Skip to Content

Project Management Strategy - 3-Person Team

Project Management Strategy - 3-Person Team

Your Team Structure

You (Project Manager/Human)
- Requirements definition
- Progress tracking
- Decision making
- Quality assurance
- Integration oversight

Claude (Consultant/Architect)
- System design and architecture
- Documentation and planning
- Problem-solving and research
- Visual prototypes and demos

Claude Code (Developer/Implementation)
- Actual code implementation
- File structure creation
- Debugging and testing
- Following specifications

Documentation Strategy - Best of Both Worlds

Primary Approach: Layered Documentation System

Layer 1: Visual HTML Demos (For You)

Purpose: Visual understanding and stakeholder communication
When to use:
- Initial concept validation
- Showing progress to others
- Understanding user experience
- Testing interactions

Benefits for PM:
- ✅ Clear visual representation
- ✅ Interactive prototypes
- ✅ Easy to demonstrate
- ✅ Immediate feedback capability

Layer 2: Markdown Specifications (For Claude Code)

Purpose: Implementation guidance and technical reference
When to use:
- Giving Claude Code implementation tasks
- Technical documentation
- File structure definitions
- Integration specifications

Benefits for Development:
- ✅ Easy to edit and update
- ✅ Version control friendly
- ✅ Clear technical specifications
- ✅ Copy-paste code examples

Layer 3: Progress Tracking (For Project Management)

Purpose: Status tracking and coordination
Format: Simple markdown checklists
Updates: After each development session

Phase 1: Design & Specification (You + Claude)

1. Define requirements → Markdown doc
2. Create visual prototype → HTML demo
3. Review and approve → Update specifications
4. Document for Claude Code → Technical markdown

Phase 2: Implementation (Claude Code)

1. Receive technical specs → Markdown
2. Implement features → Real code files
3. Report progress → Simple status updates
4. Request clarification → Back to specifications

Phase 3: Review & Iterate (All 3)

1. Test implementation → You test actual code
2. Compare to prototype → Reference HTML demo
3. Identify gaps → Update specifications
4. Repeat cycle → Until completion

Document Types & Purposes

Type 1: HTML Demos (Claude Creates)

File naming: demo_[feature_name].html
Examples:
- demo_node_overlay.html ← What you already have
- demo_workflow_canvas.html
- demo_node_connections.html

Use for:
- Validating concepts visually
- Showing stakeholders
- Understanding user flows
- Testing interactions before coding

Type 2: Technical Specs (Claude Creates for Claude Code)

File naming: spec_[feature_name].md
Examples:
- spec_node_overlay_implementation.md
- spec_database_models.md
- spec_controller_endpoints.md

Contains:
- Exact file paths
- Code structure
- Integration points
- Implementation details

Type 3: Progress Tracking (You Maintain)

File naming: progress_[milestone].md
Simple format:

# Milestone 3: Node Overlay System

## Completed ✅
- [ ] Visual prototype (HTML demo)
- [ ] Technical specification
- [ ] Database models

## In Progress 🔄
- [ ] Overlay manager JavaScript
- [ ] Controller endpoints

## Blocked ❌
- [ ] Node factory implementation

Your Role as Project Manager

Daily/Session Management

  1. Start session: Review current progress doc
  2. With Claude: Design/plan next feature → Create HTML demo + tech spec
  3. With Claude Code: Implement from tech spec → Update progress
  4. End session: Update progress tracker

Document Coordination

YOU: "I need the node overlay working"
↓
CLAUDE: Creates HTML demo + technical spec
↓
YOU: Reviews and approves
↓
CLAUDE CODE: Implements from technical spec
↓
YOU: Tests and provides feedback

Version Control Strategy

project_docs/
├── demos/                    # HTML prototypes (Claude)
│   ├── node_overlay.html
│   └── workflow_canvas.html
├── specs/                    # Technical docs (Claude → Claude Code)
│   ├── node_overlay_impl.md
│   └── database_models.md
├── progress/                 # Your tracking docs
│   ├── milestone_3.md
│   └── overall_status.md
└── decisions/                # Important decisions log
    └── architecture_decisions.md

Solving Your Concerns

"HTML is harder to edit"

Solution: Don't edit HTML demos - treat them as throwaway prototypes
- HTML demos are for visualization only
- When you need changes, ask Claude to recreate the HTML
- Real implementation happens in actual code files

"Markdown isn't visual enough"

Solution: Use HTML demos as visual reference while Claude Code works from markdown specs
- Keep HTML demo open in one browser tab
- Give Claude Code the markdown specification
- Compare results to the visual prototype

"Managing complexity"

Solution: Progressive disclosure - only show what's needed when
- Start with simple HTML demo
- Once approved, create detailed tech spec
- Implement piece by piece
- Always refer back to visual prototype

Immediate (This Session)

  1. Keep the HTML demo as your visual reference
  2. Create detailed tech spec for Claude Code
  3. Start simple progress tracker

Going Forward

  1. One feature at a time - don't try to build everything at once
  2. Always prototype visually first - HTML demos catch issues early
  3. Detailed specs for implementation - Claude Code needs precise instructions
  4. Regular check-ins - Compare implementation to prototype

Success Metrics

You'll know this is working when:

  • ✅ You can see what you're building (HTML demos)
  • ✅ Claude Code understands what to build (clear specs)
  • ✅ You can track progress easily (simple checklists)
  • ✅ Implementation matches the prototype
  • ✅ Less time spent explaining, more time building

The key is treating HTML demos as communication tools and markdown as implementation tools - use each for their strengths!

Was this helpful?