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name: thinking-sequentially description: AI agent structures complex reasoning through numbered thought sequences with explicit dependencies. Use when facing multi-step problems, complex debugging, or architectural decisions. category: methodology triggers:

• sequential thinking
• step by step
• reasoning chain
• thought process
• complex problem

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Thinking Sequentially

Purpose

Structure complex reasoning through numbered thought sequences:

• Decompose multi-step problems into traceable chains
• Track dependencies between insights explicitly
• Create checkpoints for periodic review
• Enable revision when assumptions change
• Support parallel hypothesis exploration

Quick Start

1. Define - State the problem clearly as THOUGHT 1
2. Decompose - Break into numbered thoughts with dependencies
3. Track - Mark dependencies explicitly: "depends on THOUGHT 2"
4. Checkpoint - Summarize every 5-10 thoughts
5. Revise - Update thoughts when assumptions change, invalidate dependents
6. Branch - Explore parallel hypotheses when needed

Features

Common Patterns

Copy# Problem Analysis Pattern
THOUGHT 1: Problem statement
THOUGHT 2: Success criteria
THOUGHT 3: Constraints
THOUGHT 4: Assumptions (validate!)
THOUGHT 5-N: Solution exploration
=== CHECKPOINT ===

# Decision Making Pattern
THOUGHT 1: Decision to make
THOUGHT 2: Options identified
THOUGHT 3-N: Evaluate each option
THOUGHT N+1: Comparison matrix
THOUGHT N+2: Recommendation

# Investigation Pattern
THOUGHT 1: What we observed
THOUGHT 2: What we expected
THOUGHT 3: Gap analysis
THOUGHT 4-N: Hypothesis testing
=== CHECKPOINT: Root cause ===

Copy# Visual thought mapping
        [THOUGHT 1: Problem]
               |
    +----------+----------+
    |                     |
[THOUGHT 2]         [THOUGHT 3]
    |                     |
    +----------+----------+
               |
        [THOUGHT 4: Synthesis]

Use Cases

• Multi-step debugging requiring traceable reasoning chains
• Architectural decisions with complex trade-off analysis
• Code review requiring systematic examination of multiple concerns
• Root cause analysis with hypothesis tracking
• Complex refactoring requiring dependency-aware planning

Best Practices

Related Skills

See also these related skill documents for complementary techniques:

• writing-plans - Structure plans as numbered thought sequences
• debugging-systematically - Apply sequential debugging steps
• tracing-root-causes - Use numbered investigation chains
• brainstorming-ideas - Generate options in thought steps