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BMM Analysis Workflows (Phase 1)

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Overview

Phase 1 (Analysis) workflows are optional exploration and discovery tools that help validate ideas, understand markets, and generate strategic context before planning begins.

Key principle: Analysis workflows help you think strategically before committing to implementation. Skip them if your requirements are already clear.

When to use: Starting new projects, exploring opportunities, validating market fit, generating ideas, understanding problem spaces.

When to skip: Continuing existing projects with clear requirements, well-defined features with known solutions, strict constraints where discovery is complete.

Phase 1 Analysis Workflow Map

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graph TB
    subgraph Discovery["<b>DISCOVERY & IDEATION (Optional)</b>"]
        direction LR
        BrainstormProject["<b>Analyst: brainstorm-project</b><br/>Multi-track solution exploration"]
        BrainstormGame["<b>Analyst: brainstorm-game</b><br/>Game concept generation"]
    end

    subgraph Research["<b>RESEARCH & VALIDATION (Optional)</b>"]
        direction TB
        ResearchWF["<b>Analyst: research</b><br/>• market (TAM/SAM/SOM)<br/>• technical (framework evaluation)<br/>• competitive (landscape)<br/>• user (personas, JTBD)<br/>• domain (industry analysis)<br/>• deep_prompt (AI research)"]
    end

    subgraph Strategy["<b>STRATEGIC CAPTURE (Recommended for Greenfield)</b>"]
        direction LR
        ProductBrief["<b>Analyst: product-brief</b><br/>Product vision + strategy<br/>(Interactive or YOLO mode)"]
        GameBrief["<b>Game Designer: game-brief</b><br/>Game vision capture<br/>(Interactive or YOLO mode)"]
    end

    Discovery -.->|Software| ProductBrief
    Discovery -.->|Games| GameBrief
    Discovery -.->|Validate ideas| Research
    Research -.->|Inform brief| ProductBrief
    Research -.->|Inform brief| GameBrief
    ProductBrief --> Phase2["<b>Phase 2: prd workflow</b>"]
    GameBrief --> Phase2Game["<b>Phase 2: gdd workflow</b>"]
    Research -.->|Can feed directly| Phase2

    style Discovery fill:#e1f5fe,stroke:#01579b,stroke-width:3px,color:#000
    style Research fill:#fff9c4,stroke:#f57f17,stroke-width:3px,color:#000
    style Strategy fill:#f3e5f5,stroke:#4a148c,stroke-width:3px,color:#000
    style Phase2 fill:#c8e6c9,stroke:#2e7d32,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style Phase2Game fill:#c8e6c9,stroke:#2e7d32,stroke-width:2px,color:#000

    style BrainstormProject fill:#81d4fa,stroke:#0277bd,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style BrainstormGame fill:#81d4fa,stroke:#0277bd,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style ResearchWF fill:#fff59d,stroke:#f57f17,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style ProductBrief fill:#ce93d8,stroke:#6a1b9a,stroke-width:2px,color:#000
    style GameBrief fill:#ce93d8,stroke:#6a1b9a,stroke-width:2px,color:#000

Quick Reference

Workflow	Agent	Required	Purpose	Output
brainstorm-project	Analyst	No	Explore solution approaches and architectures	Solution options + rationale
brainstorm-game	Analyst	No	Generate game concepts using creative techniques	Game concepts + evaluation
research	Analyst	No	Multi-type research (market/technical/competitive/user/domain)	Research reports
product-brief	Analyst	Recommended	Define product vision and strategy (interactive)	Product Brief document
game-brief	Game Designer	Recommended	Capture game vision before GDD (interactive)	Game Brief document

Workflow Descriptions

brainstorm-project

Purpose: Generate multiple solution approaches through parallel ideation tracks (architecture, UX, integration, value).

Agent: Analyst

When to Use:

Unclear technical approach with business objectives
Multiple solution paths need evaluation
Hidden assumptions need discovery
Innovation beyond obvious solutions

Key Outputs:

Architecture proposals with trade-off analysis
Value framework (prioritized features)
Risk analysis (dependencies, challenges)
Strategic recommendation with rationale

Example: "We need a customer dashboard" → Options: Monolith SSR (faster), Microservices SPA (scalable), Hybrid (balanced) with recommendation.

brainstorm-game

Purpose: Generate game concepts through systematic creative exploration using five brainstorming techniques.

Agent: Analyst

When to Use:

Generating original game concepts
Exploring variations on themes
Breaking creative blocks
Validating game ideas against constraints

Techniques Used:

SCAMPER (systematic modification)
Mind Mapping (hierarchical exploration)
Lotus Blossom (radial expansion)
Six Thinking Hats (multi-perspective)
Random Word Association (lateral thinking)

Key Outputs:

Method-specific artifacts (5 separate documents)
Consolidated concept document with feasibility
Design pillar alignment matrix

Example: "Roguelike with psychological themes" → Emotions as characters, inner demons as enemies, therapy sessions as rest points, deck composition affects narrative.

research

Purpose: Comprehensive multi-type research system consolidating market, technical, competitive, user, and domain analysis.

Agent: Analyst

Research Types:

Type	Purpose	Use When
market	TAM/SAM/SOM, competitive analysis	Need market viability validation
technical	Technology evaluation, ADRs	Choosing frameworks/platforms
competitive	Deep competitor analysis	Understanding competitive landscape
user	Customer insights, personas, JTBD	Need user understanding
domain	Industry deep dives, trends	Understanding domain/industry
deep_prompt	Generate AI research prompts (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini)	Need deeper AI-assisted research

Key Features:

Real-time web research
Multiple analytical frameworks (Porter's Five Forces, SWOT, Technology Adoption Lifecycle)
Platform-specific optimization for deep_prompt type
Configurable research depth (quick/standard/comprehensive)

Example (market): "SaaS project management tool" → TAM $50B, SAM $5B, SOM $50M, top competitors (Asana, Monday), positioning recommendation.

product-brief

Purpose: Interactive product brief creation that guides strategic product vision definition.

