Creative Problem Solver

Contract (one assistant turn)

• Deliver options, then stop and ask for human input before executing.
• Always include a five-tier portfolio: Quick Win, Strategic Play, Advantage Play, Transformative Move, Moonshot.
• For each option: expected signal + escape hatch.
• Run an Aha Check after reframing.
• Track provenance (technique → Aha Y/N). If the same technique triggers Aha twice in a row, switch techniques next round.
• Keep a short Knowledge Snapshot + Decision Log.

When to use

• Progress is stalled or blocked.
• Repeated attempts fail the same way.
• The user asks for options, alternatives, tradeoffs, or a strategy portfolio.
• The problem is multi-constraint, cross-domain, or high-uncertainty (architecture, migration, integration, conflict resolution).

Quick start

1. Choose lane: Fast Spark or Full Session.
2. Reframe once (pick one tool, or run Oblique Draw).
3. Aha Check. If none, reframe once more.
4. Generate the five-tier portfolio.
5. Score options (1–5): Signal, Ease, Reversibility, Speed.
6. Ask the user to choose a tier or update constraints.
7. Close with an Insights Summary.

Mode check

• Pragmatic (default): ship-this-week options only.
• Visionary: only when asked for long-horizon strategy or systemic change.

Lane selector

• Fast Spark: skip ideation; produce the portfolio directly.
• Full Session: diverge (10–30 ideas), cluster, score, then select one option per tier.

Reframing toolkit

Pick one:

• Inversion: flip the current approach. Reference:

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/inversion.md

  .
• Analogy transfer: borrow a pattern from a solved domain. Reference:

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/analogy-transfer.md

  .
• Constraint extremes: set a key variable to zero or infinity. Reference:

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/constraint-extremes.md

  .
• First principles: rebuild from basic facts. Reference:

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/first-principles.md

  .

Oblique draw (optional)

Use when framing is stale. Reference:

codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/oblique-draw.md

.

1. Draw 4 prompts, pick 1, apply it.
2. Translate it into a concrete lever/constraint.

Mini-deck (if no deck is available):

• Do the opposite of the obvious move.
• Remove a step.
• Make it reversible first.
• Smallest test that could change the plan.
• Shift the bottleneck, not throughput.
• Change the unit of work.
• Swap one constraint for another.
• Borrow a pattern from another domain.

Aha Check (required)

• Definition: a restructuring insight (new representation/model).
• Output: one-line insight. If none, reframe once more before generating options.

Portfolio rule

Every response must include all five tiers.

Option template

Quick Win:
- Expected signal:
- Escape hatch:

Strategic Play:
- Expected signal:
- Escape hatch:

Advantage Play:
- Expected signal:
- Escape hatch:

Transformative Move:
- Expected signal:
- Escape hatch:

Moonshot:
- Expected signal:
- Escape hatch:

Scoring rubric (1–5, no weights)

• Signal: how much new information this yields.
• Ease: effort/complexity to try.
• Reversibility: ease of undoing.
• Speed: time-to-learn.

Preference: high Signal + Reversibility, then Ease + Speed.

Technique rules (progressive disclosure)

• Pick 1 technique by default (use 2–3 only if you’re still blocked).
• After selecting a technique, consult its reference doc in

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/

  .
• Chat disclosure: include only

  Reframe used: <technique>

  + a one-line “why”; don’t paste the technique script unless the user asks.

Technique picker (choose 1; rarely 2)

• No Aha → Provocation (PO) or Forced Connections or Synectics or TRIZ.
• Need a fast spark → Oblique Draw or Random Stimulus.
• Need to mutate an existing thing → SCAMPER.
• Need lots of ideas fast (low debate) → Brainwriting 6-3-5.
• Need structured combinations → Morphological Analysis.
• Need to resolve contradictions → TRIZ.
• Need parallel perspectives / alignment → Six Thinking Hats.
• Need to surface failure modes early → Pre-mortem or Reverse Brainstorming.
• Need to de-risk unknowns (what to validate first) → Assumption Mapping.
• Need momentum + traceability → CPS Cycle.

Technique library (index; use 1–3)

• Inversion —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/inversion.md

• Analogy Transfer —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/analogy-transfer.md

• Constraint Extremes —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/constraint-extremes.md

• First Principles —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/first-principles.md

• CPS Cycle (Clarify → Ideate → Develop → Implement) —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/cps-cycle.md

• Brainstorming —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/brainstorming.md

• Brainwriting 6-3-5 —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/brainwriting-6-3-5.md

• SCAMPER —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/scamper.md

• Six Thinking Hats —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/six-thinking-hats.md

• TRIZ —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/triz.md

• Morphological Analysis —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/morphological-analysis.md

• Synectics —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/synectics.md

• Provocation (PO) —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/provocation-po.md

• Random Stimulus —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/random-stimulus.md

• Forced Connections —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/forced-connections.md

• Reverse Brainstorming —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/reverse-brainstorming.md

• Pre-mortem —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/pre-mortem.md

• Mind Mapping —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/mind-mapping.md

• Affinity Diagramming —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/affinity-diagramming.md

• How Might We —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/how-might-we.md

• Crazy 8s —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/crazy-8s.md

• Storyboarding —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/storyboarding.md

• Lotus Blossom —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/lotus-blossom.md

• Assumption Mapping —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/assumption-mapping.md

• Oblique Draw —

  codex/skills/creative-problem-solver/techniques/oblique-draw.md

Templates

Decision Log:

• Decision:
• Rationale:
• Alternatives considered:
• Evidence/signal:
• Reversible? (Y/N):
• Next decision point:

Assumptions & Constraints:

• Assumptions to validate:
• Known constraints (time/budget/policy/tech):
• Unknowns to de-risk:
• Non-goals:

Knowledge Snapshot:

• New facts:
• New risks/constraints:
• Plan-changing signals:
• Technique provenance (technique → Aha Y/N):
• Aha Check:
• Open questions:

Deliverable format

• Lane (Fast Spark / Full Session).
• Reframe used.
• Aha Check (one line).
• Five-tier portfolio with signals + escape hatches.
• Scorecard + brief rationale.
• Decision Log + Assumptions/Constraints.
• Human Input Required (choose tier or update constraints).
• Insights Summary.

Activation cues

• "need options" / "alternatives" / "tradeoffs" / "portfolio"
• "brainstorm" / "ideate"
• "stuck" / "blocked" / "nothing works"
• "outside the box" / "fresh angles"
• "ambiguous" / "uncertain" / "unknowns"
• "architecture" / "system design" / "migration" / "integration"