Stage 00 - Init Ideas

Transform raw ideas into structured business requirements by clarifying the problem, defining the solution, identifying target users, and establishing success metrics.

When to Use This Skill

• User asks to start stage 00 (init-ideas)
• User wants to transform ideas into business requirements
• User wants to clarify problem statement or define solution

Your Roles in This Skill

See dev-swarm/docs/general-dev-stage-rule.md for role selection guidance.

Role Communication

See dev-swarm/docs/general-dev-stage-rule.md for the required role announcement format.

Pre-Stage Check

This is the first stage. Verify ideas.md exists with content before proceeding.

Instructions

Step 1: Context Review

Read the ideas file to understand the user's initial concept:

• ideas.md

Step 2: Initialize Project Stage Structure

Process stage exclusions from ideas.md:

1. Check if ideas.md has a "Development Stages" section:

   • If yes: Identify all unchecked stages (marked with [ ])
   • If no: Skip this step - assume all stages are enabled by default

2. For each excluded/skipped stage (except non-skippable stages: 00, 04, 07, 09):

   • Create the stage folder if it doesn't exist
   • Create SKIP.md in that folder (if it doesn't already exist)
   • Content: "Stage excluded as per ideas.md configuration"

Note: Non-skippable stages (00-init-ideas, 04-prd, 07-tech-specs, 10-sprints) cannot have SKIP.md files.

Stage list reference:

• 00-init-ideas, 01-market-research, 02-personas, 03-mvp, 04-prd, 05-ux, 06-architecture, 07-tech-specs, 08-devops, 10-sprints, 11-deployment

Step 3: Create Stage Proposal

General Rules: See dev-swarm/docs/general-dev-stage-rule.md → "Create Stage Proposal Rules" section.

Create the file 00-init-ideas/README.md with the following content:

3.1 Stage Goal

Brief the goal in 2-3 paragraphs:

• What this stage aims to achieve (transforming raw ideas into actionable business requirements)
• Why clarifying the problem and solution is critical before proceeding
• What deliverables will be produced

3.2 File Selection

Select files from these options based on project needs:

Problem & Solution Definition:

• problem-statement.md - Clear articulation of the problem being solved
• solution-overview.md - High-level description of the proposed solution

Brainstorm:

• brainstorm-mindmap/ - Diagrams expanding user's initial ideas
• feature-opportunities.md - New features discovered through brainstorming

Requirements & Users:

• quick-questions.md - List of unknowns and clarification questions
• tech-requirements.md - Technical requirements extracted from the ideas
• target-users.md - Initial definition of target audience segments

Success & Risk:

• success-metrics.md - KPIs and criteria for measuring success
• assumptions-risks.md - Key assumptions and potential risks

For each selected file, provide:

• Short description
• Why it's essential for this project
• Key information it should include

3.3 Request User Approval

Ask user: "Please check the Stage Proposal in 00-init-ideas/README.md. Update it directly or tell me how to update it."

Step 4: Execute Stage Plan

Once user approves 00-init-ideas/README.md:

4.1 Create All Planned Files

Create each file listed in the approved README:

• For .md files: Write comprehensive content based on the ideas.md file
• For diagram folders: Follow dev-swarm/docs/mermaid-diagram-guide.md to create related diagrams files

Quality Guidelines:

• Extract and clarify implicit requirements from the ideas
• Ask clarifying questions rather than making assumptions
• Ensure problem statement is specific and measurable
• Define target users with enough detail for persona creation in Stage 02

4.2 Request User Approval for Files

After creating all files:

• Provide a summary of what was created
• Highlight key insights and clarifications made
• Ask: "Please review the init-ideas documents. You can update or delete files, or let me know how to modify them."

Step 5: Finalize Stage

Once user approves all files:

5.1 Documentation Finalization

• Sync 00-init-ideas/README.md to remove any deleted files
• Ensure all files are complete and well-formatted
• Check that all diagrams render correctly

5.2 Prepare for Next Stage

• Summarize key findings for reference in later stages
• Identify areas that need market research validation (Stage 01)

5.3 Announce Completion

Inform user:

• "Stage 00 (Init Ideas) is complete"
• Summary of deliverables created
• Key insights discovered
• "Ready to proceed to Stage 01 (Market Research) when you are"

Stage Completion Rules

See dev-swarm/docs/general-dev-stage-rule.md for stage completion, commit, and skip rules.

Key Principles

• Extract and clarify implicit requirements
• Ask clarifying questions rather than assuming
• Focus on specific, measurable outcomes
• Support smooth transition to market research