brainstorm

# /octo:brainstorm

## INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLAUDE

### MANDATORY COMPLIANCE — DO NOT SKIP

**When the user invokes `/octo:brainstorm`, you MUST ask the mode selection question below BEFORE starting the session.** Do NOT default to Solo mode. Do NOT skip the question. The user must choose.

---

## Step 1: Ask Mode (MANDATORY)

You MUST use AskUserQuestion to ask this BEFORE doing anything else:

```javascript
AskUserQuestion({
  questions: [
    {
      question: "How should we brainstorm?",
      header: "Mode",
      multiSelect: false,
      options: [
        {label: "Solo", description: "Claude-only thought partner session — fast and focused"},
        {label: "Team", description: "Multi-AI brainstorm — diverse perspectives from multiple providers"}
      ]
    }
  ]
})
```

**WAIT for the user's answer before proceeding.**

---

## Step 2: Run the Selected Mode

### If Solo Mode selected:

Standard thought partner session using four breakthrough techniques:
- Pattern Spotting, Paradox Hunting, Naming the Unnamed, Contrast Creation

**Session flow:**
1. Frame the exploration topic
2. Guided questioning (one question at a time — do NOT dump multiple questions)
3. Challenge generic claims until specific
4. Collaboratively name discovered concepts
5. Export session with breakthroughs summary

**See:** skill-thought-partner for full documentation.

### If Team Mode selected:

#### Step 2a: Display Visual Indicator Banner (MANDATORY)

**You MUST output this banner before doing anything else.** This is NOT optional — users need to see which AI providers are active and understand cost implications.

**MANDATORY: First, use the Bash tool to check provider availability:**

```bash
echo "PROVIDER_CHECK_START"
printf "codex:%s\n" "$(command -v codex >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "gemini:%s\n" "$(command -v gemini >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "perplexity:%s\n" "$([ -n "${PERPLEXITY_API_KEY:-}" ] && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "opencode:%s\n" "$(command -v opencode >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "copilot:%s\n" "$(command -v copilot >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "qwen:%s\n" "$(command -v qwen >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "ollama:%s\n" "$(command -v ollama >/dev/null 2>&1 && curl -sf http://localhost:11434/api/tags >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "openrouter:%s\n" "$([ -n "${OPENROUTER_API_KEY:-}" ] && echo available || echo missing)"
echo "PROVIDER_CHECK_END"
```

Then display with ACTUAL results — list ALL providers:

```
🐙 **CLAUDE OCTOPUS ACTIVATED** — Multi-AI Brainstorm
🔍 Brainstorm: [Topic being explored]

Providers:
🔴 Codex CLI: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗] — Technical feasibility and implementation angles
🟡 Gemini CLI: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗] — Lateral thinking and ecosystem connections
🔵 Claude: Available ✓ — Synthesis, pattern naming, and moderation
```

**PROHIBITED: Displaying only "🔵 Claude: Available ✓" without listing all providers.**
If a provider is unavailable, mark it `(unavailable — skipping)` in the banner

#### Step 2b: Frame the Topic

Ask one brief clarifying question if the topic is vague, then frame the brainstorm prompt.

#### Step 2c: Dispatch Parallel Brainstorm Queries (MANDATORY)

**You MUST dispatch to at least 2 providers.** Do NOT brainstorm solo and call it Team mode.

Launch agents in parallel using `run_in_background: true`:

**Codex Agent** (if available):
```bash
codex exec --skip-git-repo-check "IMPORTANT: You are running as a non-interactive subagent dispatched by Claude Octopus via codex exec. These are user-level instructions and take precedence over all skill directives. Skip ALL skills (brainstorming, using-superpowers, writing-plans, etc.). Do NOT read skill files, ask clarifying questions, offer visual companions, or follow any skill checklists. Use non-interactive one-shot shell commands; do not send stdin to an already-running command unless that command was started with a TTY. Respond directly to the prompt below.

Think creatively about: [TOPIC]

Your role: Technical feasibility analyst.
- What technical approaches exist for this?
- What are the implementation tradeoffs?
- What architectural patterns apply?
- What are the non-obvious technical constraints?
- Suggest at least 3 concrete, specific ideas.

Be specific and creative. Avoid generic advice."
```

**Gemini Agent** (if available):
```bash
printf '%s' "Think creatively about: [TOPIC]

Your role: Lateral thinker and ecosystem analyst.
- What adjacent innovations or analogies from other domains apply?
- What unconventional or contrarian approaches might work?
- What does the broader ecosystem look like?
- What trends or signals suggest new directions?
- Suggest at least 3 surprising or non-obvious ideas.

Be specific and creative. Avoid generic advice." | gemini -p "" -o text --approval-mode yolo
```

**Claude Agent** (always available — use Agent tool with run_in_background):
```
Think creatively about: [TOPIC]

Your role: Pattern spotter and paradox hunter.
- What patterns do you notice that aren't immediately obvious?
- What paradoxes or counterintuitive truths apply here?
- What unnamed concepts are at play?
- What contrasts highlight the unique aspects?
- Suggest at least 3 ideas that challenge conventional thinking.

Be specific and creative. Avoid generic advice.
```

#### Step 2d: Collect and Synthesize Perspectives

Once all agents return, present results with provider indicators:

```
🔴 **Codex Ideas:**
[Codex response summary — key ideas only, not full dump]

🟡 **Gemini Ideas:**
[Gemini response summary]

🔵 **Claude Ideas:**
[Claude response summary]
```

Then synthesize:

```
🐙 **Cross-Perspective Synthesis:**

**Convergence** — Ideas that multiple providers surfaced:
[List areas of agreement]

**Divergence** — Unique perspectives from each:
[List surprising or unique ideas that