Skills Reference

BMAD provides 9 specialized skills (AI agents) that handle different aspects of the agile development workflow. Each skill has specific responsibilities, commands, and outputs.


How Skills Work in Claude Code

Skills are markdown files that define agent behavior. When you use a BMAD command, Claude Code loads the appropriate skill to handle your request.

Location: ~/.claude/skills/bmad/

Structure:

bmad/
├── core/
│   └── bmad-master/SKILL.md
├── bmm/
│   ├── analyst/SKILL.md
│   ├── pm/SKILL.md
│   ├── architect/SKILL.md
│   ├── scrum-master/SKILL.md
│   ├── developer/SKILL.md
│   └── ux-designer/SKILL.md
├── bmb/
│   └── builder/SKILL.md
└── cis/
    └── creative-intelligence/SKILL.md

Skill Modules

Core Module

Essential orchestration skill that routes workflows.

Skill Purpose
BMad Master Workflow orchestration and routing

BMM Module (Business Method Module)

Main development workflow skills.

Skill Phase Purpose
Business Analyst Phase 1 Requirements discovery
Product Manager Phase 2 PRD and planning
UX Designer Phase 2-3 Interface design
System Architect Phase 3 Technical architecture
Scrum Master Phase 4 Sprint planning
Developer Phase 4 Implementation

BMB Module (Builder Module)

Customization and extension skill.

Skill Purpose
Builder Create custom agents and workflows

CIS Module (Creative Intelligence System)

Research and ideation skill.

Skill Purpose
Creative Intelligence Brainstorming and research

Core Module

BMad Master

Skill ID: bmad-core-master Module: Core Phase: All phases

The BMad Master is the entry point and orchestrator for all BMAD workflows. It initializes projects and routes users to appropriate phase-specific skills.

Responsibilities

Commands

Example Usage

User: /workflow-init

BMad Master: Welcome to BMAD! I'll help initialize your project.

Let me gather some information about your project...

Project name?
> E-commerce Platform

Project type?
> web-app

Estimated complexity?
Based on your description (user auth, product catalog, cart, checkout),
I recommend Level 3 (Complex integration, 12-40 stories).

Accept Level 3?
> Yes

Created bmad/config.yaml
Recommended first step: /product-brief

Your project is initialized! I'll route you to the appropriate
skills as you progress through each phase.

When to Use


BMM Module

Business Analyst

Skill ID: bmad-bmm-analyst Module: BMM Phase: Phase 1 - Analysis

The Business Analyst handles product discovery and initial requirements analysis. This skill helps you understand the problem space before designing solutions.

Responsibilities

Commands

Example Usage

User: /product-brief

Business Analyst: I'll help you create a comprehensive product brief.

## Executive Summary
What problem does this product solve? (2-3 sentences)
> Small businesses struggle to manage inventory across multiple
> sales channels. They need a unified system that syncs stock
> levels in real-time.

## Target Audience
Who are your primary users?
> Small retail business owners with 1-5 locations, selling both
> in-store and online (Shopify, Amazon, eBay)

## Problem Statement
Let me structure the core problems:

1. **Overselling:** Stock sells on one channel but isn't updated on others
2. **Manual updates:** Hours spent updating inventory across platforms
3. **No visibility:** Can't see total inventory at a glance
4. **Lost sales:** Items show out-of-stock when available elsewhere

Is this accurate?
> Yes, also add difficulty with purchase orders

## Solution Overview
Based on these problems, your solution should:
- Real-time sync across all connected channels
- Unified dashboard for all inventory
- Automated low-stock alerts
- Purchase order management

## Success Metrics
How will you measure success?
> - Reduce overselling incidents by 90%
> - Save 10+ hours/week on manual updates
> - 95% inventory accuracy

## Business Objectives
What are your business goals?
> - MRR of $50k in 12 months
> - 500 paying customers
> - Integrations with top 5 sales platforms

Saving product brief to: docs/product-brief.md

Output

A comprehensive product brief document including:

When to Use


Product Manager

Skill ID: bmad-bmm-pm Module: BMM Phase: Phase 2 - Planning

The Product Manager transforms the product brief into detailed, actionable requirements. This skill creates PRDs with user stories, acceptance criteria, and prioritization.

