brainstorming
Use when defining new features, product behavior, UI/component design, architecture choices, contract changes, or ambiguous medium/high-complexity work before implementation, or when the user asks to grill or pressure-test a plan or design.
npx skills add GanyuanRan/Aegis --skill brainstorming --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
What it does
The skill directs an agent to conduct early-stage design work for new features, product behavior, UI/component design, architecture choices, or contract changes, especially when work is ambiguous or medium/high complexity. It prompts for grilling or pressure-testing a plan and emphasizes starting with design, not implementation, until approvals are obtained. It imposes a hard gate that prevents writing code or scaffolding projects until the design/spec is approved.
How it works
- Detects intent to grill or pressure-test a plan or to design a new feature or change. If grilling, enters Grilling Mode with a specific opening card showing target and question path. If not grilling, follows the standard design-first process.
- Follow the steps: Explore project context, ask clarifying questions one at a time (prefer multiple choice), propose 2-3 approaches with trade-offs and a recommendation, present design sections and seek approval after each, then write a spec and perform self-review before transitioning to writing-plans.
- Enforces a HARD GATE: do not write code, scaffold projects, or invoke implementation skills until the design/spec is approved.
- For each brainstorming iteration, start by understanding project context and authority docs, then proceed through the explicit checklist items to produce stabilization artifacts and a plan once approved.
When to use it
Use for defining new features or changes, ambiguous medium/high-complexity work, or when the user asks to grill a plan or design. The workflow activates a design-first approach and requires approval before any implementation steps.
What it can touch
- Tools explicitly allowed for this skill: none listed beyond general workflow. The skill emphasizes design artifacts and approvals rather than touching code or files directly in this description.
Caveats
- The skill contains a hard gate that prohibits coding or scaffold actions until design/spec approval is obtained.
- It requires presenting 2-3 design approaches with trade-offs and a recommended option before proceeding.
- It prioritizes asking clarifying questions one at a time and presenting design sections for user approval after each step.
- It instructs entering a specialized Grilling Mode when the user requests a pressure-test, with a defined opening card and pace rules.
# Execute → Direct grilling or plan/design pressure-test? → Enter `Grilling Mode` below. Soft challenge intent? → Use its one-line mode confirmation. Do not start normal design artifacts, document writing, task planning, or implementation during the interview. → New feature, product behavior, UI/component design, architecture/contract change, or ambiguous medium/high-complexity work? → **Design first. No implementation until the needed design/spec is approved.** 1. Explore project context → read authority docs, check for existing patterns 2. Ask clarifying questions one at a time (prefer multiple choice) 3. Propose 2-3 approaches with trade-offs and your recommendation 4. Present design sections → get user approval after each 5. Write spec → self-review → user review → transition to writing-plans → HARD GATE: For tasks that match this skill, do NOT write code, scaffold projects, or invoke implementation skills until design/spec approval is satisfied. # Brainstorming Ideas Into Designs Help turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue. Start by understanding the current project context and authority boundary, then ask questions one at a time
- Grilling Mode
- Mode Precedence
- Grilling Entry Signals
- Opening Card
- Pace
- Route Away / Doc Necessity Gate
- Checklist
- The Process
- After the Design
- Key Principles
- BASELINE-GOVERNANCE.md Template
- Initial Baseline Snapshot Template
What does the brainstorming skill do?
Use when defining new features, product behavior, UI/component design, architecture choices, contract changes, or ambiguous medium/high-complexity work before implementation, or when the user asks to grill or pressure-test a plan or design.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add GanyuanRan/Aegis --skill brainstorming --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From GanyuanRan/Aegis, a repository with 902 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.