Stop Re-Explaining the Task: Three Files for Recurring AI Work
The first time you use an AI assistant for a task, a long chat can feel productive. You explain the project, paste the constraints, correct a few assumptions, and eventually get a usable draft. The second time, much of that context has to be recreated. A different chat, model, teammate, or reviewer may not know what was decided last time. The work starts to feel less like delegation and more like…
Using AI assistants for recurring tasks can be efficient, but maintaining context and ensuring the output meets requirements is challenging. A simple three-file system can help address these issues. The first file, WORK-CONTEXT.md, stores the essential contextual information, such as the project's purpose, audience, sources, and boundary conditions.
This information should remain unchanged across multiple tasks and be easily accessible by anyone working on the task. The second file, DONE-CHECKLIST.md, defines the specific criteria that make a result "finished," including format, length, claims, and excluded data. By having a clear checklist, the AI-generated output can be evaluated consistently, reducing disagreements during reviews.
Lastly, PRE-USE-REVIEW.md serves as a final review file, checking the AI-generated draft against the context and checklist for accuracy, safety, and appropriateness. It ensures that the draft does not contain any errors or confidential information before being used. This straightforward system helps maintain consistency and quality in recurring AI-assisted tasks while minimizing the burden of constantly reconstructing context and verifying results.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
