Context engineering vs. prompt engineering pattern. Structured context categories represent what experienced practitioners found essential. Explicit confirmation step prevents wasted work.
I'm going to work with you on [COMPLEX TASK]. Before we begin, I need to provide you with structured context:
[What this project is, its goals, who it's for]
[Technical limitations, time constraints, resource constraints, policy constraints]
[What's already been decided, what architecture exists, what can't change]
[What "good" looks like, examples of acceptable output, criteria for success]
[What to avoid, common mistakes, things that have been tried and failed]
[Specific expertise I need, what decisions you can make vs. escalate]
Now, before proceeding:
1. Summarize your understanding of the task
2. Ask clarifying questions about anything ambiguous
3. Propose your initial approach
Only after I confirm should you begin execution.