Collaborative solution design without implementation

Quick Start

/brainstorm how to improve email open rates

What happens:

  1. AI asks clarifying questions (one at a time)
  2. Explores 2-3 alternatives with trade-offs
  3. Discusses pros/cons collaboratively
  4. Reaches consensus
  5. Creates summary report

Output: Brainstorm report (no implementation)

What It Does

Brainstorming ONLY

  • This command does NOT implement anything
  • It helps you think through problems
  • Generates alternatives and trade-offs
  • Creates summary for future reference

Use Cases

  • Strategic decisions
  • Architecture choices
  • Marketing campaigns
  • Feature prioritization
  • Problem-solving sessions

Syntax

/brainstorm [question or topic]

Example: Improve Email Open Rates

Input:

/brainstorm how can we improve email open rates

AI Process:

brainstorm: What's your current open rate?
You: 18%

brainstorm: What's your industry average?
You: 21%

brainstorm: What have you tried already?
You: A/B testing subject lines, send time optimization

brainstorm: Who is your target audience?
You: SaaS founders and product managers

---

I've identified 3 approaches. Let me share them:

**Option 1: Hyper-Personalization**
Pros:
- Proven to increase open rates 15-30%
- Works well for B2B audiences
- Builds stronger relationships

Cons:
- Requires data collection
- More complex to implement
- Takes time to set up

Trade-offs: Higher effort, higher reward

**Option 2: Value-First Subject Lines**
Pros:
- Quick to implement
- No technical changes needed
- Can test immediately

Cons:
- Limited upside (5-10% improvement)
- Requires copywriting skills
- May not differentiate from competitors

Trade-offs: Low effort, moderate reward

**Option 3: Segmentation + Timing**
Pros:
- Addresses two factors at once
- Sustainable long-term
- Improves overall engagement

Cons:
- Requires email platform features
- Need enough data for segments
- Ongoing maintenance

Trade-offs: Medium effort, high reward

---

brainstorm: Which direction resonates with you?
You: Option 3 looks promising

brainstorm: What segments make sense for your audience?
You: By company size (small/medium/large) and role (founder/PM/engineer)

brainstorm: Do you have data on optimal send times for each segment?
You: Not yet

[Discussion continues...]

---

CONSENSUS REACHED

**Recommended Approach:**
Implement Option 3 (Segmentation + Timing) with quick wins from Option 2

Phase 1 (This Week):
- Segment list by company size and role
- Test value-first subject lines
- A/B test send times per segment

Phase 2 (Next 2 Weeks):
- Analyze send time data
- Optimize timing per segment
- Refine segments based on engagement

Phase 3 (Month 2):
- Add behavioral segmentation
- Implement basic personalization
- Measure impact on open rates

Expected Results:
- Week 1: 18% → 20% (value-first subject lines)
- Week 4: 20% → 24% (segmentation + timing)
- Week 8: 24% → 27% (optimization)

---

Summary Report saved: plans/reports/brainstorm-251229-2145-email-open-rates.md

Next Actions:
- /plan implement email segmentation system
- /cook A/B test value-first subject lines
- /analyze engagement (track results)

Wait for your confirmation before proceeding.

5-Phase Process

Phase 1: Context Gathering

AI asks clarifying questions (one at a time) to understand:

  • Current situation
  • Constraints
  • Goals
  • What’s been tried

Phase 2: Alternative Generation

AI presents 2-3 viable solutions with:

  • Clear pros and cons
  • Trade-off analysis
  • Effort vs reward assessment

Phase 3: Collaborative Discussion

Interactive Q&A to refine options:

  • Ask follow-up questions
  • Challenge assumptions
  • Explore variations

Phase 4: Consensus Building

Reach agreement on:

  • Preferred approach
  • Hybrid solutions
  • Next steps

Phase 5: Summary Report

Document the session:

  • Context and problem
  • Alternatives explored
  • Chosen direction
  • Action items

Key Rules

DO:

  • Ask questions to clarify
  • Challenge AI assumptions
  • Request alternative approaches
  • Take time to think

DON’T:

  • Expect implementation
  • Skip discussion phases
  • Rush to conclusion
  • Accept first suggestion

After Brainstorming

Next Steps (Your Choice)

# Create implementation plan
/plan [chosen solution]

# Implement immediately
/cook [chosen solution]

# Fix specific issues
/fix [issues identified]

# Do nothing (just document ideas)

Workflow Integration

Strategy Sessions

# Marketing strategy
/brainstorm campaign strategy for Q1 launch

# Product decisions
/brainstorm should we build feature X or Y

# Technical architecture
/brainstorm microservices vs monolith for our scale

Problem-Solving

# Performance issues
/brainstorm how to reduce page load time

# Conversion optimization
/brainstorm improve checkout conversion rate

# Growth challenges
/brainstorm customer acquisition strategies
  • /ask - Technical consultation (no discussion)
  • /plan - Create implementation plan
  • /cook - Implement solution

Think better. Decide faster. AI-powered brainstorming that explores alternatives.