brainstorming Skill for Claude: Plan Before You Build

brainstorming makes Claude ask questions about a new idea, lay out approaches and get a design approved before it builds anything.

Installs: 413.9K; on skills.sh
Stars: 310.6K; on GitHub
Files: 7; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

brainstorming is the Superpowers skill that runs before creative work: a new feature, component, behavior change or plan. If your request already says everything that matters, Claude just does it. If something non-trivial is missing, it asks one question at a time, plays back what it understood, lays out two or three approaches with a recommendation, then writes a design doc.

The one thing to know: nothing gets built until you approve the design doc, and the next step is the superpowers:writing-plans skill. It can also open a browser tab with mockups, through bundled scripts that run a small local server, if you accept the offer.

Good for

Developers who want Claude to clarify a vague feature request before coding
People planning a project, talk or product, not just software
Teams who want a written design doc before implementation starts

Install brainstorming

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the brainstorming skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin install superpowers@claude-plugins-official

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Install the plugin for the whole Superpowers set. This skill ends by invoking superpowers:writing-plans, so it is not meant to run on its own.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

You MUST use this before any creative work - creating features, building components, adding functionality, modifying behavior, or planning anything new, in software or out of it (a talk, a business, a renovation).

Sections in SKILL.md

First: What Do You Actually Know?
Look Before You Ask
Your First Message
The Conversation
Play It Back
Size the Work
The Written Design
Red Flags
Visual Companion

Key facts

Author: obra (obra/superpowers repo owner)
License: MIT
Installs on skills.sh: 413,920 as of 2026-11-02
GitHub stars: 310,635 for the whole obra/superpowers repo
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk warn
What is inside: 8 files: SKILL.md, visual-companion.md, builder-check-prompt.md and 5 files in scripts/ (a Node server, a helper, an HTML frame, start and stop shell scripts)
Needs: The Superpowers set (it hands off to superpowers:writing-plans); Node and a browser only if you accept the visual companion
Last commit to the repo: 2026-10-29

What it includes

Reads your files and context before the first question
In an existing project it reads what you pointed at and the connected code, so it never asks what the project already answers.
Files · Look before you ask
Open questions first, each tied to your last answer
Covers what it is, why now, goals, non-goals, prior art and current state as territory, not a script.
Try: “I want a booking page for my bakery. Use brainstorming.”
Read · One question at a time
Two or three real options with a recommendation
Sent as its own message, grounded in the project, before any write-up.
Read · Lay out the approaches
Describes each understood part in 200 to 300 words
Alternates short playbacks with questions. Anything it filled in is labeled as its proposal.
Read · Play it back
Writes docs/superpowers/specs/<date>-<topic>-design.md
Short for a small change, full for a project. In a software repo it is committed. Your preferences override the location.
Write · Written design doc
A fresh subagent reads the doc and asks questions
Uses builder-check-prompt.md. Questions are sorted into answered, minor and yours; you get one round.
Read · Builder check
No product code until you approve the doc
Blocks code, scaffolding, installs and project creation. A spike you agree to is allowed and stays labeled throwaway.
Read · Hard gate
Optional browser tab for mockups and diagrams
On your yes it runs bash scripts/start-server.sh and serves HTML screens on localhost with a session-key URL. Mockups are saved under .superpowers/brainstorm/.
Runs code · Visual companion

From the official docs

Permissions

Low risk

Mostly it only talks, but it writes and commits a design doc, and the optional browser mockups run a local server. Say no to the visual companion if you do not want that.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It writes and commits a design doc
SKILL.md says the doc is committed in a software repo. Check git status after the session.
The visual companion runs a local server
It starts only after you accept, runs on localhost and needs the full session-key URL. Add .superpowers/ to .gitignore.

Technical details

Talks to	Local server on localhost for the optional visual companion
Scopes	Reads the files you point it at Writes a design doc in your repo (docs/superpowers/specs/) Optional: runs bash scripts that start a local server and write mockups to .superpowers/brainstorm/

Questions

What does the brainstorming skill do?

It makes Claude figure out what you really want before it builds. It asks questions, compares approaches, writes a design doc and waits for your approval, then moves to planning.

How do I install brainstorming?

Use the install box at the top of this page and pick the Superpowers plugin. The skill ends by invoking superpowers:writing-plans, so the whole set should be installed, not only this folder.

Does it need an API key?

No key or account is named in SKILL.md. The optional visual companion needs Node on your machine and a browser.

Will it slow down a simple task?

Not for a clear one. SKILL.md says that if everything that matters is in the request ("make the icon cornflower blue"), Claude should do it and say what it did. It also offers a one-line way out of the questions.

What is the visual companion?

A browser tab for mockups, diagrams and options. Claude offers it only when seeing would help, and only after you say yes. It runs a local server and gives you a URL with a session key.

Is brainstorming safe?

It writes a design doc in your repo and, if you accept, runs local server scripts. On skills.sh the audits read Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass and Snyk warn. Decline the visual companion if you do not want a local server.

brainstorming vs grill-me?

Both start with questions before any building. brainstorming also compares two or three approaches, writes a design doc and blocks building until you approve it. See the grill-me page for how that skill works.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: obra/superpowers
Folder: skills/brainstorming

obra/superpowers skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 4

obra/superpowers README · github.com
brainstorming SKILL.md · github.com
brainstorming visual-companion.md · github.com
skills.sh listing and audits · skills.sh