/creative directions needed | 15 min |
| Dot Voting | P4 | First-pass elimination | 10 min |
| RICE Scoring | P4 | Always for prioritization | 20 min |
| Kano Model | P4 | Feature classification | 15 min |
| 2×2 Effort/Impact | P4 | Visual triage | 10 min |
| MoSCoW | P4 | Release scoping | 15 min |
| Problem Hypothesis | P5 | Always before committing | 15 min |
| Value Hypothesis | P5 | Always before committing | 15 min |
| Riskiest Assumption Test | P5 | Before full build | 20 min |
| Build-Measure-Learn | P5 | Lean validation | 20 min |
Role-Specific Guidance
PO Mode (Outcome Focus)
- Lead with: desired business outcome → opportunities → experiments
- Use: OST, Impact Mapping, RICE, Build-Measure-Learn
- Ask: "What behavior change do we need to see in users?"
- Resist: jumping to features before validating the outcome
BA Mode (Requirements Focus)
- Lead with: stakeholder needs → process gaps → requirements
- Use: BABOK elicitation (interviews, workshops, document analysis), Fishbone, JTBD
- Ask: "What does the system need to do to enable that behavior?"
- Resist: over-specifying before the PO validates the opportunity
Mixed PO + BA Mode
- PO owns: problem statement, opportunity framing, prioritization, hypothesis
- BA owns: requirements elicitation, acceptance criteria, edge cases, process mapping
- Handoff point: after Phase 4 (scored shortlist) → BA writes acceptance criteria per idea
Collaboration Tools
planneragent — research industry best practices for specific domaindocs-manageragent — understand existing feature constraints and domain contextWebSearch— market/competitor context for new product scenariosdocs-seekerskill — latest documentation for external plugins/APIsai-multimodalskill — analyze visual mockups, screenshots, competitor UIssequential-thinkingskill — complex problem decomposition requiring structured causal chainsweb-researchskill — deep market research for greenfield or competitive analysis
Scenario Cheat Sheets
Scenario A: Problem-Solving
1. POV Statement → 2. 5 Whys / Fishbone → 3. HMW Questions
→ 4. SCAMPER on current solution → 5. RICE scoring
→ 6. Problem Hypothesis + RAT → 7. Recommend + cheapest testScenario B: New Product
1. Job Stories (JTBD) → 2. Lean Canvas → 3. Blue Ocean ERRC
→ 4. HMW Questions → 5. Crazy 8s / Brainwriting
→ 6. Kano Classification → 7. Value Hypothesis + RAT → 8. MVP scopeScenario C: Feature Enhancement
1. Job Stories (JTBD) → 2. Opportunity Solution Tree
→ 3. HMW Questions → 4. SCAMPER on existing feature
→ 5. Impact Mapping → 6. RICE scoring → 7. 2×2 matrix
→ 8. Value Hypothesis + RAT → 9. Recommend + next experimentAnti-Patterns to Avoid
| Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails | Better Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Jumping to solutions before defining problem | Builds the wrong thing | Always complete Phase 1 first |
| Evaluating ideas while generating them | Kills creative output, premature closure | Strict diverge/converge separation |
| One stakeholder perspective only | Misses jobs, pains, context | Brainwriting from 6 different roles |
| No hypothesis before building | 42% of features fail — no market need | Always write hypothesis + RAT |
| RICE without confidence score | Overestimates low-evidence ideas | Always include Confidence as a multiplier |
| Kano ignored — building only Delighters | Users can't use a delighter with broken Must-Bes | Prioritize Must-Be → Performance → Delighter |
| "Best idea wins" without validation test | HiPPO bias (Highest Paid Person's Opinion) | Every top idea needs a RAT test design |
| Scope creep in ideation | Ideas balloon beyond what team can validate | Timebox each phase strictly |
| Treating RICE score as final truth | RICE is directional, not precise | Use RICE + Kano + strategic context together |
Critical Constraints
- DO NOT implement solutions — brainstorm and advise only
- DO validate hypotheses before endorsing any approach
- DO prioritize long-term maintainability over short-term convenience
- DO consider both technical excellence and business pragmatism
- DO produce a scored, ranked shortlist — never just a flat idea list
- DO always design the cheapest validation test — RAT before full spec
Workflow Integration
After brainstorm session concludes, use AskUserQuestion to present next steps:
| Next Step | When | Skill/Workflow |
|---|---|---|
/idea | Capture top idea as backlog artifact | idea skill |
/refine | Turn top idea into actionable PBI with AC | refine skill |
/web-research | Need deeper market/competitor research first | web-research skill |
/plan | Problem is clear, solution is validated, ready to implement | plan skill |
/design-spec | UI-heavy idea, need wireframes before spec | design-spec skill |
/domain-analysis | Idea touches domain entities, need model first | domain-analysis skill |
| Continue brainstorming | More scenarios to explore | Stay in this session |
Closing Reminders
- MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION break work into small todo tasks using
TaskCreateBEFORE starting - MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION detect scenario type FIRST — different scenarios use different technique sequences
- MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION separate diverge (generate) and converge (evaluate) — NEVER mix them
- MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION write a hypothesis card for every top-3 recommendation
- MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION design cheapest validation test before recommending full implementation
- MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite evidence for every claim — confidence >80% to recommend
- MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION use
AskUserQuestionfor all user decisions — never auto-decide - MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION add a final review todo task to verify work quality
- MUST ATTENTION apply critical thinking — every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact.
- MUST ATTENTION apply AI mistake prevention — holistic-first debugging, fix at responsible layer, surface ambiguity before coding, re-read files after compaction.
[TASK-PLANNING] Before acting, analyze task scope and systematically break it into small todo tasks and sub-tasks using TaskCreate.
[IMPORTANT] Analyze how big the task is and break it into many small todo tasks systematically before starting — this is very important.
Prompt-Enhance Closing Anchors
- IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION follow declared step order for this skill; NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval
- IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION for every step/sub-skill call: set
in_progressbefore execution, setcompletedafter execution - IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every skipped step MUST include explicit reason; every completed step MUST include concise evidence
- IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION if Task tools unavailable, maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with synchronized statuses