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Agent skill

Design-First Brainstorm

by first-fluke in first-fluke/oh-my-agent

Explores intent, constraints and alternative approaches before any planning, working through questions one at a time and saving an approved design for later steps.

MITAuto-check passedAgent Workflows

Install Design-First Brainstorm

skills CLI
$ npx skills add first-fluke/oh-my-agent --skill oma-brainstorm -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install first-fluke/oh-my-agent oma-brainstorm --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/first-fluke/oh-my-agent.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/runs/oma/.agents/skills/oma-brainstorm .claude/skills/oma-brainstorm && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
oma-brainstorm
GitHub stars
1.3k
Token cost
~1.7k tokens
SKILL.md length
793 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
57
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Explores intent, constraints and alternative approaches before any planning, working through questions one at a time and saving an approved design for later steps.

  • Works in 3 steps: Confirm that the request is exploratory… → Load enough project context to… → Start with intent and constraints, not…
  • Exploring a new feature idea before committing to a plan
  • SKILL.md covers Scheduling, Structural Flow, Logical Operations and References
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

The skill is for early ideas that are too ambiguous to plan or implement. The agent first confirms the request is exploratory, loads enough project context to see the constraints, and starts from intent and constraints rather than solutions. It then asks clarifying questions one at a time and proposes two or three approaches with tradeoffs and a recommended option.

Each section of the design is put to you for approval, and the approved design is saved as an artifact before handoff to the PM planning workflow for task breakdown. The skill stops short of implementation and task planning. It points elsewhere for clear requirements, which go to the PM agent, for coding, which goes to specialized agents, for code review, which goes to QA, and for debugging, which goes to the debug agent.

When your agent uses it

  • Exploring a new feature idea before committing to a plan
  • Comparing several design approaches and their tradeoffs
  • Clarifying a vague request before any task planning starts
  • Saving an approved design document to hand off to planning

Example prompts

  • “I have an idea for a team notes feature, so help me work out the design before we plan anything.”
  • “Compare two or three approaches for caching search results and recommend one.”
  • “Let's design the onboarding flow first, one question at a time, and save the approved design.”

Workflow steps

3 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Confirm that the request is exploratory rather than ready for implementation.
  2. Load enough project context to understand constraints.
  3. Start with intent and constraints, not solutions.

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit b364119. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Design-First Brainstorm loads about 1.7k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 53 tokens; SKILL.md has 793 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~53
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.7k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from first-fluke/oh-my-agent at commit b364119, republished under its MIT licence (© first-fluke). 793 words, ~1,727 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/oma-brainstorm/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
oma-brainstorm
description
Design-first ideation that explores user intent, constraints, and approaches before any planning or implementation. Use for brainstorming, ideation, exploring concepts, and evaluating approaches.

Brainstorm - Design-First Ideation

Scheduling

Goal

Explore user intent, constraints, and alternative approaches before planning or implementation, then preserve an approved design for downstream planning.

Intent signature
  • User says they have an idea, want to brainstorm, compare approaches, explore concepts, or design before planning.
  • Request is ambiguous enough that implementation or task planning would be premature.
When to use
  • Exploring a new feature idea before planning
  • Understanding user intent and constraints before committing to an approach
  • Comparing multiple design approaches with trade-offs
  • When the user says "I have an idea" or "let's design something"
  • Before invoking /plan for complex or ambiguous requests
When NOT to use
  • Requirements are already clear and well-defined -> use pm-agent directly
  • Implementing actual code -> delegate to specialized agents
  • Performing code reviews -> use QA Agent
  • Debugging existing issues -> use debug-agent
Expected inputs
  • Early idea, ambiguous goal, product concept, design question, or set of constraints
  • Existing project context when the idea must fit a codebase or product direction
  • User preferences and approval gates
Expected outputs
  • Clarified intent and constraints
  • Two or three approaches with tradeoffs and a recommended option
  • Section-by-section approved design document
  • Saved design artifact before handoff to planning
Dependencies
  • Shared context loading, reasoning templates, clarification protocol, quality principles, and skill routing
  • Downstream PM workflow for task decomposition after design approval
Control-flow features
  • Branches by ambiguity, user answers, approach comparison, and approval gates
  • Asks one question at a time
  • Stops before implementation or task planning

Structural Flow

Entry
  1. Confirm that the request is exploratory rather than ready for implementation.
  2. Load enough project context to understand constraints.
  3. Start with intent and constraints, not solutions.
Scenes
  1. PREPARE: Explore context and frame the design question.
  2. ACQUIRE: Ask clarifying questions one at a time.
  3. REASON: Generate two or three approaches with tradeoffs.
  4. VERIFY: Get user approval section by section.
  5. FINALIZE: Save design and transition to planning when appropriate.
Transitions
  • If requirements become clear and implementation-ready, transition to PM planning.
  • If user rejects an approach, revise before moving to detailed design.
  • If implementation pressure appears early, defer it until design approval.
Failure and recovery
  • If the user cannot answer a question, propose assumptions and ask for confirmation.
  • If scope expands, split the design into smaller sections.
  • If alternatives collapse into one option, identify the real constraint causing that.
Exit
  • Success: approved design exists and is ready for planning.
  • Partial success: open questions and assumptions are explicit.

