Execute in chunks

You have a brief, a plan, context files. Now execute. Big projects don't get done in one session - they happen in chunks across many sessions. The skill is picking the right chunk for each session and wrapping up cleanly so the next session picks up.

One chunk per session

Rule: one phase or one sub-phase per session. Don't try to do 3 phases in one marathon session - context will run out, quality will drop, you'll regret it.

If a phase is bigger than a session's worth of focused work, split it. Phase 2 "Analysis" might be 3 sessions (2a data validation, 2b YoY analysis, 2c insight synthesis).

Session opening for a planned project

terminal
claude

/startup

Read @brief.md and @plan.md. Confirm where we left off and what's next.

Claude

1. Loads project context from memory
2. Reads the brief + plan
3. Identifies the current phase + next steps
4. Summarises for you

You confirm direction + pick the chunk

Right - let's do the analysis phase today. Specifically part 2a - data validation. Now Claude knows the scope of THIS session + where it fits in the bigger project.

Mid-session discipline

Stick to the chunk. If you drift into another phase, pause

We've started working on Phase 3 stuff before finishing Phase 2. Should we defer Phase 3 to next session or is Phase 2 actually done?

Claude helps you decide. If 2 is actually done, update plan.md. If it isn't, stop the Phase 3 drift.

Scope creep kills projects. Plans exist to anchor you.

Session closing for a planned project

Before /wrapup

Update plan.md - mark [this sub-phase] complete. Note what went as planned and what surprised us. Add any new learnings to notes.md with today's date.

Then run /wrapup.

Plan stays current. Notes capture learnings. /wrapup saves the session memory.

📷 Upload image here: l05-phased-execution.png

Visual of phased execution across sessions

Next session's /startup will load

• CLAUDE.md (static project rules)
• Memory (from /wrapup)
• Updated plan.md when referenced
• notes.md decisions from today

Full continuity.

Checkpoints

Some phases have natural checkpoints - stop + review with a stakeholder before continuing. Bake these into the plan:

Phase 3: Report draft (est. 60 min)

Checkpoint Before Phase 4 (client review), internal review with yourself:

• Read the report in one sitting
• Does it answer the 3 decisions from the brief?
• Are all numbers traceable?
• Would you feel confident showing this to the client?

Checkpoint = mandatory pause. Don't proceed to next phase until the checkpoint passes.

When the plan is wrong

Halfway through a project, you'll often discover the plan doesn't match reality. This is normal. 2 options:

Minor adjustment

Update plan.md + keep going. Most common.

Phase 3 is going to need a Phase 3b for X that we didn't know about. Update plan.md.

Major re-plan

Scope has shifted significantly . Go back to brief.md

We've learned that X, which changes the project. Let's revisit brief.md first - is the goal still right? Then rebuild plan.md from the current situation.

Better to spend 30 minutes re-planning than 10 hours executing the wrong plan.

Long project maintenance

For projects that span weeks

• Weekly - review plan.md vs reality. Adjust.
• Every 3-5 sessions - re-read brief.md. Has the goal drifted?
• Monthly - look at notes.md end-to-end. What patterns? What should become rules?

5 minutes of maintenance weekly prevents weeks of misdirection.

Finishing a planned project

When the last phase is done

1. Confirm success criteria from brief.md are met
2. Mark plan.md fully complete with completion date
3. Final notes.md entry summarising what worked, what didn't
4. Archive the project folder (move from working/ to archive/)
5. Extract any reusable learnings into global_rules or a new skill

Last step is high-leverage - every finished project should teach something that makes the next one faster.

Power-user tips

• One phase per session - rigid rule that saves you context
• Start every session with @brief.md + @plan.md reference - anchor before working
• Update plan.md at end of each session - future-you needs current state
• Date every notes.md entry - creates a project timeline for free
• Checkpoint before any client-facing phase - catch issues before external review

Action items

☐ For your next planned project, rule: one phase per session

☐ Open every session with @brief.md + @plan.md reference ☐ Update plan.md at end of each session (before /wrapup)

☐ Add date-stamped entries to notes.md as decisions happen

☐ Extract learnings from finished projects into global_rules or skills

Module complete. Next: Module 12 - Structure your Claude Code setup.

Exercises

1. Review the concepts covered in this lesson: Execute in chunks.
2. Write down your key takeaway from this lesson.
3. Practice running any commands or prompts mentioned above inside your terminal.