AI Starter#

Your brainstorming companion. When you need to generate ideas, explore concepts, or think creatively.

When to Use#

TriggerAction"Help me think about..."Brainstorm ideas"What if..."Explore possibilities"Give me ideas for..."Generate options"What else is true..."Expand thinking"Challenge this idea"Reframe perspective"Go deeper on..."Dive into details"List reasons to..."Build arguments

Core Capabilities#

1. Idea Generation#

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You want to: [goal/goal/goal]

Starter questions:
- What is the core need?
- What problems exist?
- What's possible?
- What would be great?
- What are the options?
- What could work?
- What matters?
- What changes?
- What's new?
- What's next?

Then brainstorm 10+ ideas:
1. [idea 1]
2. [idea 2]
3. [idea 3]
4. [idea 4]
5. [idea 5]
6. [idea 6]
7. [idea 7]
8. [idea 8]
9. [idea 9]
10. [idea 10]

2. Perspective Shifting#

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Reframe the question:
Old: "How do we make this better?"
New: "What could be broken about this?"

Old: "We need more users"
New: "We need more trust"

Old: "This is expensive"
New: "This is premium"

Old: "The tool is slow"
New: "The process is complex"

3. Multi-Layer Thinking#

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Layer 1: What is it?
  - Surface level
  - Basic definition

Layer 2: How does it work?
  - Mechanism
  - Process
  - System

Layer 3: Why does it matter?
  - Context
  - Relevance
  - Impact

Layer 4: What follows from this?
  - Consequences
  - Implications
  - Next steps

Layer 5: What could be different?
  - Alternatives
  - Improvements
  - Innovations

Layer 6: What if it were true?
  - Hypothetical
  - Possibility
  - Future

4. Challenge & Expand#

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Expand on: "Remote work"

Benefits:
- No commute
- Flexibility
- Better balance
- Global talent
- Lower cost
- Custom setup
- Location free
- Time saving
- Focus time
- Family time

Questions:
- What's missing?
- What could fail?
- What needs work?
- What could improve?
- What could change?

Refinements:
- Add async tools
- Add community
- Add support
- Add culture
- Add connection

Techniques#

The "What If" Method#

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Start with: "What if..."

Then explore:
- What if we do it differently?
- What if we try this?
- What if it fails?
- What if it works?
- What if it scales?
- What if it changes?

The 5 Whys#

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Problem: "Low productivity"

Why 1: Team isn't focused
Why 2: Too many distractions
Why 3: Too many meetings
Why 4: No clear priorities
Why 5: No strategy

Answer: Create strategy
Solution: [action item]

Reverse Thinking#

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Instead of "How to do X?"
Ask "How could we NOT do X?"

Then flip:
- "Not doing X means Y"
- "Blocking X blocks Z"
- "Without X, we lose W"

Then solve:
- How to do Y instead
- How to get Z without X
- How to gain W without X

Examples#

Example: Remote Work Ideas#

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What if we make remote work the default?

Benefits:
- Everyone works anywhere
- No commute needed
- Better balance
- Global hiring
- More flexibility
- Less waste
- Better environment

Risks:
- Social isolation
- Loss of culture
- Less collaboration
- Less connection
- Less energy

Solutions:
- Virtual teams
- Async work
- Better tools
- Online meetings
- Community building
- Digital culture
- Written comms
- Documented knowledge

Example: AI Education#

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What if AI changes education forever?

Possibility 1: Personalized learning
  - AI adapts to each student
  - Custom pace
  - Tailored content
  - Individual focus

Possibility 2: Teacher augmentation
  - AI as assistant
  - Better planning
  - More time with students
  - Focus on teaching

Possibility 3: Self-directed learning
  - Students learn at own pace
  - AI as tutor
  - On-demand help
  - As needed

Possibility 4: Knowledge explosion
  - Everyone has access
  - No barriers
  - Democratization
  - Universal education

Challenges:
- Teacher role change
- Privacy concerns
- Digital divide
- Content quality
- Human element
- Social skills
- Mental health

Example: Future Work#

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What does the future of work look like?

Vision 1: Decentralized
- No offices
- No managers
- No hierarchy
- Peer led
- Community driven
- Collaborative

Vision 2: AI-powered
- Personal assistants
- Auto tools
- Smart support
- Easy tasks
- Quick results

Vision 3: Hybrid model
- Mix it all
- Choose what fits
- Best of both
- Flexible
- Adaptive

Vision 4: Universal access
- Remote first
- Global work
- Borderless
- Unlimited
- Everyone wins

Quick Prompts#

Idea Generation#

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"Give me 10 ideas about..."
"Here are 10 ways to..."
"Here's how we could..."
"One approach is..."
"Another way..."

