Overview

Create dt-method-04-brainstorming.instructions.md — the method-tier instruction file for Method 4: Brainstorming. This method opens the Solution Space. Users transition from the synthesized problem understanding (Method 3) to divergent idea generation, applying structured techniques to produce a wide range of potential solutions before converging on the most promising directions.

This is the starter issue for Phase 4 — no intra-phase dependencies.

Target File

.github/instructions/dt-method-04-brainstorming.instructions.md

Frontmatter

---
description: 'Design Thinking Method 4: Brainstorming — divergent ideation, structured generation techniques, and convergence criteria'
applyTo: '**/.copilot-tracking/dt/**/method-04*'
---

Required Content

Method Purpose

Method 4 generates a broad set of potential solutions. The insights and problem statements from Method 3 become the launch pad for creative exploration. The coach facilitates divergent thinking before guiding convergence — quantity before quality.

Three Sub-Methods

Two Specialized Hats

Structured Ideation Techniques

The coach selects techniques based on problem type:

• Classic brainstorming: Rapid-fire idea generation with a "no judgment" rule — good for broad problems
• Crazy-8s: Eight ideas in eight minutes — forces speed over perfection, good for visual/interaction problems
• SCAMPER: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other use, Eliminate, Reverse — good for improving existing solutions
• How Might We (HMW): Reframe insights as opportunity questions — bridges synthesis to ideation
• Reverse brainstorming: "How might we make this problem worse?" — reveals hidden assumptions and constraints

The coach recommends a technique but empowers the user to choose. Multiple techniques can be combined in a single session.

Method 4 Artifacts

Outputs stored at .copilot-tracking/dt/{project-slug}/method-04-brainstorming/:

• ideation-session.md — Raw idea log with technique used, all ideas captured
• idea-clusters.md — Grouped ideas by theme, patterns identified
• selection-rationale.md — Ideas selected for further development with brief D/F/V reasoning

Lo-Fi Quality Enforcement

Method 4 artifacts are deliberately rough:

• Ideas are one-liners or rough sketches, not detailed proposals
• Clusters are groupings with sticky-note-level labels, not taxonomies
• Selection rationale is a sentence per idea, not a business case
• Coach actively discourages premature detail: "That's getting specific — save that energy for Method 5 where we'll flesh out concepts"

Coaching Approach

The coach in Method 4:

• Creates psychological safety for wild ideas ("There are no bad ideas in this phase — the stranger, the better")
• Monitors divergent/convergent balance ("We've been converging for a while — let's take one more divergent pass")
• Connects ideas back to insights ("This idea addresses the accessibility pattern we found in research")
• Resists attachment: "Which of these ideas excites you most? And which one scares you a little? The scary ones often have the most potential."

Token Budget

Target: ~1,500-2,000 tokens (method tier — loaded when Method 4 artifacts are open)

How to Build This File

This is an .instructions.md file — use the prompt-builder agent (not task-implementor) for the authoring phase.

Workflow: /task-research → /task-plan → /prompt-build → /task-review
Between each phase, run /clear to reset context.

Phase 1: Research

Source Material: design-thinking-for-hve-capabilities/guidance/04-brainstorming.md
This file lives in the DT4HVE repository. If you don't have local access, ask the user to provide it or use read_file if the repo is cloned nearby.

Steps:

1. Read the source material above.
2. Read .github/instructions/prompt-builder.instructions.md for authoring standards.
3. Read any existing dt-method-* instruction files for structural precedent.
4. Gather content on ideation techniques, facilitation patterns, convergence criteria, and divergent/convergent balance.

Starter prompt:

/task-research

Research for IS027: dt-method-04-brainstorming.instructions.md

Read the DT4HVE source material at design-thinking-for-hve-capabilities/guidance/04-brainstorming.md. Extract:
- Ideation techniques (classic brainstorming, Crazy-8s, SCAMPER, HMW, reverse brainstorming)
- Facilitation patterns for divergent thinking and psychological safety
- Convergence criteria and clustering approaches
- Divergent/convergent balance — when to switch modes
- Lo-fi quality enforcement for ideation artifacts

Also read .github/instructions/prompt-builder.instructions.md for authoring standards and any existing dt-method-*.instructions.md files for structural precedent.

