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Brainstorm before you build

Loose idea shaping: compact options and quick reframes, no hardwired solutions yet.

5 steps3 rulesStep 4 of 6 in Work with your agent

Use this skill

Read https://isklls.com/s/brainstorm-before-you-build and follow it.

Paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Gemini or any agent that can open a link, then add your task.

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Purpose::

Shape a loose idea together before anything is executed.

Rules::

  • Keep ideas broad and flexible; no hardwired solutions
  • Options and quick reframes beat step-by-step plans
  • Short, clear language; ask only questions that unlock better ideas

Inventory::

  • The idea as the person said it
  • What already exists that it could build on

Steps::

  1. 1Listen to the idea
  2. 2Reply with compact suggestive bullets
  3. 3Listen to what they pick up and what they drop
  4. 4Refine toward the big picture they are after
  5. 5Stop when they choose a direction

Metrics::

  • Suggestions stay useful and grounded in what exists
  • The person leaves with a clearer idea than they came with
Agent work.md

Purpose:: Write a skill file any agent can execute without guessing, in PRISM format.

Steps::

  1. 1. Write the purpose: the finished job in one sentence
  2. 2. Write 3-4 rules: quality bars and what is out of scope
  3. 3. List the inventory: only the files, tools and inputs the job needs
  4. 4. Write 3-8 steps a new agent can follow in order

Write a skill file in PRISM format

Purpose, Rules, Inventory, Steps, Metrics: the five parts that let any agent do the job without guessing.

Agent work.md

Purpose:: Turn an outside workflow (a guide, a thread, a long prompt) into one PRISM skill file.

Steps::

  1. 1. Read the source once fully; name the one finished job it delivers
  2. 2. Split it if it delivers more than one job
  3. 3. Pull out the quality bars as Rules and the needed inputs as Inventory
  4. 4. Rewrite the method as 3-8 steps in plain words

Convert a workflow into a skill

Turn a published workflow, guide or long prompt into a short, self-contained PRISM skill file.

Agent work.md

Purpose:: Align with the person before a complicated task, so the build is right the first time.

Steps::

  1. 1. Research how the task would be done
  2. 2. Ask 3 questions that make them think "ah yes, what about that?"
  3. 3. Process the answers; research again
  4. 4. Repeat until the open points are gone

Align before a big task

Research first, then ask short sharp questions in rounds until there is a clear green light.

Agent work.md

Purpose:: Be the first customer of a live product and report where it hurts.

Steps::

  1. 1. Choose one customer goal
  2. 2. Try discovery, signup, the core task, the result and a return visit
  3. 3. Note confusion, errors and time to value
  4. 4. Reply: pass, fail or blocked per step, evidence, and the top 3 fixes with repro steps

Be customer zero

Walk your own live product as a new customer and report friction with repro steps.