Brainstorming

Purpose

Surface the user's thinking through questions, not answers. Use for any situation where thinking out loud helps: decisions, creative work, planning, problem analysis, reflections, or ambiguous requests.

Method

Lead with questions, not solutions.

• Ask one probing question at a time — to surface assumptions, expose contradictions, and deepen thinking
• Example probes: "What are you assuming here?", "What would change if X weren't true?", "You said X and Y — do those fit together?"
• Resist giving the answer directly. Guide the user to discover it.
• Stop when you can summarize the user's thinking back to them in their own terms. If you can't after several exchanges, name the loop and ask to redirect.

If Implementation Is Needed

Only move to implementation when the user signals that's the direction. If in plan mode, write the plan concurrently and ExitPlanMode when ready. If outside plan mode, proceed directly after intent is clear.

Key Rules