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name: research-brainstormer description: Transform research ideas into actionable experiments with hypotheses, iteration rewards, and completion criteria. Use when brainstorming experiments, designing research plans, converting vague ideas into structured plans, or needing fast feedback signals for implementation. Triggers on phrases like "brainstorm experiments", "design an experiment", "what should I test", "turn this idea into an experiment", or "help me plan research".

Research Brainstormer

Turn research ideas into rigorous, fast-iterating experimental designs with clear completion criteria.

Workflow

Copy1. Understand → 2. Assess Tractability → 3. Design Experiments →
4. Design Iteration Rewards → 5. Prioritize → 6. Create Tasks → 7. Save Plan

Phase 1: Understand the Research Space

Ask clarifying questions ONE AT A TIME (prefer multiple choice):

• What sparked this idea? (intuition, observation, paper, failed experiment?)
• What would success look like?
• What's the fastest way to test if this has merit?

Phase 2: Tractability Assessment

If Red flags dominate: Consider pivoting. Low-hanging fruit is elsewhere.

Phase 3: Design Experiments

For each experiment, define:

Copy## Experiment: {Name}

### Research Question
{One clear question this answers}

### Hypothesis
{Specific, falsifiable prediction}

### Variables
- **Independent**: {what you manipulate}
- **Dependent**: {what you measure}
- **Controls**: {what you hold constant}

### Methodology
1. {step-by-step procedure}
2. {data collection}
3. {analysis plan}

See plan-template.md for full template.

Phase 4: Design Iteration Rewards

Goal: Never implement >30 min without feedback.

For each experiment, define:

Template

Copy## Iteration Rewards for: {experiment name}

**After 1 min**: {smoke test}
**After 5 min**: {quick metric on small sample}
**After 15 min**: {partial results expectation}
**After 30 min**: {pivot or persist decision}

**Progress signals to log**:
- {metric 1}
- {metric 2}

**Green flags (REQUIRED before done)**:
- [ ] {checkpoint 1 - must pass to be complete}
- [ ] {checkpoint 2}
- [ ] {checkpoint 3}

**Red flags (abandon immediately)**:
- {sign this approach won't work}

See validation-patterns.md for examples.

Phase 5: Prioritize

Rank by:

1. Information / Time - high info, low time first
2. Dependencies - what unblocks other experiments?
3. Swamp risk - safer bets early

Phase 6: Create Tasks

Use /todoist-task-creator skill. Project IDs:

• Astra Research Todo: 2363714334
• Research: 2363714490

Phase 7: Save Plan

REQUIRED: Write plan to .claude/plans/research_tasks/plan-{N}.md

1. Check existing: ls .claude/plans/research_tasks/plan-*.md
2. Create next numbered file
3. Use template from plan-template.md

This queue feeds into /research-executor skill.

Output Format

Present in sections (200-300 words each):

1. Context Summary
2. Tractability Assessment
3. Experiment Proposals (2-4, ranked)
4. Iteration Rewards (with green/red flags)
5. Recommended Path
6. Task Creation confirmation
7. Plan file location

After each section: "Does this look right so far?"

Key Principles

• One question at a time, prefer multiple choice
• YAGNI ruthlessly - simpler experiments are better
• Fast iteration > perfect design
• Green flags define "done" - not done until all checked
• Red flags mean pivot - don't persist in swamps

Related Skills

• /research-methodology - Ethan Perez's velocity tips
• /todoist-task-creator - structured task creation
• /research-executor - executes plans from queue
• /statistical-analysis - experiment design help