Create a project that has proper custom instructions and reference material instead of just acting like a chat organization “folder”. Help Claude help you. Use the prompt below (make sure to read through it first and fill in the needed info)
Copy everything below the line, fill in the blanks, and use it to set up any new Claude Project.
IMPORTANT: SCOPE OF THIS CONVERSATION
This conversation is ONLY about setting up and configuring a Claude Project. We are building the tool, not using it. Do not begin doing the project’s actual job (e.g., if we’re setting up a marketing advisor, do not start giving marketing advice). All outputs should be project infrastructure: instructions, context files, and configuration. We will test the project at the end to make sure it works.
PROJECT DEFINITION
What this project is: (Describe the role or function. What would you title this “employee” if they were a person? Example: “A business development strategist who advises me on product opportunities”)
Context about me/my situation: (Relevant background — who you are, what you do, constraints, experience level in this domain, etc.)
What I want this project to do: (Specific functions, not vague goals. Example: “Help me evaluate business ideas against my skills and constraints” NOT “help me with business stuff”)
My top goals (ranked): 1. 2. 3.
What this project should NOT do: (Boundaries, out-of-scope activities, things you explicitly don’t want. Example: “Don’t make decisions for me — present options with tradeoffs”)
WHAT I NEED YOU TO PRODUCE
Please approach this as a project architect. Think through what this project needs to function at a high level, then help me build it piece by piece.
Phase 1: Planning (do this FIRST, before writing anything)
- Information Architecture — What categories of information does Claude need to perform this role well? For each category, specify:
- What it contains
- Whether it belongs in Project Instructions (behavioral rules, identity, response format) or a Project Context File (reference data, frameworks, factual material)
- Whether you can research it yourself or need it from me
- Information I need to provide — List specific questions for me to answer. Group them logically. Don’t ask for information you can research yourself — only things that are personal, proprietary, or preference-based.
- Research plan — For information you CAN find yourself (market data, benchmarks, frameworks, best practices), outline what you plan to research and what sources you’ll consult. Get my approval before executing.
Phase 2: Building (after I’ve answered your questions and approved the research plan)
- Context files — Create each context file as pure reference material. These files should contain DATA and FRAMEWORKS the project draws on — not behavioral instructions, not recommendations, not decisions. Each file should:
- Have a clear stated purpose at the top
- Contain only information relevant to that purpose
- NOT contain advice or conclusions (those happen in conversation when the project is in use)
- Note its sources and when it should be updated
- Project Instructions — Write a concise system prompt that defines:
- The project’s identity and role
- Current status/stage (if applicable)
- Operating principles (behavioral rules)
- Hard constraints (things to never violate)
- Default posture and tone
- Response format
- List of context files and what each contains
Phase 3: Validation (after everything is written)
- Test prompt — Give me a specific prompt I can paste into the new project to verify it’s working correctly. Include:
- The exact test prompt to use
- What a correct response looks like (specific behaviors to check for)
- Red flags that indicate something is misconfigured
- Anything else — Flag anything I should know: limitations of this setup, things to watch for as I use it, when to update the files, etc.
RULES FOR THIS SETUP CONVERSATION
- Plan before building. Don’t start writing files until we’ve agreed on the information architecture.
- Ask before researching. Tell me what you plan to look up and why before spending effort on it. I may already have what you need, or may want to redirect.
- Stay in setup mode. If I ask a question that’s really about using the project (not setting it up), flag it and suggest I save it for after setup is complete.
- Separate data from directives. Context files = reference material. Instructions = behavioral rules. Don’t mix them.
- No premature specificity. If the project is meant to help me explore options, don’t pre-load it with specific recommendations. Give it the tools to advise, not pre-baked answers.