Reframing#

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"Instead of X, what about Y?"
"How else could we say this?"
"What if we flipped it?"
"Let's think differently"
"New perspective:"

Deepening#

text

"Why is this important?"
"How does this work?"
"What happens next?"
"What if it fails?"
"What could be better?"

Challenging#

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"What could go wrong?"
"What if we assume the opposite?"
"What's missing here?"
"What if it doesn't work?"
"How could this fail?"

Techniques in Action#

Brainstorming#

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Task: "What's a good tool for remote teams?"

Idea storm (10 ideas):
1. Video conferencing
2. Chat comms
3. Project tracking
4. File sharing
5. Virtual whiteboard
6. Time zone finder
7. Async messaging
8. Screen sharing
9. Task automation
10. Knowledge base

Pick 3:
- Chat comms
- Video calls
- Project tracking

Expand:
- Add more tools
- How they connect
- What they solve
- What's missing

Reframing#

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"How do we get people to use the tool?"

Reframe:
- How do we make it obvious?
- How do we make it easy?
- How do we make it necessary?
- How do we make it valuable?
- How do we make it sticky?"

Then explore:
- Why would they want it?
- What problem does it solve?
- How does it help them?
- What's the benefit?
- What's the value?

Deepening#

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"AI in education"

Layer 1: What is it?
- AI tutors
- Personalized help
- Smart guidance

Layer 2: How does it work?
- Data-driven
- Adaptive
- Learns patterns
- Gives feedback

Layer 3: Why does it matter?
- Better learning
- Faster progress
- Personalized
- More support

Layer 4: What follows?
- Changed teaching
- New methods
- Different tools
- Better results

Layer 5: What could change?
- Teacher role
- Classrooms
- Curriculum
- Learning styles
- Outcomes

Layer 6: What if?
- What if it's perfect?
- What if it's wrong?
- What if it fails?
- What if it changes everything?

Challenging#

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"Remote work is great"

What if it's not?
What could go wrong?
What are the risks?

Challenges:
- Isolation
- Burnout
- Loss of culture
- Less connection
- Less innovation
- Fragmentation
- Bureaucracy
- Distance

Solutions:
- Add support
- Better tools
- More connection
- Stronger culture
- More community
- Better comms
- More help

Tools & Workflows#

For Brainstorming#

• Mind mapping - Visual branches
• List making - Simple ideas
• Word clouds - Key themes
• Tag cloud - Important words
• Cluster groups - Related ideas
• Matrix - Compare options

For Planning#

• 3x3 matrix - 3 levels, 3 items
• Timeline - temporal sequence
• Impact map - effects and results
• Risk matrix - probability x impact
• Value grid - value x effort
• Decision matrix - evaluate choices

For Prioritization#

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P0 - Must have
  (Critical)
  - Core requirement
  - No-go without
  - Blocker

P1 - Should have
  (Important)
  - Key feature
  - Must include
  - Essential

P2 - Could have
  (Nice to have)
  - Good to have
  - Enhancement
  - Better

P3 - Want to have
  (Fancy stuff)
  - Cool add-on
  - Extra
  - Delighter

Common Patterns#

Divergent Thinking (Expand)#

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"Here are 100 ways to do it..."

List many ideas:
1. Approach 1
2. Approach 2
3. Approach 3
4. ...
50. ...
...
100. ...

Pick best 10:
- 1, 5, 12, 17, 23, 34, 45, 67, 89, 99

Convergent Thinking (Focus)#

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Now choose the best ones:
- 1 and 5 - Same, pick 5
- 12 and 17 - Related, pick 17
- 23, 34, 45 - Same cluster, pick 23
- 67, 89, 99 - Similar, pick 99

Final set:
- Best approach
- Better way
- Solid option
- Good plan
- Clear path
- Simple solution
- Smart choice
- Fast route
- Easy way
- Smart path

Multi-Perspective#

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View 1: Optimist
- Everything works
- All possibilities
- Best case

View 2: Realist
- Most likely
- Balanced view
- Middle ground

View 3: Pessimist
- What could fail
- Risks and issues
- Worst case

Templates#

Brainstorm Template#

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# Ideas: [topic]

## Context
[why we're brainstorming, what's the goal]

## 10 Core Ideas
1. [idea 1]
2. [idea 2]
3. [idea 3]
4. [idea 4]
5. [idea 5]
6. [idea 6]
7. [idea 7]
8. [idea 8]
9. [idea 9]
10. [idea 10]

## Top 3
**Best:** [idea #]
**Second:** [idea #]
**Third:** [idea #]

## Why these?
[explain why these 3 make it]

## Next steps
1. [action 1]
2. [action 2]
3. [action 3]

Framework Template#

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# Framework: [name]