Responsibilities

Commands

Example Usage

User: /prd

Product Manager: I'll create a PRD based on your product brief.

Loading: docs/product-brief.md

## Functional Requirements

Based on your inventory management solution, here are the core FRs:

### FR-001: Multi-channel Connection
Users can connect multiple sales channels (Shopify, Amazon, eBay, WooCommerce)
and authenticate via OAuth.

### FR-002: Real-time Sync
Inventory changes on any channel are reflected on all others within 60 seconds.

### FR-003: Unified Dashboard
Central view showing:
- Total inventory across all channels
- Per-channel breakdown
- Low stock alerts
- Recent sync activity

### FR-004: Product Mapping
Map products across channels (same product may have different SKUs)

...

## Non-Functional Requirements

### NFR-001: Performance
- Sync latency < 60 seconds
- Dashboard load time < 2 seconds
- Support 10,000 SKUs per account

### NFR-002: Reliability
- 99.9% uptime SLA
- Automatic retry on channel API failures
- Conflict resolution for simultaneous updates

### NFR-003: Security
- SOC 2 compliance
- Encrypted API credentials
- Audit logging

## Epics and Stories

### Epic 1: Channel Integration
- STORY-001: Shopify OAuth integration (5 pts)
- STORY-002: Amazon SP-API integration (8 pts)
- STORY-003: eBay integration (5 pts)
- STORY-004: WooCommerce integration (5 pts)

### Epic 2: Sync Engine
- STORY-005: Inventory sync service (8 pts)
- STORY-006: Conflict resolution (5 pts)
- STORY-007: Retry and error handling (3 pts)

...

## Prioritization (MoSCoW)

**Must Have (MVP):**
- FR-001, FR-002, FR-003

**Should Have:**
- FR-004, FR-005

**Could Have:**
- FR-006, FR-007

**Won't Have (this release):**
- FR-008

Saving PRD to: docs/prd.md

Output

A complete PRD including:

When to Use


UX Designer

Skill ID: bmad-bmm-ux-designer Module: BMM Phase: Phase 2-3 - Planning and Solutioning

The UX Designer creates user interface designs, wireframes, and user flows based on requirements. This skill ensures WCAG accessibility compliance and mobile-first design.

Responsibilities

Commands

Example Usage

User: /create-ux-design

UX Designer: I'll create UX designs for your inventory management system.

Loading: docs/prd.md

## User Flows

### Flow 1: Onboarding
1. Sign up → 2. Connect first channel → 3. Import products →
4. Review mappings → 5. Dashboard

### Flow 2: Daily Usage
1. Login → 2. Dashboard overview → 3. Low stock alerts →
4. Create purchase order → 5. Receive inventory

### Flow 3: Sync Issue Resolution
1. Alert notification → 2. View conflict → 3. Choose resolution →
4. Confirm → 5. Verify sync

## Wireframes

### Dashboard (Main View)

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ [Logo] Search… [Alerts] [Profile] │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │ │ │ Total │ │ Low │ │ Sync Status │ │ │ │ 12,450 │ │ Stock │ │ ✓ All Good │ │ │ │ items │ │ 23 │ │ │ │ │ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────────┘ │ │ │ │ Recent Activity │ │ ├─ Shopify: +50 Widget A │ │ ├─ Amazon: -3 Gadget B │ │ └─ eBay: -1 Thing C │ │ │ │ Quick Actions │ │ [+ Add Product] [Create PO] [Sync Now] │ └─────────────────────────────────────────┘


## Design System

### Colors
- Primary: #2563EB (Blue 600)
- Success: #16A34A (Green 600)
- Warning: #D97706 (Amber 600)
- Error: #DC2626 (Red 600)
- Neutral: #6B7280 (Gray 500)

### Typography
- Headings: Inter, 600 weight
- Body: Inter, 400 weight
- Monospace: JetBrains Mono (for SKUs)

### Spacing Scale
4px, 8px, 12px, 16px, 24px, 32px, 48px, 64px

## Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA)

