Key points
- Concrete input/output examples are the most effective way to communicate a transformation when prose is read inconsistently; two or three usually suffice.
- Test-driven iteration: write the tests first, then share failing output to steer each round.
- The interview pattern has Claude ask questions up front to surface considerations you had not anticipated.
- Report interacting problems in a single detailed message; fix independent problems sequentially.
- A specific test case with example input and expected output is the clearest bug report, for example a null value in a migration script.
Common misconceptions
- "If Claude misunderstood, write a longer prompt." More words rarely remove the ambiguity that examples would.
- "Write tests after the code so they match." Tests written first define the target instead of confirming the result.
- "One issue at a time is always clearer." Interacting fixes can undo each other when done separately.
Watch for
- A fourth rewrite of a description that has already failed three times.
- Vague bug reports such as "handle nulls properly" with no expected output.
- Implementing in an unfamiliar domain without surfacing the design questions first.
Practice Task 3.5
Start with the free 10-question check to see where you stand across all five domains. In CCA Prep Studio, 54 practice items cover this task, each tracked toward your mastery score.