theclaymethod Deep Plan
Disciplined workflow that prevents wasted effort by separating thinking from typing. Never write code until the user has reviewed and approved a written plan.
Workflow
Research → Plan → [Interview] → Annotate (1-6x) → Todo List → Implement → Feedback → Archive
[Interview] is optional — an interactive Q&A to resolve ambiguities before annotation. See Phase 2 reference for triggers and process.
Critical guard: Do NOT advance to the next phase unless the user explicitly says to. When in doubt, ask.
Phases
Each phase has detailed instructions in its reference file. Read the relevant file when entering that phase.
| Phase | File | Artifact | Guard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Research | references/phase-1-research.md | .claude/research.md |
Wait for user review |
| 2. Plan | references/phase-2-plan.md | .claude/plan.md |
Do not implement yet |
| 3. Annotate | references/phase-3-annotate.md | User edits plan.md | Do not implement yet |
| 4. Todo List | references/phase-4-todo.md | Checkboxes in plan.md | Wait for user approval |
| 5. Implement | references/phase-5-implement.md | Mark tasks [x] |
Run typecheck continuously |
| 6. Feedback | references/phase-6-feedback.md | Terse corrections | Revert if directionally wrong |
| 7. Archive | references/phase-7-archive.md | docs/completed-tasks/ |
— |
Templates
Use these when creating artifacts:
- Research:
assets/templates/research-template.md - Plan:
assets/templates/plan-template.md
Scripts
| Script | Purpose | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
scripts/check_annotations.py <file> |
Find unaddressed user annotations | Before updating plan in Phase 3 |
scripts/plan_progress.py <file> |
Report task completion (X/Y) | During Phase 5 implementation |
scripts/archive_plan.py <file> --name <slug> |
Move plan to docs/completed-tasks/ | Phase 7 archive |
Reference Files
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
references/annotation-guide.md |
How users write effective annotations |
references/phase-*.md |
Detailed instructions per phase |
Hard Constraints
These are non-negotiable. Violating any of these is a workflow failure.
| Constraint | Applies To |
|---|---|
| Never write code without an approved plan. No exceptions. | All phases |
| "Don't implement yet" is absolute. Do not start coding during research, planning, or annotation phases, even if the plan looks complete. | Phases 1-4 |
All research goes into a persistent file. Never summarize findings only in chat. Write .claude/research.md. |
Phase 1 |
| Read source files before proposing changes. Every code snippet in the plan must reference real files you've actually read. Never design in a vacuum. | Phase 2 |
| Address every annotation. Do not skip, deprioritize, or silently drop any user note. | Phase 3 |
Do not use any or unknown types. Maintain strict typing throughout. |
Phase 5 |
| Do not add unnecessary comments or jsdocs. Code should be self-documenting. | Phase 5 |
| Run typecheck continuously. Catch problems during implementation, not after. | Phase 5 |
| Do not stop until all tasks are completed. Don't pause mid-implementation for confirmation unless blocked. | Phase 5 |
| Mark tasks complete in the plan as you go. The plan document is the single source of truth for progress. | Phase 5 |
| Scope is what the plan says. If the user cut something, it stays cut. Don't sneak it back in. Don't add unrequested features. | All phases |
Key Principles
- The plan is shared mutable state. Both you and the user edit it. It persists across compaction.
- Single long sessions. Research through implementation in one conversation.
- Implementation should be boring. Creative decisions happen in annotation cycles.
- Never speculate about unread code. If the plan references a file, read it first.
- Scope discipline. If the user cuts something from the plan, it's cut. Don't sneak it back in.
Credit
This workflow is based on How I Use Claude Code by Boris Tane.