The Claude
Formula
Every prompt I wrote that actually worked had all five.
Directing Claude is not coding.
It's directing.
From the Set, in Practice
The Five Parts
Role
Tell it who it is. You wouldn't hand a script to an actor without telling them the part. Same here. Cast Claude before you direct it.
"You're a senior software architect helping a non‑developer build an internal tool."
Context
Tell it the situation. Set the scene. The stakes. The world it's stepping into. Without context, every answer is generic.
"I run a wedding photo and video company. Fifteen people on my team. We shoot 45 to 60 weddings a year. Right now everything lives in HoneyBook and a stack of Google Sheets."
Task
Tell it exactly what you want. Not "help me with my business." One specific outcome. The clearer the ask, the cleaner the take.
"Help me design the database for an internal portal where my team can see every wedding."
Format
Tell it how to answer. Bullets. Steps. A table. Just the structure. The format is the frame around the shot.
"Walk me through it step by step without writing any code. Show me all of the structure first."
Constraints
Tell it the rules. What it cannot do. What it must avoid. Constraints are where good direction lives. They turn a generic answer into yours.
"I'm not a programmer. Don't use jargon without explaining it. Don't build any screens until the foundation is right."
The skill is not being technical.
The skill is being specific.