Output: research summary from Phase 1 above

Phase 2: Plan

Steps:

1. Review the research output from Phase 1.
2. Plan the instruction file structure — method purpose, three sub-methods, two specialized hats, ideation techniques, artifact structure, coaching examples.
3. Define section ordering, token allocation, and applyTo targeting.

Starter prompt:

/task-plan

Plan for IS027: dt-method-04-brainstorming.instructions.md

Using the Phase 1 research output, plan the instruction file:

- Method purpose: divergent ideation as the entry to the Solution Space
- Three sub-methods: 4a Ideation Planning, 4b Ideation Execution, 4c Ideation Convergence
- Two hats: Ideation Facilitator, Convergence Guide
- Custom ideation patterns adapted for AI-assisted context
- Convergence guidance: clustering, D/F/V preview, selection rationale
- Section ordering and token budget allocation (~1,500-2,000 tokens)
- applyTo: '**/.copilot-tracking/dt/**/method-04*'

Output: plan at .copilot-tracking/plans/{date}-is027-dt-method-04-plan.md

Phase 3: Build

Steps:

1. Review the plan from Phase 2.
2. Author the instruction file using /prompt-build.
3. Nativize ideation facilitation for AI-assisted context. Preserve the energy and creative atmosphere of brainstorming in coaching tone.

Starter prompt:

/prompt-build file=.github/instructions/dt-method-04-brainstorming.instructions.md

Build IS027 using the plan at .copilot-tracking/plans/{date}-is027-dt-method-04-plan.md.

This is a method-tier instruction file for Method 4: Brainstorming. Key authoring notes:
- applyTo targets Method 4 artifact paths: '**/.copilot-tracking/dt/**/method-04*'
- Nativize ideation facilitation for AI-assisted context — the coach drives divergent thinking
- Preserve the energy and creative atmosphere of brainstorming in coaching tone
- Three sub-methods with consistent table structure
- Two specialized hats with activation triggers
- Structured ideation techniques with selection guidance
- Lo-fi enforcement: ideas are rough one-liners, not detailed proposals
- Coaching examples demonstrate psychological safety and divergent/convergent balance

Phase 4: Review

Steps:

1. Review the built file against prompt-builder standards and the issue requirements.
2. Validate ideation technique coverage, convergence criteria, coaching tone energy, and structural compliance.

Starter prompt:

/task-review

Review IS027: .github/instructions/dt-method-04-brainstorming.instructions.md

Validate against:
- prompt-builder.instructions.md authoring standards
- Ideation technique coverage (at least four structured techniques with selection guidance)
- Convergence criteria and clustering guidance
- Coaching tone energy — brainstorming should feel energetic, not procedural
- Lo-fi enforcement for ideation artifacts
- Token budget: ~1,500-2,000 tokens
- Frontmatter applyTo correctness
- Three sub-methods and two hats with consistent table structure

After Review

• Pass: Mark IS027 complete.
• Iterate: Address review findings, rebuild, re-review.
• Escalate: If blocked by missing DT4HVE source material or architectural questions, raise to the user.

Authoring Standards

Follow .github/instructions/prompt-builder.instructions.md:

• applyTo targets Method 4 artifact paths
• Three sub-methods with consistent table structure
• Two specialized hats with activation triggers
• Coaching examples demonstrate facilitation, not directive behavior

Success Criteria

• File created at .github/instructions/dt-method-04-brainstorming.instructions.md
• Frontmatter applyTo targets Method 4 artifact paths
• Three sub-methods defined (planning, execution, convergence)
• Two specialized hats with clear activation triggers
• At least four structured ideation techniques described with selection guidance
• Lo-fi quality constraints enforced — ideas are rough, not polished
• Coaching examples demonstrate psychological safety and divergent/convergent balance
• Token count within ~1,500-2,000 target
• Passes task-reviewer validation against prompt-builder standards
• Each prompt, instructions, or agent file registered in collections/design-thinking.collection.yml with path and kind fields
• Each prompt, instructions, or agent file registered in collections/hve-core-all.collection.yml with path and kind fields
• npm run plugin:generate succeeds after collection manifest updates