alivirgo Give AI Situation & Constraint Context (AI Skill)
Overview
Asking an unanchored question like "What database should I use for my app?" forces the AI to guess who you are. The model will often recommend enterprise solutions like Amazon DynamoDB clusters with multi-region replication - which is disastrously complex for a solo founder building a weekend MVP.
The Situation Anchoring Framework teaches you to spend 15 seconds defining your Role, Scale, Budget, and Constraints upfront, ensuring the AI's advice is 100% appropriate for your real-world circumstances.
The 4-Pillar Situation Framework
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ The 4-Pillar Situation Stack │
│ │
│ 1. WHO I AM ──► Solo founder, Lead Architect, Student │
│ 2. WHAT I HAVE ──► $50/mo budget, 2-person team, Node.js │
│ 3. CONSTRAINTS ──► Must ship in 7 days, zero DevOps staff│
│ 4. SUCCESS STATE ──► First 100 paying users, sub-50ms speed│
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Master Situation-Anchoring Prompt Templates
Pattern 1: The Tactical Situation Anchor
Use before asking for architectural, marketing, or business strategy advice:
Situation Context:
- **My Role / Team**: Solo non-technical founder building an MVP.
- **Budget**: Maximum $50/month total infrastructure spend.
- **Timeline**: Must launch a working beta in 14 days.
- **Existing Tech Stack**: Next.js hosted on Vercel.
Question / Problem:
[INSERT QUESTION: e.g. How should I handle transactional emails and user notifications?]
Pattern 2: The Enterprise vs. Startup Filter
Forces the model to eliminate enterprise bloat or naive beginner tools:
I need advice on [TOPIC].
Filter your response through these realities:
- We are a [SERIES A STARTUP / BOOTSTRAPPED INDIE / FORTUNE 500 ENTERPRISE].
- We have [X] engineers and [Y] monthly active users.
- Discard any recommendations that require heavy custom Kubernetes infrastructure or >$500/mo licensing.
Real-World Comparison
Scenario: Choosing an Authentication System
Without Situation Context (The Enterprise Bloat Trap)
User: "How should I set up user authentication for my new web app?"
❌ AI Output: "Set up an enterprise Okta or Auth0 tenant, configure OAuth2 with PKCE, deploy a Redis token cache, and manage SAML single sign-on..." (Cost: $250+/mo, Weeks of setup).
With Situation Context (Laser-Targeted Perfection)
User: "Situation: Solo developer building a lightweight SaaS tool with Next.js and Supabase. Zero budget for third-party auth fees. What is the fastest, safest way to implement auth?"
AI Response:
Recommendation: Use Supabase Auth (Native SSR).
Why It Fits Your Situation:
- Zero Added Cost: Free tier includes 50,000 monthly active users.
- Instant Setup: Built directly into your Supabase database; handles Google Sign-In, Magic Links, and JWT session cookies in under 30 lines of Next.js middleware code.
- Launch Time: Implementable in under 2 hours with zero third-party auth redirect overhead.
Summary Checklist
- State your team size: Solo vs. 5-person team vs. 100-person company changes the answer completely.
- Declare your budget ceiling: Prevents models from recommending expensive SaaS tools when a free open-source script will do.
- Name your deadline: Tells the AI whether to optimize for long-term perfection or immediate shipping speed.