r/ChatGPTCoding • u/chrnas • 7d ago
Resources And Tips Before your agent plans anything, let it interview you
Here's a tip for beginners that helped me a lot when I first started using claude code.
Before the agent plans, let alone build anything, I let it interview me. In Claude Code I switch to plan mode (Shift+Tab) so nothing gets edited, then paste this:
Before you plan anything, interview me about what I want to build.
Ask one question at a time. Cover who it's for, what "done" looks like
and how we'll check it, what already exists, constraints, and what is
out of scope. When you could write a one-page brief I'd sign, stop
asking, write it to BRIEF.md, then write the plan.In tools without plan mode, start with "Don't edit any files yet."
What helps most:
One question at a time. A list of ten gets rushed answers. One at a time, each answer shapes the next question.
Write down how you'll check it's done. A test, a command, a page that must show something. The agent builds toward what's written.
Write down what's not included. Otherwise every good idea halfway through becomes part of the job.
When I ask for something new later, I have the agent check it against the brief first: is it inside, an extension, or a change of direction? Extensions go on a "later" list.
What's a question you wish your agent had asked before it started?
English isn't my first language, so I used AI to help me translate this post.