---

name: superspec:brainstorm description: | Use before any feature work. Progressive design flow with four phases: Explore → Propose → Design → Spec Outputs: proposal.md, design.md, specs/*.md

Brainstorming: From Ideas to Specifications

Overview

A progressive flow that guides from free exploration to structured specifications. One command, four phases, complete design documentation.

Copy┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     /superspec:brainstorm                            │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                      │
│   Phase 1: EXPLORE                                                   │
│   ─────────────────                                                  │
│   Free exploration, understand the problem                           │
│   • Ask clarifying questions                                         │
│   • Investigate the codebase                                         │
│   • Visualize ideas                                                  │
│                                                                      │
│                    ↓ Problem sufficiently clear                      │
│                                                                      │
│   Phase 2: PROPOSE → proposal.md                                     │
│   ─────────────────                                                  │
│   Define change scope                                                │
│   • Why (problem/opportunity)                                        │
│   • What Changes (change list)                                       │
│   • Capabilities (feature scope)                                     │
│   • Impact (affected areas)                                          │
│                                                                      │
│                    ↓ Scope confirmed                                 │
│                                                                      │
│   Phase 3: DESIGN → design.md                                        │
│   ─────────────────                                                  │
│   Technical solution design                                          │
│   • 2-3 approach comparison                                          │
│   • Chosen approach with rationale                                   │
│   • Trade-offs                                                       │
│   • Technical details                                                │
│                                                                      │
│                    ↓ Approach confirmed                              │
│                                                                      │
│   Phase 4: SPEC → specs/*.md                                         │
│   ─────────────────                                                  │
│   Define specifications (testable behavior)                          │
│   • Requirements (system SHALL...)                                   │
│   • Scenarios (WHEN/THEN → each becomes a test)                      │
│                                                                      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Announce at start: "I'm using the brainstorm skill to explore this idea and develop specifications."

When to Use

Always use before:

• New features or functionality
• Breaking changes
• Architecture changes
• Behavior modifications

Skip for:

• Bug fixes (restore intended behavior)
• Typos, formatting
• Configuration changes

---

Phase 1: EXPLORE

The Stance

This phase is a stance, not a workflow. Be curious, not prescriptive.

What You Do

Understand Context First:

Copysuperspec list --specs    # Existing specs
superspec list            # In-progress changes

Then Explore Freely:

• Ask clarifying questions (one at a time)
• Challenge assumptions
• Reframe the problem
• Investigate the codebase
• Visualize with ASCII diagrams

Visualization

Use ASCII diagrams liberally:

Copy┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│     Current State vs Desired State       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   NOW                    GOAL            │
│   ┌────────┐            ┌────────┐      │
│   │ Single │  ────────▶ │  2FA   │      │
│   │ Factor │            │ Enabled│      │
│   └────────┘            └────────┘      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Transition Signal

"I have sufficient understanding of the problem. Let's define the change scope."

---

Phase 2: PROPOSE → proposal.md

Purpose

Define Why and What, without addressing How.

Output

Create: superspec/changes/[change-id]/proposal.md

Copy# Change: [Brief Description]

## Why
[1-2 sentences - problem/opportunity]

What problem does this solve?
Why is this the right time to address it?

## What Changes
- [Change 1]
- [Change 2]
- [**BREAKING** if applicable]

## Capabilities

### New Capabilities
- [capability-name]: [brief description]

### Modified Capabilities
- [existing-capability]: [what changes]

## Impact
- Affected specs: [list]
- Affected code: [key files]
- Affected APIs: [endpoints]
- Dependencies: [new/changed]

Key Points

• Keep it brief (within 1 page)
• Focus on Why and What
• Don't include technical details (that's for design.md)

Transition Signal

"Change scope confirmed. Let's design the technical solution."

---

Phase 3: DESIGN → design.md

Purpose

Define How - technical solution and decisions.