- [ ] Color contrast ratio ≥ 4.5:1
- [ ] All images have alt text
- [ ] Forms have visible labels
- [ ] Keyboard navigable
- [ ] Focus indicators visible
- [ ] Error messages descriptive
- [ ] Touch targets ≥ 44px

## Component Library

1. **Button** - Primary, Secondary, Danger, Ghost
2. **Input** - Text, Number, Select, Multiselect
3. **Card** - Metric, Product, Alert
4. **Table** - Sortable, Filterable, Paginated
5. **Modal** - Confirmation, Form, Alert
6. **Toast** - Success, Error, Warning, Info

Saving UX design to: docs/ux-design.md

Output

A comprehensive UX design document including:

When to Use


System Architect

Skill ID: bmad-bmm-architect Module: BMM Phase: Phase 3 - Solutioning

The System Architect designs the technical architecture based on requirements. This skill defines system components, data models, APIs, and technology choices.

Responsibilities

Commands

Example Usage

User: /architecture

System Architect: I'll design the system architecture for your inventory management platform.

Loading: docs/prd.md

## System Overview

The system follows a microservices architecture with event-driven sync:

```
┌─────────────┐     ┌─────────────┐     ┌─────────────┐
│   Web App   │────▶│   API GW    │────▶│   Auth      │
└─────────────┘     └──────┬──────┘     └─────────────┘
                           │
         ┌─────────────────┼─────────────────┐
         ▼                 ▼                 ▼
┌─────────────┐   ┌─────────────┐   ┌─────────────┐
│  Inventory  │   │   Sync      │   │  Channels   │
│   Service   │   │   Engine    │   │   Service   │
└──────┬──────┘   └──────┬──────┘   └──────┬──────┘
       │                 │                 │
       └────────┬────────┴────────┬────────┘
                ▼                 ▼
         ┌───────────┐     ┌───────────┐
         │ PostgreSQL│     │   Redis   │
         └───────────┘     │   + MQ    │
                          └───────────┘
```

## Component Architecture

### 1. API Gateway
- **Technology:** Kong or AWS API Gateway
- **Responsibilities:**
  - Request routing
  - Rate limiting
  - Authentication passthrough
  - Request/response logging

### 2. Auth Service
- **Technology:** Node.js + Passport
- **Responsibilities:**
  - User registration/login
  - JWT token issuance
  - OAuth credential storage
  - Role-based access

### 3. Inventory Service
- **Technology:** Node.js + Express
- **Responsibilities:**
  - Product CRUD
  - Stock level management
  - Multi-location support
  - Inventory history

### 4. Sync Engine
- **Technology:** Node.js + Bull Queue
- **Responsibilities:**
  - Event processing
  - Channel API calls
  - Conflict resolution
  - Retry logic

### 5. Channels Service
- **Technology:** Node.js + per-channel adapters
- **Responsibilities:**
  - Channel connection management
  - API translation layer
  - Webhook handling
  - Rate limit management

## Data Models

### Product
```sql
CREATE TABLE products (
  id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
  tenant_id UUID NOT NULL,
  sku VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
  name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
  description TEXT,
  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
  updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
  UNIQUE(tenant_id, sku)
);
```

### Inventory
```sql
CREATE TABLE inventory (
  id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
  product_id UUID REFERENCES products(id),
  location_id UUID REFERENCES locations(id),
  quantity INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
  reserved INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
  updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);
```

### Channel Mapping
```sql
CREATE TABLE channel_mappings (
  id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
  product_id UUID REFERENCES products(id),
  channel_id UUID REFERENCES channels(id),
  external_id VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
  external_sku VARCHAR(100),
  UNIQUE(channel_id, external_id)
);
```

## API Specifications

### Inventory Endpoints

#### GET /api/v1/inventory
List all inventory with filtering.

**Query Parameters:**
- `sku` - Filter by SKU
- `low_stock` - Boolean, show only low stock
- `channel_id` - Filter by channel
- `page`, `limit` - Pagination

