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feat(product-management): add brainstorming skill and /brainstorm command#93

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narenkatakam wants to merge 2 commits intoanthropics:mainfrom
narenkatakam:feat/product-brainstorming
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feat(product-management): add brainstorming skill and /brainstorm command#93
narenkatakam wants to merge 2 commits intoanthropics:mainfrom
narenkatakam:feat/product-brainstorming

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Summary

  • Adds a product-brainstorming skill and /brainstorm command to the product-management plugin
  • Fills a gap in the PM workflow: the plugin covers structured outputs (specs, roadmaps, stakeholder updates) but has no support for the divergent thinking that precedes them
  • Designed as a conversational sparring partner, not a template filler — brainstorming is a dialogue, not a deliverable

What's new

1 new command

Command What It Does
/brainstorm Brainstorm a product idea, problem space, or strategic question with a sharp thinking partner

1 new skill

Skill What It Covers
product-brainstorming Brainstorming modes (problem exploration, solution ideation, assumption testing, strategy), PM frameworks (HMW, JTBD, First Principles, SCAMPER, Opportunity Solution Trees, Reverse Brainstorming), session structure, thinking partner behaviors, anti-patterns

README updated

  • Added brainstorming to "What It Does" section
  • Added /brainstorm to Commands table
  • Added product-brainstorming to Skills table
  • Added "Brainstorming a Product Idea" example workflow

Why this matters

Every PM brainstorms before they spec. The current plugin workflow jumps from "I have a vague problem" straight to /write-spec or /roadmap-update. In practice, there's a critical thinking phase in between — exploring the problem space, generating multiple approaches, challenging assumptions, and stress-testing ideas. That's what /brainstorm provides.

The skill covers:

  • 4 brainstorming modes: problem exploration, solution ideation, assumption testing, strategy exploration — each with specific behaviors and useful questions
  • 6 PM frameworks: How Might We, Jobs-to-be-Done, Opportunity Solution Trees, First Principles, SCAMPER, Reverse Brainstorming — used as thinking tools, not templates
  • Session structure: Frame → Diverge → Provoke → Converge → Capture
  • Thinking partner behaviors: when to push back, when to match energy, when to name traps
  • Anti-patterns: solutioning before framing, feature parity trap, anchoring on constraints, analysis paralysis

Relationship to PR #55

PR #55 adds /feature-ideation which structures raw ideas into validated feature concepts. /brainstorm is complementary — it sits upstream in the workflow:

Problem space → /brainstorm (diverge, explore) → Ideas → /feature-ideation (converge, structure) → /write-spec (document)

No overlap — brainstorming generates the raw thinking; feature ideation structures it.

What's NOT changed

  • .claude-plugin/plugin.json — no manifest changes
  • CONNECTORS.md — existing connector categories already cover brainstorming needs (knowledge base, analytics, project tracker, chat)
  • .mcp.json — no new MCP connections
  • LICENSE — unchanged
  • All existing commands and skills — untouched

Design decisions

  • Conversational, not generative. Unlike /write-spec which produces a document, /brainstorm runs an interactive session. The command workflow reflects this — it closes with a summary only when the conversation reaches a natural stopping point.
  • Consistent style. Follows existing patterns: YAML frontmatter, connectors banner, numbered workflow steps, ~~category tool references with graceful fallback, skill cross-references, Tips section.
  • Skill depth. ~11K characters with frameworks, practical guidance, anti-patterns, and session structure — matching the depth of competitive-analysis and user-research-synthesis.
  • Cross-references other commands. The Follow Up section connects to /write-spec, /synthesize-research, /competitive-brief, and /one-pager — positioning brainstorming as the upstream thinking that feeds into structured PM outputs.

Files changed

New files (2):

  • product-management/commands/brainstorm.md
  • product-management/skills/product-brainstorming/SKILL.md

Modified files (1):

  • product-management/README.md — added brainstorming to tables, descriptions, and examples

Test plan

  • Command has valid YAML frontmatter with description and argument-hint
  • Skill has valid YAML frontmatter with name and description
  • All ~~category references in the command match categories in CONNECTORS.md
  • Skill cross-references point to existing skills (product-brainstorming)
  • Command follows existing style (connectors banner, numbered steps, tips)
  • Skill has sufficient depth (~11K characters)
  • README tables updated consistently (What It Does, Commands, Skills, Example Workflows)
  • No existing content modified or removed (only additive)

narenkatakam and others added 2 commits March 3, 2026 15:25
…mand

The product-management plugin covers structured PM outputs (specs, roadmaps,
stakeholder updates) but lacks support for the divergent thinking that
precedes them. This adds a brainstorming skill and command for exploring
problem spaces, generating ideas, and stress-testing product thinking.

New files:
- skills/product-brainstorming/SKILL.md — brainstorming modes (problem
  exploration, solution ideation, assumption testing, strategy exploration),
  PM frameworks (HMW, JTBD, First Principles, SCAMPER, Opportunity Solution
  Trees, Reverse Brainstorming), session structure, thinking partner
  behaviors, and anti-patterns
- commands/brainstorm.md — conversational brainstorming command with
  tool-augmented context gathering and structured session flow

Updated:
- README.md — added brainstorming to What It Does, Commands, Skills tables,
  and Example Workflows

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Adds Observe-Orient-Decide-Act as a brainstorming framework for
competitive and time-pressured product decisions. Focuses on decision
tempo and when to use OODA to break analysis paralysis in sessions.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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