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Break a big job into phases

To keep a big AI job together, split it into phases first. A phase is one finished piece. You approve the order, then you let the chat do one phase and stop.

Next step: copy the first prompt that matches your task. Fill in the brackets. Send only that.

A prompt is the message you paste. An approval gate is a stop you control. A checkpoint is a pause after one phase. School pages teach. They do not do the homework. Follow your teacher's rules.

How to do it

  1. 1 Name the whole job in one sentence. Say what done looks like, and what is out of scope. Out of scope means you do not want it in this job.
  2. 2 Ask for phases, not the work. Each phase needs a result you can look at, and a check. Three to five phases is enough for most everyday jobs.
  3. 3 Approve the order. Move a phase, or cut one. This is the approval gate for the shape of the job.
  4. 4 Run one phase. Tell it to do that phase and stop. The checkpoint on the next page is where you inspect it.

Work

From meeting notes to a follow-up

You have notes. You need owners and dates, then an email. Not all of it in one blob.

Do not write the follow-up yet.

Whole job: turn these notes into a follow-up I can send.
Out of scope: a new project plan, and anything not in the notes.
Notes: [paste].

Give me 3 phases. For each, say the result I will see and the check I will do. Then stop. Do not start phase 1 until I approve the order.

School

Exam prep in pieces

The test covers more than one sitting. You study one chunk, then the next.

This is for learning. Do not write anything I will turn in. Follow my teacher's rules.

Whole job: help me study [course] before [date]. Do not do the practice problems for me.
I have [minutes] a day. Topics: [list].

Give me phases, one per study day, up to 4 days. Each phase should say what I try in my own words and how I will know I got it. Then stop. Do not start day 1 until I approve the list.

Life

A room refresh without a fantasy remodel

You have a photo, a budget, and things that must stay. The chat often redesigns the whole house.

Do not redesign the whole room yet.

Whole job: a small refresh I can do with [budget].
Must stay: [list]. Photo notes: [what is in the room].
Out of scope: new walls, new windows, and any price you invent.

Give me 3 phases: what to measure, what to keep, what to buy only after I check the price. Say the check for each phase. Then stop.

Common mistakes

  • Putting the whole job in the first message because you are in a hurry.
  • Letting the chat invent extra phases that are really a bigger project.
  • Running phase 3 because phase 1 looked long, not because it passed.
  • Using a fresh chat for phase 2 and forgetting the edits you already made.

More in this section: Ask for a plan before the work · Check each phase before the next one

Practice on a real task: Turn meeting notes into action items · Make a study schedule

Last updated · All director guides

Where this comes from

  • Anthropic, “Trustworthy agents in practice” (April 9, 2026). Anthropic says an agent plans, acts, looks at the result, and repeats until the job is done or it needs a person. In Claude Code, Plan Mode shows the plan first. You can edit it and approve it before any work starts, and you can still step in later.
  • Anthropic, “Building effective agents” (December 19, 2024). Anthropic says an agent can pause for a person at a checkpoint. One pattern they describe is to write an outline, check that the outline is good, and only then write the piece.
  • OpenAI Help, “ChatGPT Work and Codex”. OpenAI describes Work as an agent for longer, multi-step jobs. The help page says you can review progress, change direction, and approve important actions. If your account does not show Work, use the same stops in a normal chat.

Common questions

What is a phase?

One piece of the job with a result you can look at. Not the whole job.

What is a milestone?

The same idea: that piece is done, and you have checked it. Then the next piece can start.

Why do big jobs fall apart?

The chat has to guess the middle. Early mistakes get baked into later paragraphs. Smaller phases give you a place to catch that.

How many phases should I use?

Often three to five. If you need more, the job may be two jobs. Split it.