CIS Workflows

Technical reference for all CIS workflows including inputs, outputs, and invocation methods.

Workflows Overview

Workflow	Agent	Purpose	Output File
brainstorming	Carson	Generate diverse ideas	brainstorming-{date}.md
design-thinking	Maya	Human-centered design	design-thinking-{date}.md
innovation-strategy	Victor	Strategic innovation	innovation-strategy-{date}.md
problem-solving	Dr. Quinn	Root cause analysis	problem-solution-{date}.md
storytelling	Sophia	Narrative crafting	story-{date}.md

Brainstorming Workflow

Purpose: Generate diverse, creative ideas using structured ideation techniques.

How to Invoke

# Direct command
/cis-brainstorm

# With context data
workflow brainstorming --data /path/to/context.md

# Via agent
/cis-agent-brainstorming-coach
> brainstorm

Inputs

Input	Description	Required
topic	What to brainstorm about	Yes
technique	Which ideation method to use	No (Carson recommends)
mode	user-selected, AI-recommended, random, progressive	No

Outputs

Section	Contents
Topic	Your brainstorming challenge
Technique	Method applied and rationale
Ideas	Complete list of all generated ideas
Top Picks	Recommended ideas for pursuit
Next Steps	How to move forward

Techniques Library

Carson has access to 36 techniques across 7 categories stored in brainstorming-techniques.csv:

Category	Technique Count
Collaborative	4
Structured	4
Creative	4
Deep	4
Theatrical	4
Wild	4
Introspective	4

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Design Thinking Workflow

Purpose: Create human-centered solutions through five-phase design thinking.

How to Invoke

# Direct command
/cis-design-thinking

# With user research context
workflow design-thinking --data /path/to/user-research.md

# Via agent
/cis-agent-design-thinking-coach
> design-thinking

Inputs

Input	Description	Required
design_challenge	Problem or opportunity being explored	Yes
users_stakeholders	Primary users and affected parties	No
constraints	Time, budget, technology limitations	No

Outputs

Section	Contents
Design Challenge	Framed opportunity
Point of View	User-centered problem statement
User Insights	Empathy findings and personas
How Might We Questions	Reframed as opportunities
Solution Concepts	Generated ideas
Prototypes	Testable artifacts
Test Plan	Validation approach

Design Methods Library

Maya has access to phase-specific design methods in design-methods.csv.

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Innovation Strategy Workflow

Purpose: Identify disruption opportunities and business model innovation.

How to Invoke

# Direct command
/cis-innovation-strategy

# With market context
workflow innovation-strategy --data /path/to/market-analysis.md

# Via agent
/cis-agent-innovation-strategist
> innovation-strategy

Inputs

Input	Description	Required
market_context	Industry landscape and competitive intelligence	No
innovation_challenge	Strategic opportunity or threat	Yes
constraints	Resource limitations and strategic boundaries	No

Outputs

Section	Contents
Strategic Question	Innovation challenge being addressed
Market Analysis	Forces, trends, competitive landscape
Jobs-to-be-Done	Unmet customer needs
Blue Ocean Opportunities	Uncontested market spaces
Business Model	Value creation and capture
Competitive Advantages	Sustainable moats
Strategic Roadmap	Execution priorities

Innovation Frameworks Library

Victor has access to strategic frameworks in innovation-frameworks.csv:

• Jobs-to-be-Done
• Blue Ocean Strategy
• Disruptive Innovation
• Business Model Canvas
• Value Chain Analysis

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Problem Solving Workflow

Purpose: Systematic problem diagnosis and root cause analysis.

How to Invoke

# Direct command
/cis-problem-solving

# With problem brief
workflow problem-solving --data /path/to/problem-brief.md

# Via agent
/cis-agent-creative-problem-solver
> problem-solving

Inputs

Input	Description	Required
problem_description	Challenge with symptoms and context	Yes
previous_attempts	Prior solutions and outcomes	No
constraints	Solution boundaries	No
success_criteria	How to measure effectiveness	No

Outputs

Section	Contents
Problem Statement	Clearly defined challenge
Diagnosis	Root cause analysis
Solution Options	Multiple approaches with evaluation
Recommended Solution	Best option with rationale
Implementation Plan	Actionable steps
Risk Mitigation	Potential issues and prevention
Success Metrics	How to measure results

Solving Methods Library

Dr. Quinn has access to analytical frameworks in solving-methods.csv:

• Five Whys
• TRIZ
• Theory of Constraints
• Systems Thinking
• Root Cause Analysis

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Storytelling Workflow

Purpose: Craft compelling narratives using proven story frameworks.

How to Invoke

# Direct command
/cis-storytelling

# With brand context
workflow storytelling --data /path/to/brand-info.md

# Via agent
/cis-agent-storyteller
> story

Inputs

Input	Description	Required
story_purpose	Why the story is being told	Yes
target_audience	Who will experience it	Yes
story_subject	What or whom it’s about	Yes
platform_medium	Where it will be told	No
desired_impact	What audience should feel/think/do	No

Outputs

Section	Contents
Story Framework	Structure used and rationale
Audience Profile	Who the story is for
Emotional Arc	The feeling journey
Complete Narrative	Full story with vivid details
Character Development	Voice and transformation
Platform Adaptation	Formatted for medium
Impact Plan	Effectiveness measurement

Story Frameworks Library

Sophia has access to 25 narrative frameworks in story-types.csv:

• Hero’s Journey
• Story Brand
• Three-Act Structure
• Before-After-Bridge
• Pixar Pitch
• And 20 more

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Output Location

All workflows save output to the configured output folder (default: ./creative-outputs/ or _bmad-output/ depending on configuration).

Output files include timestamp in format: {workflow-name}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md

Common Workflow Features

All CIS workflows share:

• Interactive facilitation — AI guides through questions, not just generation
• Technique libraries — CSV databases of proven methods
• Context integration — Optional document input for relevance
• Structured output — Comprehensive reports with insights and actions
• Energy monitoring — Adaptive pacing based on engagement

Next Steps

• Getting Started — Try your first workflow
• Agents Reference — Learn about workflow facilitators
• Configuration — Customize workflow behavior