## Core Principle
[central idea, guiding principle]

## Layer 1: Foundation
[what it is, basic definition]
- Description
- Examples
- Basics

## Layer 2: Mechanism
[how it works, processes]
- How it functions
- How it operates
- How it works

## Layer 3: Context
[why it matters, relevance]
- Importance
- Relevance
- Significance

## Layer 4: Implications
[what follows, consequences]
- Consequences
- Implications
- Next steps

## Layer 5: Alternatives
[what else, options]
- Other ways
- Alternatives
- Options

## Layer 6: Future
[what could be, possibilities]
- Possibilities
- Future
- What if

## Applications
[how to use it, practical uses]
- Use case 1
- Use case 2
- Use case 3

## Benefits
[advantages, value]
- Advantage 1
- Advantage 2
- Advantage 3

## Risks
[disadvantages, concerns]
- Risk 1
- Risk 2
- Risk 3

Quick Guide#

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# How to use this tool

## When
- When you want ideas
- When you need to think
- When you want options
- When you want to explore
- When you want to expand
- When you want to deepen

## How
1. State your question
2. Brainstorm 10+ ideas
3. Pick the best
4. Refine the top
5. Plan your next

## What makes it work
- It's simple
- It's flexible
- It's adaptable
- It's open
- It's inclusive
- It's creative
- It's diverse
- It's explorative
- It's expansive
- It's generative

Quick Start Prompts#

Generating#

• "Give me 10 ideas about..."
• "What are 20 ways to..."
• "Here's how we could..."
• "One approach is..."
• "Another way..."
• "What if we try..."
• "What else could..."
• "What matters about..."
• "What changes with..."
• "What's next..."

Reframing#

• "How else could we..."
• "What if we said..."
• "Let's think differently"
• "New perspective:"
• "换个角度"
• "换个思路"
• "换个方式"
• "换个角度"
• "换个思路"
• "换个方法"

Deepening#

• "Why does this matter?"
• "How does it work?"
• "What happens next?"
• "What if it fails?"
• "What could improve?"
• "What's missing?"
• "What else could..."
• "What could happen..."
• "What if we..."
• "What's the next step?"

Challenging#

• "What could go wrong?"
• "What if we assume..."
• "What's not considered?"
• "What if it doesn't..."
• "How could this fail?"
• "What's the risk?"
• "What if it fails?"
• "What could break?"
• "What could change?"
• "What if this..."

Examples#

Idea Generation#

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Problem: "People don't read documentation"

10 ways to fix:
1. Make docs shorter
2. Make it easier
3. Add examples
4. Add visuals
5. Make it interactive
6. Add quick start
7. Make it searchable
8. Write better
9. Automate finding
10. Show, don't tell

Top 3:
1. Show, don't tell
   - Examples first
   - Code snippets
   - Visuals

2. Quick wins
   - Start simple
   - Show value
   - Make it work

3. Make it fun
   - Gamify learning
   - Make it fun
   - Add interactivity

Reframing#

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Old: "How do we sell more?"
New: "How do we solve more problems?"

Old: "We need more users"
New: "We need more trust"

Old: "The app is too big"
New: "The app is feature-rich"

Deepening#

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Level 1: What is remote work?
  - Working from home
  - Flexible location
  - Remote teams

Level 2: How does it work?
  - Async communication
  - Video calls
  - Project tools
  - Digital docs
  - Time zone coordination

Level 3: Why does it matter?
  - Global hiring
  - Work-life balance
  - No commute
  - Location freedom
  - Flexibility

Level 4: What follows?
  - Changed cities
  - Different hubs
  - New patterns
  - Remote economy
  - Distributed orgs

Level 5: What could be different?
  - Future model
  - Permanent shift
  - New normal
  - Evolved work
  - Next generation

Level 6: What if it transforms everything?
  - World impact
  - Social change
  - Economic shift
  - Cultural evolution
  - Fundamental change

Challenging#

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Assumption: "Remote work is perfect"
Test: What could fail?

Problems:
- No face time
- Less connection
- No community
- Less energy
- More isolation
- Bureaucratic
- Hard decisions
- Lost vision

What if it's not perfect?
- We need more than just remote
- We need remote + connection
- We need culture + tech
- We need both

Solution:
- Remote work + strong comms
- Async + sync
- Better culture
- Strong tools
- Connection focus

Final Notes#

This skill helps you:

• Think bigger - expand possibilities
• Think deeper - go deeper into meaning
• Think different - try new angles
• Think better - challenge assumptions
• Think faster - speed through ideas

Remember:

• Start broad - explore everything
• Then focus - pick the best
• Iterate - refine your ideas
• Collaborate - gather feedback
• Keep going - keep improving

Made for you, goodjin. 🤖