Guide for implementing and maintaining context as a managed artifact alongside code, enabling consistent AI interactions and team alignment through structured project documentation.
When to Use This Skill
Setting up new projects with Conductor
Understanding the relationship between context artifacts
Maintaining consistency across AI-assisted development sessions
Onboarding team members to an existing Conductor project
Deciding when to update context documents
Managing greenfield vs brownfield project contexts
Core Philosophy
Context-Driven Development treats project context as a first-class artifact managed alongside code. Instead of relying on ad-hoc prompts or scattered documentation, establish a persistent, structured foundation that informs all AI interactions.
Key principles:
Context precedes code
Define what you're building and how before implementation
Living documentation
Context artifacts evolve with the project
Single source of truth
One canonical location for each type of information
AI alignment
Consistent context produces consistent AI behavior
The Workflow
Follow the
Context → Spec & Plan → Implement
workflow:
Context Phase
Establish or verify project context artifacts exist and are current
Specification Phase
Define requirements and acceptance criteria for work units
Planning Phase
Break specifications into phased, actionable tasks
Implementation Phase
Execute tasks following established workflow patterns
Artifact Relationships
product.md - Defines WHAT and WHY
Purpose: Captures product vision, goals, target users, and business context.
Contents:
Product name and one-line description
Problem statement and solution approach
Target user personas
Core features and capabilities
Success metrics and KPIs
Product roadmap (high-level)
Update when:
Product vision or goals change
New major features are planned
Target audience shifts
Business priorities evolve
product-guidelines.md - Defines HOW to Communicate
Purpose: Establishes brand voice, messaging standards, and communication patterns.
Contents:
Brand voice and tone guidelines
Terminology and glossary
Error message conventions
User-facing copy standards
Documentation style
Update when:
Brand guidelines change
New terminology is introduced
Communication patterns need refinement
tech-stack.md - Defines WITH WHAT
Purpose: Documents technology choices, dependencies, and architectural decisions.
Contents:
Primary languages and frameworks
Key dependencies with versions
Infrastructure and deployment targets
Development tools and environment
Testing frameworks
Code quality tools
Update when:
Adding new dependencies
Upgrading major versions
Changing infrastructure
Adopting new tools or patterns
workflow.md - Defines HOW to Work
Purpose: Establishes development practices, quality gates, and team workflows.
Contents:
Development methodology (TDD, etc.)
Git workflow and commit conventions
Code review requirements
Testing requirements and coverage targets
Quality assurance gates
Deployment procedures
Update when:
Team practices evolve
Quality standards change
New workflow patterns are adopted
tracks.md - Tracks WHAT'S HAPPENING
Purpose: Registry of all work units with status and metadata.
Contents:
Active tracks with current status
Completed tracks with completion dates
Track metadata (type, priority, assignee)
Links to individual track directories
Update when:
New tracks are created
Track status changes
Tracks are completed or archived
See
references/artifact-templates.md
for copy-paste starter templates.
Context Maintenance Principles
Keep Artifacts Synchronized
Ensure changes in one artifact reflect in related documents:
New feature in product.md → Update tech-stack.md if new dependencies needed
Completed track → Update product.md to reflect new capabilities
Workflow change → Update all affected track plans
Update tech-stack.md When Adding Dependencies
Before adding any new dependency:
Check if existing dependencies solve the need
Document the rationale for new dependencies
Add version constraints
Note any configuration requirements
Update product.md When Features Complete
After completing a feature track:
Move feature from "planned" to "implemented" in product.md
Update any affected success metrics
Document any scope changes from original plan
Verify Context Before Implementation
Before starting any track:
Read all context artifacts
Flag any outdated information
Propose updates before proceeding
Confirm context accuracy with stakeholders
Greenfield vs Brownfield Handling
Greenfield Projects (New)
For new projects:
Run
/conductor:setup
to create all artifacts interactively
Answer questions about product vision, tech preferences, and workflow
Generate initial style guides for chosen languages
Create empty tracks registry
Characteristics:
Full control over context structure
Define standards before code exists
Establish patterns early
Brownfield Projects (Existing)
For existing codebases:
Run
/conductor:setup
with existing codebase detection
System analyzes existing code, configs, and documentation
Pre-populate artifacts based on discovered patterns
Review and refine generated context
Characteristics:
Extract implicit context from existing code
Reconcile existing patterns with desired patterns
Document technical debt and modernization plans
Preserve working patterns while establishing standards
Benefits
Team Alignment
New team members onboard faster with explicit context
Consistent terminology and conventions across the team
Shared understanding of product goals and technical decisions
AI Consistency
AI assistants produce aligned outputs across sessions
Reduced need to re-explain context in each interaction
Predictable behavior based on documented standards
Institutional Memory
Decisions and rationale are preserved
Context survives team changes
Historical context informs future decisions
Quality Assurance
Standards are explicit and verifiable
Deviations from context are detectable
Quality gates are documented and enforceable
Directory Structure
conductor/
├── index.md # Navigation hub linking all artifacts
├── product.md # Product vision and goals
├── product-guidelines.md # Communication standards