Logical Operations

Actions
ActionSSL primitiveEvidence
Read context and ideaREADUser prompt and project context
Ask targeted questionsREQUESTClarification phase
Compare approachesCOMPARETradeoff matrix
Infer recommendationINFERRecommended option
Validate approvalVALIDATESection-by-section confirmation
Write design artifactWRITEdocs/plans/designs/ and memory
Transition to planNOTIFYHandoff summary
Tools and instruments
  • Context loading, reasoning templates, clarification protocol
  • Project memory and docs/plans/designs/ for persisted designs
Canonical workflow path
text
1. Ask one clarifying question at a time.
2. Present 2-3 approaches with tradeoffs and a recommended option.
3. Save the approved design to `docs/plans/designs/` before handing off to planning.
Show full SKILL.md (322 more words)Show less
Resource scope
ScopeResource target
MEMORYUser intent, assumptions, decisions
CODEBASEExisting project context when relevant
LOCAL_FSApproved design artifacts
Preconditions
  • The user is still exploring or the request is ambiguous.
  • The agent can ask clarifying questions before implementation.
Effects and side effects
  • Produces design decisions and persisted design docs.
  • Influences downstream planning but does not implement code.
Guardrails
  1. No implementation or planning before design approval - brainstorm produces a design document, not code or task plans
  2. One question at a time - ask clarifying questions sequentially, not in batches
  3. Always propose 2-3 approaches - include a recommended option with trade-off analysis
  4. Section-by-section design - present design incrementally with user confirmation at each step
  5. YAGNI - do not over-engineer; design only what is needed for the stated goal
  6. Save design, then transition - persist the approved design document before handing off to /plan
Execution Phases

Follow the brainstorm workflow step by step:

  1. Phase 1 - Context: Explore the existing codebase and understand the project landscape
  2. Phase 2 - Questions: Ask clarifying questions one at a time to understand intent and constraints
  3. Phase 3 - Approaches: Propose 2-3 approaches with a recommended option and trade-off matrix
  4. Phase 4 - Design: Present the detailed design section by section, getting user approval at each step
  5. Phase 5 - Documentation: Save the approved design to docs/plans/designs/ and project memory
  6. Phase 6 - Transition: Hand off to /plan for task decomposition
Common Pitfalls
  • Jumping to solutions: Asking "how" before fully understanding "what" and "why"
  • Too many questions at once: Overwhelming the user with a wall of questions
  • Single approach bias: Presenting only one option without alternatives
  • Over-engineering: Designing for hypothetical future requirements instead of stated needs
  • Skipping confirmation: Moving forward without explicit user approval on design decisions

References

Vendor-specific execution protocols are injected automatically by oma agent:spawn. Source files live under ../_shared/runtime/execution-protocols/{vendor}.md.

  • Context loading: ../_shared/core/context-loading.md
  • Reasoning templates: ../_shared/core/reasoning-templates.md
  • Clarification protocol: ../_shared/core/clarification-protocol.md
  • Quality principles: ../_shared/core/quality-principles.md
  • Skill-to-agent mapping: ../_shared/core/skill-routing.md

© first-fluke, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in benchmarks/runs/oma/.agents/skills/oma-brainstorm of first-fluke/oh-my-agent.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit b364119

Compare with similar skills

Design-First Brainstorm next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Design-First Brainstorm compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Design-First Brainstorm this skillfirst-fluke/oh-my-agent1.3k—~1.7kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Brainstorming Before BuildingjnMetaCode/superpowers-zh8.3k—~1.8kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
CE BrainstormEveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin25k—~1.9kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Grill Menateherkai/AIS-OS1.6k—~1.8kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence
Architect Before You Buildjsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill218—~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Feature BrainstormVeryGoodOpenSource/vgv-wingspan109—~1.8kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Categories

Questions about Design-First Brainstorm

What does Design-First Brainstorm do?

Explores intent, constraints and alternative approaches before any planning, working through questions one at a time and saving an approved design for later steps. The skill is for early ideas that are too ambiguous to plan or implement. The agent first confirms the request is exploratory, loads enough project context to see the constraints, and starts from intent and constraints rather than solutions.

When should I use Design-First Brainstorm?

Design-First Brainstorm fits situations like: exploring a new feature idea before committing to a plan; comparing several design approaches and their tradeoffs; clarifying a vague request before any task planning starts; saving an approved design document to hand off to planning.

How do I install Design-First Brainstorm in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add first-fluke/oh-my-agent --skill oma-brainstorm -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/runs/oma/.agents/skills/oma-brainstorm in first-fluke/oh-my-agent) into .claude/skills/oma-brainstorm in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Design-First Brainstorm in Codex?

Run `npx skills add first-fluke/oh-my-agent --skill oma-brainstorm -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/runs/oma/.agents/skills/oma-brainstorm in first-fluke/oh-my-agent) into .agents/skills/oma-brainstorm in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Design-First Brainstorm in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add first-fluke/oh-my-agent --skill oma-brainstorm -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/oma-brainstorm, .gemini/skills/oma-brainstorm, .github/skills/oma-brainstorm and .opencode/skills/oma-brainstorm in your project.

What does Design-First Brainstorm need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Design-First Brainstorm is instructions for the agent only.

Does Design-First Brainstorm access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Design-First Brainstorm safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Design-First Brainstorm use?

Design-First Brainstorm is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Design-First Brainstorm use?

About 1.7k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 6.9k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Design-First Brainstorm?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Design-First Brainstorm: Brainstorming Before Building (jnMetaCode/superpowers-zh, 8.3k stars), CE Brainstorm (EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin, 25k stars), Grill Me (nateherkai/AIS-OS, 1.6k stars) and Architect Before You Build (jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill, 218 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Design-First Brainstorm?

first-fluke (a GitHub organization) maintains it in first-fluke/oh-my-agent, which has 1,338 GitHub stars. The repository holds 57 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 9, 2026.

Source: first-fluke/oh-my-agent on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.