Mantis MCP Server

--- description: Enhanced creative phase handling guidelines and requirements globs: "**/src/**", "**/.cursorrules", "**/memory-bank/**" alwaysApply: false --- # 🎨 ENHANCED CREATIVE PHASE HANDLING > **TL;DR:** Use creative phases as dedicated thinking spaces for complex problem-solving. Apply structured thinking with explicit verification steps, especially for Level 3-4 tasks. Include regular checkpoints, analyze options systematically, and provide comprehensive summaries when exiting. Creative phase handling scales with task complexity. ## 🎨 CREATIVE PHASE AS STRUCTURED THINKING SPACE Creative phases serve as dedicated thinking spaces for complex problem-solving, similar to the "think" tool approach. They're most valuable for: - Sequential decision making where each step builds on previous ones - Complex design choices with multiple trade-offs - Scenarios where mistakes would be costly to fix later - Tasks requiring policy adherence or constraint verification ## 🎨 CREATIVE PHASE MARKERS For maximum visibility, use these prominent markers: ``` 🎨🎨🎨 ENTERING CREATIVE PHASE: [DESIGN/ALGORITHM/ARCHITECTURE] 🎨🎨🎨 [Creative work happens here] 🎨🎨🎨 EXITING CREATIVE PHASE - RETURNING TO TASK TRACKING 🎨🎨🎨 ``` Always include a creative phase summary when exiting: ``` 🔄 CREATIVE PHASE SUMMARY: - Completed: [Brief description of creative work] - Key decisions: [Important decisions made] - Next steps: [Follow-up implementation tasks] - Documentation: [Where decisions were documented] - Verification: [Confirmation that solution meets requirements and constraints] ``` ## 🎨 CREATIVE PHASE STRUCTURE ### 1. Starting a Creative Phase When entering a creative phase, clearly define: ``` 🎨🎨🎨 ENTERING CREATIVE PHASE: [TYPE] 🎨🎨🎨 Focus: [Specific focus area] Objective: [What you aim to accomplish] Constraints: [Any constraints to consider] [Initial exploration of the problem space] ``` ### 2. During a Creative Phase For extended creative work, use periodic checkpoints that incorporate structured thinking: ``` 🎨 CREATIVE CHECKPOINT: [Milestone reached] - Progress: [Brief progress description] - Decisions made: - [Decision 1] - [Decision 2] - Verification: - [Verify solution addresses requirements] - [Verify compliance with constraints] - [Verify consistency with existing system] - Open questions: - [Question 1] - [Question 2] - Next creative milestone: [Description] ``` ### 3. Concluding a Creative Phase Always end with a clear marker and summary: ``` 🎨🎨🎨 EXITING CREATIVE PHASE - RETURNING TO TASK TRACKING 🎨🎨🎨 🔄 CREATIVE PHASE SUMMARY: - Completed: [Brief description of creative work] - Key decisions: [Important decisions made] - Next steps: [Follow-up implementation tasks] - Documentation: [Where decisions were documented] ``` ### 4. Task Update After Creative Phase Always update task status after completing a creative phase: ``` 🔄 TASK UPDATE: [Task name] - [Status] - Updated in tasks.md ✓ - Creative work completed: - [Summary of creative output] - Implementation details added to activeContext.md ✓ ``` ## 🎨 LEVEL-SPECIFIC CREATIVE PHASE HANDLING ### Level 1: Quick Bug Fix For simple bugs, use minimal creative phase markers if needed: ``` // Simple creative exploration [Brief creative exploration for bug solution] // End creative exploration 🔄 TASK UPDATE: [Bug fix] - [Status] - Solution determined: [Brief description] - Updated in tasks.md ✓ ``` ### Level 2: Simple Enhancement For simple enhancements, use basic creative phase notation: ``` 🎨 ENTERING CREATIVE PHASE: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION] [Creative work happens here] 🎨 EXITING CREATIVE PHASE 🔄 CREATIVE PHASE SUMMARY: - Completed: [Brief description] - Key decisions: [Key points] - Next steps: [Implementation tasks] ``` ### Level 3-4: Intermediate/Complex For complex tasks, use the full creative phase structure with checkpoints and comprehensive documentation. ## 🎨 TYPE-SPECIFIC CREATIVE DOCUMENTATION ### Algorithm Design Document: - Problem definition and constraints - Complexity requirements - Algorithm options with pros/cons - Edge cases and handling approach - Final algorithm selection with justification ### UI/UX Design Document: - User requirements and research insights - Design constraints and guidelines - Layout options with pros/cons - Component structure and interactions - Visual design decisions - Accessibility considerations ### Architecture Planning Document: - System requirements and constraints - Architecture options with pros/cons - Security considerations - Scalability approach - Service interactions and boundaries - Data flow design ## 📋 CREATIVE PHASE VERIFICATION Before exiting a creative phase, perform a systematic verification (similar to "think" tool verification): ### Verification Checklist - [ ] Phase type clearly specified - [ ] Problem broken down into component parts - [ ] Options explored with pros/cons - [ ] Decisions made with justification - [ ] Solution verified against requirements - [ ] Solution verified against constraints - [ ] Solution verified for consistency with existing system - [ ] Edge cases and potential issues identified - [ ] Risk assessment performed - [ ] Checkpoints used for extended phases - [ ] Summary provided with verification confirmation - [ ] Next steps defined with clear implementation path - [ ] Documentation location specified - [ ] Task status updated after phase completion ### Software Development Specific Checks - [ ] Considered maintainability implications - [ ] Verified compatibility with existing architecture - [ ] Checked for security implications - [ ] Assessed performance impacts - [ ] Considered testing approach