**Response:**
```json
{
  "data": [
    {
      "product_id": "uuid",
      "sku": "WIDGET-001",
      "name": "Blue Widget",
      "total_quantity": 150,
      "locations": [...],
      "channels": [...]
    }
  ],
  "pagination": {...}
}
```

## Technology Stack Justification

| Component | Choice | Justification |
|-----------|--------|---------------|
| Runtime | Node.js | Team expertise, async I/O for API calls |
| Database | PostgreSQL | ACID compliance, JSON support, scalability |
| Queue | Redis + Bull | Fast, reliable, good Node.js support |
| Cache | Redis | Same instance as queue, fast reads |
| API Gateway | Kong | Open source, plugin ecosystem |

## NFR Mapping

| NFR | Solution |
|-----|----------|
| Sync < 60s | Event-driven architecture, parallel processing |
| 99.9% uptime | Multi-AZ deployment, health checks, auto-scaling |
| 10k SKUs | Database indexing, query optimization, caching |
| Security | JWT + OAuth, encrypted secrets, audit logs |

Saving architecture to: docs/architecture.md

Output

A comprehensive architecture document including:

When to Use


Scrum Master

Skill ID: bmad-bmm-scrum-master Module: BMM Phase: Phase 4 - Implementation Planning

The Scrum Master handles sprint planning and story management. This skill breaks down epics into stories, estimates complexity, and plans iterations.

Responsibilities

Commands

Example Usage

User: /sprint-planning

Scrum Master: I'll help plan sprints for your inventory management system.

Loading: docs/prd.md, docs/architecture.md

## Story Breakdown

### Epic 1: Authentication & Authorization

| ID | Story | Points | Priority |
|----|-------|--------|----------|
| STORY-001 | User registration and login | 3 | Must |
| STORY-002 | JWT token management | 2 | Must |
| STORY-003 | OAuth credential storage | 3 | Must |
| STORY-004 | Role-based permissions | 5 | Should |

### Epic 2: Channel Integration

| ID | Story | Points | Priority |
|----|-------|--------|----------|
| STORY-005 | Channel connection framework | 5 | Must |
| STORY-006 | Shopify adapter | 5 | Must |
| STORY-007 | Amazon adapter | 8 | Must |
| STORY-008 | eBay adapter | 5 | Should |
| STORY-009 | WooCommerce adapter | 5 | Should |

### Epic 3: Sync Engine

| ID | Story | Points | Priority |
|----|-------|--------|----------|
| STORY-010 | Event queue setup | 3 | Must |
| STORY-011 | Inventory sync processor | 8 | Must |
| STORY-012 | Conflict resolution | 5 | Must |
| STORY-013 | Retry and error handling | 3 | Must |

### Epic 4: Inventory Management

| ID | Story | Points | Priority |
|----|-------|--------|----------|
| STORY-014 | Product CRUD | 5 | Must |
| STORY-015 | Stock level management | 5 | Must |
| STORY-016 | Multi-location support | 8 | Should |
| STORY-017 | Inventory history | 5 | Should |

### Epic 5: Dashboard & UI

| ID | Story | Points | Priority |
|----|-------|--------|----------|
| STORY-018 | Dashboard layout | 5 | Must |
| STORY-019 | Inventory list view | 5 | Must |
| STORY-020 | Low stock alerts | 3 | Must |
| STORY-021 | Sync status display | 3 | Must |

## Sprint Planning

**Team velocity assumption:** 25 points/sprint (adjust based on actual)

### Sprint 1: Foundation (25 pts)
Focus: Auth + Core inventory

- STORY-001: User registration/login (3)
- STORY-002: JWT management (2)
- STORY-003: OAuth storage (3)
- STORY-010: Event queue setup (3)
- STORY-014: Product CRUD (5)
- STORY-015: Stock management (5)
- STORY-018: Dashboard layout (5)

**Goal:** Users can sign up, add products, and see dashboard

### Sprint 2: First Channel (24 pts)
Focus: Shopify integration

- STORY-005: Channel framework (5)
- STORY-006: Shopify adapter (5)
- STORY-011: Sync processor (8)
- STORY-019: Inventory list (5)
- Buffer for Sprint 1 carryover (1)