Output

Create: superspec/changes/[change-id]/design.md

Copy# Design: [Feature Name]

## Context
[Background, current state, constraints]

## Goals / Non-Goals

### Goals
- [What this design achieves]

### Non-Goals
- [What this design explicitly excludes]

## Approaches Considered

### Approach A: [Name]
[Description]

**Pros:**
- [Advantage 1]
- [Advantage 2]

**Cons:**
- [Disadvantage 1]
- [Disadvantage 2]

### Approach B: [Name]
[Description]

**Pros:**
- [Advantages]

**Cons:**
- [Disadvantages]

### Approach C: [Name] (if applicable)
[Description]

## Decision

**Chosen Approach:** [A/B/C]

**Rationale:**
[Why this approach was selected]

## Trade-offs
[What we're giving up and why it's acceptable]

## Technical Details

### Architecture
[High-level architecture description]

### Key Components
- [Component 1]: [Purpose]
- [Component 2]: [Purpose]

### Data Flow

[ASCII diagram of data flow]

Copy
## Risks and Mitigations
| Risk | Mitigation |
|------|------------|
| [Risk 1] | [How to mitigate] |
| [Risk 2] | [How to mitigate] |

## Open Questions
- [Question 1]
- [Question 2]

Key Points

• Must compare 2-3 approaches
• Clearly state the rationale for selection
• Document trade-offs
• Technical details should be specific but not excessive

Transition Signal

"Technical solution confirmed. Let's define the specifications - each Scenario will become a test case."

---

Phase 4: SPEC → specs/*.md

Purpose

Define testable behavior - Requirements and Scenarios.

Critical Mindset

CopyEach Scenario will become a TDD test
Write Scenarios like test descriptions

Output

Create: superspec/changes/[change-id]/specs/[capability]/spec.md

For New Capabilities:

Copy# [Capability Name] Specification

## Purpose
[1-2 sentences explaining what this capability provides]

## Requirements

### Requirement: [Requirement Name]
The system SHALL [behavior description].

#### Scenario: [Scenario Name]
- **WHEN** [trigger condition]
- **THEN** [expected result]
- **AND** [additional result] (optional)

#### Scenario: [Another Scenario]
- **WHEN** [different condition]
- **THEN** [different result]

### Requirement: [Another Requirement]
The system SHALL [another behavior].

#### Scenario: [Scenario Name]
- **WHEN** [condition]
- **THEN** [result]

For Modified Capabilities (Delta Spec):

Copy## ADDED Requirements

### Requirement: [New Feature]
The system SHALL [new behavior].

#### Scenario: [New Scenario]
- **WHEN** [condition]
- **THEN** [result]

## MODIFIED Requirements

### Requirement: [Existing Feature - EXACT NAME MATCH]
The system SHALL [updated behavior - FULL CONTENT].

#### Scenario: [Updated Scenario]
- **WHEN** [updated condition]
- **THEN** [updated result]

## REMOVED Requirements

### Requirement: [Deprecated Feature]
**Reason**: [Why removing]
**Migration**: [How to handle existing usage]

## RENAMED Requirements
- FROM: `### Requirement: Old Name`
- TO: `### Requirement: New Name`

Scenario Writing Tips

Think Like Tests:

Be Specific:

Copy# Bad - Too vague
#### Scenario: User logs in
- WHEN user logs in
- THEN it works

# Good - Specific and testable
#### Scenario: Valid credentials accepted
- **WHEN** user provides valid email and password
- **THEN** system returns authentication token
- **AND** session is created with 24-hour expiry

Validation

After writing specs:

Copysuperspec validate [change-id] --strict

---

Complete Example

Phase 1: EXPLORE

CopyUser: I want to add two-factor authentication

Claude: Let me first understand...

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              2FA Option Space                │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   TOTP          SMS           WebAuthn      │
│   ┌────┐       ┌────┐        ┌────┐        │
│   │ App│       │ Phone│      │ Key │        │
│   └────┘       └────┘        └────┘        │
│   Works offline Needs network Needs hardware│
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘

A few questions:
1. Who are the primary users?
2. Do you need offline verification?
3. Any budget constraints?

User: Consumer-focused, need offline, low budget

Claude: Understood, this points to TOTP solution. Let's define the change scope...

Phase 2: PROPOSE → proposal.md

Copy# Change: Add Two-Factor Authentication

## Why
Users have requested additional account security. Single-factor auth
identified as vulnerability in security audit.