Agent: Analyst

When to Use:

Starting new product/major feature initiative
Aligning stakeholders before detailed planning
Transitioning from exploration to strategy
Need executive-level product documentation

Modes:

Interactive Mode (Recommended): Step-by-step collaborative development with probing questions
YOLO Mode: AI generates complete draft from context, then iterative refinement

Key Outputs:

Executive summary
Problem statement with evidence
Proposed solution and differentiators
Target users (segmented)
MVP scope (ruthlessly defined)
Financial impact and ROI
Strategic alignment
Risks and open questions

Integration: Feeds directly into PRD workflow (Phase 2).

game-brief

Purpose: Lightweight interactive brainstorming session capturing game vision before Game Design Document.

Agent: Game Designer

When to Use:

Starting new game project
Exploring game ideas before committing
Pitching concepts to team/stakeholders
Validating market fit and feasibility

Game Brief vs GDD:

Aspect	Game Brief	GDD
Purpose	Validate concept	Design for implementation
Detail Level	High-level vision	Detailed specs
Format	Conversational	Structured
Output	Concise vision doc	Comprehensive design

Key Outputs:

Game vision (concept, pitch)
Target market and positioning
Core gameplay pillars
Scope and constraints
Reference framework
Risk assessment
Success criteria

Integration: Feeds into GDD workflow (Phase 2).

Decision Guide

Starting a Software Project

brainstorm-project (if unclear) → research (market/technical) → product-brief → Phase 2 (prd)

Starting a Game Project

brainstorm-game (if generating concepts) → research (market/competitive) → game-brief → Phase 2 (gdd)

Validating an Idea

research (market type) → product-brief or game-brief → Phase 2

Technical Decision Only

research (technical type) → Use findings in Phase 3 (architecture)

Understanding Market

research (market/competitive type) → product-brief → Phase 2

Integration with Phase 2 (Planning)

Analysis outputs feed directly into Planning:

Analysis Output	Planning Input
product-brief.md	prd workflow
game-brief.md	gdd workflow
market-research.md	prd context
technical-research.md	architecture (Phase 3)
competitive-intelligence.md	prd positioning

Planning workflows automatically load these documents if they exist in the output folder.

Best Practices

1. Don't Over-Invest in Analysis

Analysis is optional. If requirements are clear, skip to Phase 2 (Planning).

2. Iterate Between Workflows

Common pattern: brainstorm → research (validate) → brief (synthesize)

3. Document Assumptions

Analysis surfaces and validates assumptions. Document them explicitly for planning to challenge.

4. Keep It Strategic

Focus on "what" and "why", not "how". Leave implementation for Planning and Solutioning.

5. Involve Stakeholders

Use analysis workflows to align stakeholders before committing to detailed planning.

Common Patterns

Greenfield Software (Full Analysis)

1. brainstorm-project - explore approaches
2. research (market) - validate viability
3. product-brief - capture strategic vision
4. → Phase 2: prd

Greenfield Game (Full Analysis)

1. brainstorm-game - generate concepts
2. research (competitive) - understand landscape
3. game-brief - capture vision
4. → Phase 2: gdd

Skip Analysis (Clear Requirements)

→ Phase 2: prd or tech-spec directly

Technical Research Only

1. research (technical) - evaluate technologies
2. → Phase 3: architecture (use findings in ADRs)

Phase 2: Planning Workflows - Next phase
Phase 3: Solutioning Workflows
Phase 4: Implementation Workflows
Scale Adaptive System - Understanding project complexity
Agents Guide - Complete agent reference

Troubleshooting

Q: Do I need to run all analysis workflows? A: No! Analysis is entirely optional. Use only workflows that help you think through your problem.

Q: Which workflow should I start with? A: If unsure, start with research (market type) to validate viability, then move to product-brief or game-brief.

Q: Can I skip straight to Planning? A: Yes! If you know what you're building and why, skip Phase 1 entirely and start with Phase 2 (prd/gdd/tech-spec).

Q: How long should Analysis take? A: Typically hours to 1-2 days. If taking longer, you may be over-analyzing. Move to Planning.

Q: What if I discover problems during Analysis? A: That's the point! Analysis helps you fail fast and pivot before heavy planning investment.

Q: Should brownfield projects do Analysis? A: Usually no. Start with document-project (Phase 0), then skip to Planning (Phase 2).

Phase 1 Analysis - Optional strategic thinking before commitment.

13 KiB Raw Permalink Blame History

BMM Analysis Workflows (Phase 1)

Overview

Phase 1 Analysis Workflow Map

Quick Reference

Workflow Descriptions

brainstorm-project

brainstorm-game

research

product-brief

game-brief

Decision Guide

Starting a Software Project

Starting a Game Project

Validating an Idea

Technical Decision Only

Understanding Market

Integration with Phase 2 (Planning)

Best Practices

1. Don't Over-Invest in Analysis

2. Iterate Between Workflows

3. Document Assumptions

4. Keep It Strategic

5. Involve Stakeholders

Common Patterns

Greenfield Software (Full Analysis)

Greenfield Game (Full Analysis)

Skip Analysis (Clear Requirements)

Technical Research Only

Related Documentation

Troubleshooting

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