**Goal:** Full Shopify sync working

### Sprint 3: Reliability (24 pts)
Focus: Error handling + more channels

- STORY-012: Conflict resolution (5)
- STORY-013: Retry handling (3)
- STORY-007: Amazon adapter (8)
- STORY-020: Low stock alerts (3)
- STORY-021: Sync status (3)
- Buffer (2)

**Goal:** Reliable sync with Shopify and Amazon

### Sprint 4: Expansion (23 pts)
Focus: Additional features

- STORY-004: Role-based permissions (5)
- STORY-008: eBay adapter (5)
- STORY-009: WooCommerce adapter (5)
- STORY-016: Multi-location (8)

**Goal:** All major channels supported

### Sprint 5: Polish (13 pts)
Focus: Nice-to-haves and refinement

- STORY-017: Inventory history (5)
- Bug fixes and polish (8)

**Goal:** Production-ready MVP

## Summary

- **Total stories:** 21
- **Total points:** 109
- **Estimated sprints:** 5
- **MVP ready:** After Sprint 3 (Must-haves complete)

Accept this sprint plan?
> Yes

Saving to: docs/sprint-status.yaml
Creating story files in: docs/stories/

Sprint plan complete!

When to Use


Developer

Skill ID: bmad-bmm-developer Module: BMM Phase: Phase 4 - Implementation

The Developer implements stories from the sprint plan. This skill writes clean, tested code that meets acceptance criteria.

Responsibilities

Commands

Example Usage

User: /dev-story STORY-014

Developer: I'll implement STORY-014: Product CRUD.

Loading: docs/stories/STORY-014.md

## Story Details

**Title:** Product CRUD Operations
**Points:** 5
**Epic:** Inventory Management

### Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Create product with name, SKU, description
- [ ] Read product by ID or SKU
- [ ] Update product fields
- [ ] Delete product (soft delete)
- [ ] Validate unique SKU per tenant
- [ ] API endpoints follow REST conventions
- [ ] Unit tests with >80% coverage

### Implementation Plan

1. Create Product model and migration
2. Create Product service with business logic
3. Create Product controller with endpoints
4. Add validation middleware
5. Write unit tests
6. Write integration tests

### Implementation

#### 1. Product Model

Creating: src/models/product.js
```javascript
const { DataTypes } = require('sequelize');

module.exports = (sequelize) => {
  const Product = sequelize.define('Product', {
    id: {
      type: DataTypes.UUID,
      defaultValue: DataTypes.UUIDV4,
      primaryKey: true
    },
    tenantId: {
      type: DataTypes.UUID,
      allowNull: false,
      field: 'tenant_id'
    },
    sku: {
      type: DataTypes.STRING(100),
      allowNull: false
    },
    name: {
      type: DataTypes.STRING(255),
      allowNull: false
    },
    description: {
      type: DataTypes.TEXT
    },
    deletedAt: {
      type: DataTypes.DATE,
      field: 'deleted_at'
    }
  }, {
    tableName: 'products',
    paranoid: true, // soft delete
    indexes: [
      {
        unique: true,
        fields: ['tenant_id', 'sku']
      }
    ]
  });

  return Product;
};
```

#### 2. Product Service

Creating: src/services/productService.js
```javascript
class ProductService {
  constructor(productModel) {
    this.Product = productModel;
  }

  async create(tenantId, data) {
    return this.Product.create({
      tenantId,
      ...data
    });
  }

  async findById(tenantId, id) {
    return this.Product.findOne({
      where: { id, tenantId }
    });
  }

  async findBySku(tenantId, sku) {
    return this.Product.findOne({
      where: { sku, tenantId }
    });
  }

  async update(tenantId, id, data) {
    const product = await this.findById(tenantId, id);
    if (!product) return null;
    return product.update(data);
  }

  async delete(tenantId, id) {
    const product = await this.findById(tenantId, id);
    if (!product) return false;
    await product.destroy();
    return true;
  }

  async list(tenantId, { page = 1, limit = 20, search } = {}) {
    const where = { tenantId };
    if (search) {
      where[Op.or] = [
        { name: { [Op.iLike]: `%${search}%` } },
        { sku: { [Op.iLike]: `%${search}%` } }
      ];
    }

    return this.Product.findAndCountAll({
      where,
      limit,
      offset: (page - 1) * limit,
      order: [['createdAt', 'DESC']]
    });
  }
}
```

