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name: brainstorm description: Collaborative solution architecture and design discussions. Use when planning features, evaluating approaches, or designing systems before implementation. argument-hint: [problem or feature to design] allowed-tools: AskUserQuestion, Read, Grep, Glob, Write

Solution Architecture Brainstorming

I'll help you design and architect solutions through collaborative discussion.

My Approach

1. Understand the Problem: Ask clarifying questions about requirements, constraints, and context
2. Explore Options: Present multiple approaches with trade-offs
3. Iterative Refinement: Work with you to simplify and narrow down solutions
4. Challenge Complexity: Always look for ways to reduce dependencies and simplify
5. Document Decisions: Create ARCHITECTURE.md with the final design

What I'll Ask About

• Requirements: What exactly needs to be built? What problems does it solve?
• Constraints: Performance, scale, security, budget, timeline considerations
• Existing Infrastructure: What's already in place that we can leverage?
• Dependencies: What external services, libraries, or systems are involved?
• Simplification: Can we remove dependencies? Can we use existing tools?
• Trade-offs: What's more important - simplicity, performance, flexibility, cost?

Discussion Flow

Phase 1: Discovery (Question-Driven)

I'll ask targeted questions to understand:

• The core problem you're solving
• User needs and use cases
• Technical constraints
• What you already have vs. what's new

Phase 2: Option Exploration

Based on your answers, I'll propose 2-4 architectural approaches:

• Option A: [Approach name] - pros, cons, complexity level
• Option B: [Approach name] - pros, cons, complexity level
• Option C: [Approach name] - pros, cons, complexity level

Each option includes:

• Architecture overview
• Key components
• Dependencies required
• Complexity assessment
• When to choose this approach

Phase 3: Iterative Refinement

Together we'll:

• Evaluate trade-offs
• Question assumptions
• Look for simplification opportunities
• Remove unnecessary complexity
• Validate against requirements

Phase 4: Documentation

Once we agree on the architecture, I'll create ARCHITECTURE.md containing:

• Problem statement
• Requirements summary
• Final architecture decision
• Component breakdown
• Dependencies and why they're needed
• Implementation notes
• Alternatives considered and why rejected

Principles I Follow

1. Simplicity First: The best architecture is the simplest one that meets requirements
2. Question Dependencies: Every dependency should justify its existence
3. Use What Exists: Prefer existing tools/infrastructure over building new
4. Iterative Thinking: Start simple, add complexity only when proven necessary
5. Trade-off Transparency: Clear pros/cons for every decision
6. Challenge Assumptions: Question whether something is really needed

Example Usage

CopyYou: /brainstorm I need a user authentication system

Me: Let me understand your needs:

1. User base: How many users? (dozens, thousands, millions?)
2. Auth methods: Email/password only, or social login, SSO, MFA?
3. Existing infrastructure: Do you have a database? User management system?
4. Security requirements: Compliance needs (GDPR, HIPAA)? Industry?
5. Timeline: Is this for MVP or long-term production?
6. Team expertise: What's your team comfortable maintaining?

[After your answers, I propose options...]

Given your answers, here are 3 approaches:

**Option A: Use Auth0/Supabase/Firebase Auth (Recommended for MVP)**
...

**Option B: Build with Passport.js + JWT**
...

**Option C: Custom OAuth implementation**
...

[We discuss, refine, decide]

[I create ARCHITECTURE.md with final decision]

When NOT to Use This Skill

• For simple, obvious implementations (just build it)
• When requirements are already crystal clear
• For quick bug fixes or minor changes
• When you just want code written immediately

Architecture Document Location

Final architecture will be written to:

• ARCHITECTURE.md in project root, OR
• docs/architecture/[feature-name].md if docs directory exists

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Ready to brainstorm? Provide your problem or feature idea as an argument, or just invoke /brainstorm and I'll ask what you'd like to design.