Thinking Sequentially
Purpose
Structure complex reasoning through numbered thought sequences:
- Decompose multi-step problems into traceable chains
- Track dependencies between insights explicitly
- Create checkpoints for periodic review
- Enable revision when assumptions change
- Support parallel hypothesis exploration
Quick Start
- Define - State the problem clearly as THOUGHT 1
- Decompose - Break into numbered thoughts with dependencies
- Track - Mark dependencies explicitly: "depends on THOUGHT 2"
- Checkpoint - Summarize every 5-10 thoughts
- Revise - Update thoughts when assumptions change, invalidate dependents
- Branch - Explore parallel hypotheses when needed
Features
| Feature | Description | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Numbered Chains | Explicit THOUGHT 1, 2, 3... with IDs | Number every insight, never skip |
| Dependencies | Mark what each thought relies on | [THOUGHT 4] <- depends on [2, 3] |
| Checkpoints | Periodic summaries of findings | Every 5-10 thoughts, list key findings |
| Revisions | Update previous thoughts with new data | Mark original as revised, create new |
| Branching | Explore multiple hypotheses in parallel | Create named branches, select winner |
| Visual Maps | Diagram thought relationships | ASCII diagrams for complex chains |
Common Patterns
# Problem Analysis Pattern
THOUGHT 1: Problem statement
THOUGHT 2: Success criteria
THOUGHT 3: Constraints
THOUGHT 4: Assumptions (validate!)
THOUGHT 5-N: Solution exploration
=== CHECKPOINT ===
# Decision Making Pattern
THOUGHT 1: Decision to make
THOUGHT 2: Options identified
THOUGHT 3-N: Evaluate each option
THOUGHT N+1: Comparison matrix
THOUGHT N+2: Recommendation
# Investigation Pattern
THOUGHT 1: What we observed
THOUGHT 2: What we expected
THOUGHT 3: Gap analysis
THOUGHT 4-N: Hypothesis testing
=== CHECKPOINT: Root cause ===
# Visual thought mapping
[THOUGHT 1: Problem]
|
+----------+----------+
| |
[THOUGHT 2] [THOUGHT 3]
| |
+----------+----------+
|
[THOUGHT 4: Synthesis]
Use Cases
- Multi-step debugging requiring traceable reasoning chains
- Architectural decisions with complex trade-off analysis
- Code review requiring systematic examination of multiple concerns
- Root cause analysis with hypothesis tracking
- Complex refactoring requiring dependency-aware planning
Best Practices
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Number every thought explicitly | Skipping numbers for "obvious" thoughts |
| Mark dependencies clearly | Hiding dependencies in prose |
| Summarize at checkpoints | Exceeding 20 thoughts without checkpoint |
| Allow revision with reason | Deleting invalid thoughts (strike through) |
| Time-box each thought | Infinite exploration without bounds |
| Branch for parallel exploration | Branching more than 3 levels deep |
| Validate assumptions early | Proceeding with invalidated dependencies |
Related Skills
See also these related skill documents for complementary techniques:
- writing-plans - Structure plans as numbered thought sequences
- debugging-systematically - Apply sequential debugging steps
- tracing-root-causes - Use numbered investigation chains
- brainstorming-ideas - Generate options in thought steps