#### 3. Product Controller

Creating: src/controllers/productController.js
```javascript
const express = require('express');
const router = express.Router();
const { validateProduct } = require('../middleware/validation');

router.post('/', validateProduct, async (req, res, next) => {
  try {
    const product = await req.productService.create(
      req.tenantId,
      req.body
    );
    res.status(201).json(product);
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.name === 'SequelizeUniqueConstraintError') {
      return res.status(409).json({
        error: 'SKU already exists'
      });
    }
    next(error);
  }
});

// ... GET, PUT, DELETE endpoints

module.exports = router;
```

#### 4. Tests

Creating: tests/unit/productService.test.js
```javascript
describe('ProductService', () => {
  describe('create', () => {
    it('should create a product with valid data', async () => {
      const data = {
        sku: 'TEST-001',
        name: 'Test Product',
        description: 'A test product'
      };

      const product = await productService.create(tenantId, data);

      expect(product.sku).toBe(data.sku);
      expect(product.name).toBe(data.name);
      expect(product.tenantId).toBe(tenantId);
    });

    it('should reject duplicate SKU for same tenant', async () => {
      // ... test implementation
    });
  });

  // ... more tests
});
```

### Verification

Running tests:
```bash
npm test -- --coverage
```

Coverage report:
- productService.js: 95%
- productController.js: 88%
- Overall: 91%

All acceptance criteria met ✓

### Story Complete

Updated: docs/stories/STORY-014.md
Status: Complete

Next: /dev-story STORY-015

When to Use


BMB Module

Builder

Skill ID: bmad-bmb-builder Module: BMB Phase: N/A (Meta-skill)

The Builder creates custom agents, workflows, and templates. Use this when you need specialized capabilities not covered by default BMAD skills.

Responsibilities

Commands

Example: Creating a QA Engineer Agent

User: /create-agent

Builder: I'll help you create a custom BMAD agent.

What type of agent?
> QA Engineer

What are its main responsibilities?
> - Test plan creation
> - Test case design
> - Bug report writing
> - Coverage analysis
> - Regression testing

What commands should it support?
> /create-test-plan
> /generate-test-cases
> /bug-report
> /coverage-analysis

Creating agent...

