afc:ideate

/afc:ideate — Explore and Structure a Product Idea

Transforms a rough idea, problem statement, or inspiration into a structured product brief (ideate.md). This is a pre-spec exploration tool — use it when you don't yet know exactly what to build. The output feeds directly into /afc:spec as input.

Relationship to Other Commands

afc:ideate (what to build?) → afc:spec (how to specify it) → afc:plan → afc:implement → ...

• ideate = "I have an idea but haven't decided the scope, audience, or approach yet"
• spec = "I know what to build and need a formal specification"
• ideate is never part of the auto pipeline — it's a standalone exploration tool

Arguments

• $ARGUMENTS — (required) One of:
  • Rough idea: "real-time collaborative whiteboard"
  • Problem statement: "users keep losing unsaved work when the browser crashes"
  • Reference URL: "https://example.com/competitor-product" (fetched and analyzed)
  • File path: "./meeting-notes.md" (read and extracted)

Execution Steps

1. Parse Input

Determine the input type and extract raw content:

1. If $ARGUMENTS starts with http:// or https://:

   • Fetch content via WebFetch
   • Extract: product name, key features, target audience, value proposition
   • Frame as: "Build something similar/better that addresses {gap}"

2. If $ARGUMENTS is a file path (contains / or ends with .md/.txt):

   • Read the file content
   • Extract: action items, feature requests, pain points, user feedback
   • Frame as: structured requirements from raw notes

3. Otherwise: treat as a natural language idea/problem statement

2. Market & Context Research

Perform lightweight research to ground the idea in reality:

1. Competitive landscape (WebSearch):

   • Search: "{core concept}" tool OR app OR service {current year}
   • Identify 3-5 existing solutions
   • Note: what they do well, what gaps exist

2. Technology feasibility (WebSearch, optional):

   • If the idea involves unfamiliar tech: search for current state and constraints
   • Tag findings with [RESEARCHED]