brainstorm-workflow

Brainstorm Workflow

Thin design-to-plan host. Design dialogue is owned by external Superpowers brainstorming; implementation planning is owned by in-repo solve-workflow"Make a plan". This host owns prerequisite checks, path prompt, terminal override (no writing-plans), and hard handoff.

Not a stricter solve-workflow. Bug root-cause / evidence-driven diagnosis → use solve-workflow or opsx-solve-workflow.

Output templates: reference.md.

Positioning

This host	Prefer instead
New feature, fuzzy requirements, architecture/design before code	—
Collaborative design → approved spec → executable plan	—
Bug / regression / “why is it broken?”	solve-workflow / opsx-solve-workflow
Already have an approved plan, need execute/verify only	solve-workflow from "Execute plan"
Long unattended run toward a verifiable goal	goal-driven-workflow

Prerequisite skill check

At startup, verify every frontmatter dependencies entry. If any is missing, abort with the install table in reference.md — no silent degradation.

Missing skill	Install
brainstorming	Install Superpowers (provides brainstorming), e.g. platform plugin from https://github.com/obra/superpowers, or npx skills add https://github.com/obra/superpowers.git --skill brainstorming when the skills CLI supports it. Directory / name MUST be brainstorming.
solve-workflow	npx skills add FuDesign2008/open-skills -g --skill solve-workflow --yes

Must not vendor: do not add skills/brainstorming/ to this repository.

Triggers and modes

Phrasing	Mode	Note
"Brainstorm" "Design brainstorm" "Design first, then plan" "brainstorm workflow"	👤 Manual	Default; pause at host exits below
"Auto brainstorm" "Auto mode" + brainstorm intent	🤖 Auto	After written-spec approval, hard-handoff without extra host pause

Mode detection: trigger contains "Auto" → auto; else manual. Mid-run: "Switch to auto mode"/"Switch to manual mode".

Flow (host orchestration only)

0 Prerequisite check (brainstorming + solve-workflow)
1 Intent gate — if bug root-cause primary → redirect to solve / opsx-solve; abort this host
2 Load brainstorming — follow it for context → clarify → approaches → sectional design → write spec → self-review → user reviews written spec
   Host overrides (MUST win over brainstorming defaults):
   - Before write: ask save path; recommend docs/design/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md
   - After written-spec approval: do NOT invoke writing-plans
3 Hard handoff — load solve-workflow at「制定计划」(Make a Plan); skip solve stages 1–4; pass design path + summary
4 Stop at solve stage-5 exit (plan confirmation) — further execute/verify is solve-workflow, not this host

Host exits

Point	👤 Manual	🤖 Auto
After intent gate (if redirect)	Stop; tell user to use solve	Same
Path prompt before writing design	Wait for path / accept default	May accept recommended default if user already said auto and topic is clear; still announce the path used
After user approves written spec	Confirm handoff once	Proceed to hard handoff
Inside solve Make a Plan	Follow solve-workflow stage-5 rules	Follow solve-workflow auto rules

Stage details

0–1. Gate

1. Run prerequisite check.
2. If the user’s primary goal is locating/fixing a defect in existing behavior (root cause), redirect to solve-workflow / opsx-solve-workflow and abort this host (do not start brainstorming as a substitute for analysis-core).

2. Delegate design to brainstorming

Load brainstorming and follow its checklist (explore context, one question per turn, 2–3 approaches, sectional design approval, write design doc, spec self-review, user review of the written spec).

Overrides (host wins):

1. Save path — Before writing the design file, ask where to save. Recommend: docs/design/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md. User preference overrides. Do not silently use docs/superpowers/specs/ unless the user chooses that path.
2. Terminal — After the user approves the written spec, do not invoke writing-plans. Go to hard handoff (§3).

Visual Companion and other brainstorming optional tools remain as defined by that skill (intent-only; no platform-tool hardcoding in this host).

3. Hard handoff to solve-workflow Make a Plan

1. Load solve-workflow.
2. Enter Stage 5 — Make a Plan only (skip stages 1–4 for this work item).
3. Supply handoff inputs (reference.md § Handoff payload): approved design path, short summary (goal, chosen approach, constraints, non-goals).
4. Produce the plan per solve-workflow Stage 5. This host MUST NOT write business/production code.

After the plan is confirmed, the user continues inside solve-workflow ("Execute plan"…) if they want implementation — that is outside this host’s success criteria.

Red flags

• Starting design dialogue when the ask is bug root-cause analysis
• Invoking writing-plans after design approval
• Writing the design doc without a path question (unless auto accepted the announced default)
• Re-running solve stages 1–4 after a successful handoff for the same design
• Silent degrade when brainstorming or solve-workflow is missing
• Vendoring brainstorming into this repo