## What Changes
- Add TOTP-based 2FA option
- Add backup codes for recovery
- **BREAKING**: Login flow requires 2FA when enabled

## Capabilities

### New Capabilities
- two-factor-auth: TOTP setup, verification, management
- backup-codes: Generation and redemption

### Modified Capabilities
- user-auth: Login flow includes 2FA step

## Impact
- Affected specs: user-auth
- Affected code: src/auth/*
- Affected APIs: POST /auth/login, /auth/2fa/*
- Dependencies: otplib (new)

Phase 3: DESIGN → design.md

Copy# Design: Two-Factor Authentication

## Context
Current system uses single-factor (password) authentication.
Need to add optional 2FA for enhanced security.

## Goals / Non-Goals

### Goals
- TOTP-based 2FA
- Backup codes for recovery
- Seamless user experience

### Non-Goals
- SMS OTP (cost, security concerns)
- WebAuthn (complexity, hardware requirement)

## Approaches Considered

### Approach A: TOTP Only
Standard TOTP with authenticator apps.

**Pros:** Simple, offline, free, standard
**Cons:** Requires app installation

### Approach B: TOTP + Email Fallback
TOTP primary, email OTP as fallback.

**Pros:** More accessible
**Cons:** Email less secure, adds complexity

### Approach C: TOTP + WebAuthn
TOTP primary, WebAuthn for advanced users.

**Pros:** Most secure option available
**Cons:** Complex, hardware dependency

## Decision

**Chosen Approach:** A (TOTP Only)

**Rationale:**
- Meets offline requirement
- No additional cost
- Industry standard
- Can add WebAuthn later as enhancement

## Trade-offs
- Users must install authenticator app
- No fallback if phone lost (mitigated by backup codes)

## Technical Details

### Architecture

┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │ Client │────▶│ API │────▶│ TOTP Svc │ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │ ▼ ┌──────────┐ │ DB │ │ (secret) │ └──────────┘

Copy
### Key Components
- TOTPService: Generate/verify codes
- BackupCodeService: Generate/redeem codes
- AuthMiddleware: 2FA verification step

## Risks and Mitigations
| Risk | Mitigation |
|------|------------|
| User loses phone | Backup codes |
| Time sync issues | 30-second window tolerance |

Phase 4: SPEC → specs/*.md

Copy# Two-Factor Authentication Specification

## Purpose
Provides TOTP-based two-factor authentication for enhanced security.

## Requirements

### Requirement: 2FA Setup
The system SHALL allow users to enable TOTP-based 2FA.

#### Scenario: Generate setup QR code
- **WHEN** user requests 2FA setup
- **THEN** system generates TOTP secret
- **AND** displays QR code for authenticator app
- **AND** displays manual entry code

#### Scenario: Verify setup with valid code
- **WHEN** user enters valid TOTP code during setup
- **THEN** 2FA is enabled on account
- **AND** backup codes are generated

#### Scenario: Reject invalid setup code
- **WHEN** user enters invalid TOTP code during setup
- **THEN** setup fails
- **AND** user can retry

### Requirement: 2FA Verification
The system SHALL require TOTP verification during login when enabled.

#### Scenario: Valid TOTP accepted
- **WHEN** user enters valid TOTP code
- **THEN** login succeeds
- **AND** session is created

#### Scenario: Invalid TOTP rejected
- **WHEN** user enters invalid TOTP code
- **THEN** login fails
- **AND** attempt is logged

#### Scenario: Rate limiting on failures
- **WHEN** user fails 5 TOTP attempts
- **THEN** account is temporarily locked
- **AND** user is notified

---

Outputs Summary

After completing all four phases:

Copysuperspec/changes/[change-id]/
├── proposal.md      # Phase 2: Why + What
├── design.md        # Phase 3: How (technical solution)
└── specs/
    └── [capability]/
        └── spec.md  # Phase 4: What (specification details)

Validation

Before proceeding to planning:

Copysuperspec validate [change-id] --strict

Next Step

After brainstorm completes:

"Design complete! Documents saved:

• superspec/changes/[id]/proposal.md
• superspec/changes/[id]/design.md
• superspec/changes/[id]/specs/[cap]/spec.md

Validation: superspec validate [id] --strict

Next step: /superspec:plan to create TDD implementation plan"

---

Key Principles

Document Responsibilities

Red Flags