Saved to: ~/.claude/skills/bmad/custom/qa-engineer/SKILL.md

## Generated Agent

```markdown
# QA Engineer

## Skill ID
bmad-custom-qa-engineer

## Module
custom

## Purpose
Quality assurance and testing for BMAD projects

## Responsibilities
- Create comprehensive test plans from requirements
- Design test cases with clear steps and expected results
- Write detailed bug reports
- Analyze test coverage and identify gaps
- Plan regression testing strategies

## Commands
- `/create-test-plan` - Generate test plan from PRD
- `/generate-test-cases` - Create test cases for features
- `/bug-report` - Write standardized bug report
- `/coverage-analysis` - Analyze test coverage

## Workflow Integration
- Operates in Phase 4 alongside Developer
- Takes PRD and Architecture as inputs
- Outputs test documentation to docs/tests/

Restart Claude Code to load the new agent.


#### When to Use
- Need domain-specific agents (Security, DevOps, Data Science)
- Want custom workflows for your process
- Building reusable templates
- Extending BMAD for your team

---

## CIS Module

<h3 id="creative-intelligence">Creative Intelligence</h3>

**Skill ID:** `bmad-cis-creative-intelligence`
**Module:** CIS
**Phase:** Any phase

The Creative Intelligence skill facilitates brainstorming and research. Use this when you need creative problem-solving or comprehensive research.

#### Responsibilities
- Facilitate structured brainstorming
- Conduct market/competitive/technical research
- Generate creative solutions
- Refine ideas through multiple techniques
- Document findings

#### Commands
- `/brainstorm` - Structured brainstorming session
- `/research` - Comprehensive research

#### Brainstorming Techniques

1. **5 Whys** - Root cause analysis
2. **SCAMPER** - Creative variations
3. **Mind Mapping** - Visual organization
4. **Reverse Brainstorming** - Failure analysis
5. **Six Thinking Hats** - Multiple perspectives
6. **Starbursting** - Question-based exploration
7. **Brainwriting** - Silent idea generation
8. **SWOT Analysis** - Strategic assessment

#### Example: Brainstorming Session

User: /brainstorm

Creative Intelligence: What topic would you like to brainstorm?

How to improve user onboarding for our inventory app

Which techniques would you like to use? (or ‘all’)

5 Whys, SCAMPER, Six Thinking Hats

5 Whys Analysis

Problem: Users abandon onboarding before connecting their first channel

  1. Why? The process takes too long (15+ minutes)
  2. Why? Users must configure too many settings upfront
  3. Why? We require all fields before proceeding
  4. Why? The system needs complete data to function
  5. Why? We haven’t implemented progressive disclosure

Root Cause: Requiring complete configuration prevents users from experiencing value quickly

Solution Direction: Implement progressive onboarding with minimal required fields

SCAMPER Analysis

Substitute

Combine

Adapt

Modify

Put to other uses

Eliminate

Reverse

Six Thinking Hats

White Hat (Facts)

Red Hat (Emotions)

Black Hat (Risks)

Yellow Hat (Benefits)

Green Hat (Creativity)

Blue Hat (Process)

Recommendations

  1. Quick Win: Reduce required fields to email + password only
  2. Medium Term: Implement “Connect in 3 clicks” with smart defaults
  3. Future: Progressive onboarding that reveals features over first week

Saving to: docs/brainstorm-onboarding.md


#### Example: Research Session

User: /research

Creative Intelligence: What type of research?

  1. Market research
  2. Competitive analysis
  3. Technical research
  4. User research

    2

What’s the focus of your competitive analysis?

Inventory management software for small businesses

Competitive Analysis: Inventory Management Software

Market Overview

The small business inventory management market is valued at $3.2B (2024) with 12% YoY growth. Key trends include multi-channel integration, AI-powered forecasting, and mobile-first design.

Competitor Profiles

1. Cin7

2. Ordoro

3. Sortly

4. inFlow

Feature Comparison

Feature Cin7 Ordoro Sortly inFlow Us
Shopify -
Amazon -
Real-time sync - - -
Mobile app - Planned
AI forecasting - - - Planned

Opportunity Analysis

Gaps we can fill:

  1. Real-time sync at lower price point
  2. Better UX than Cin7
  3. More integrations than Sortly
  4. Modern UI vs. inFlow

Positioning: “Cin7 features at Ordoro prices”

Recommendations

  1. Differentiate on speed: Lead with “60-second sync” messaging
  2. Target switchers: Focus on Ordoro users needing real-time
  3. Pricing: $49-149/mo range to compete with Ordoro/Sortly
  4. Launch integrations: Prioritize Shopify, Amazon, eBay, WooCommerce

Saving to: docs/research-competitive-analysis.md


#### When to Use
- Starting a new project (use before product brief)
- Stuck on a problem
- Need market intelligence
- Exploring technical options
- Any phase where creativity helps

---

## Using Skills Together

Skills work together across the workflow. Here's how they connect:

Business Analyst → Product Manager → System Architect → Scrum Master → Developer │ │ │ │ │ product-brief.md → prd.md → architecture.md → sprint-status.yaml → code


### Handoff Example

User: /product-brief

Business Analyst creates docs/product-brief.md

User: /prd

Product Manager reads product-brief.md

Creates docs/prd.md

User: /architecture

System Architect reads prd.md

Creates docs/architecture.md

User: /sprint-planning

Scrum Master reads prd.md and architecture.md

Creates docs/sprint-status.yaml and docs/stories/

User: /dev-story STORY-001

Developer reads the story file and architecture

Implements the code

```

Each skill automatically loads outputs from previous phases, maintaining context throughout the workflow.


Next Steps