1.2 — Decomposing Complex Requests

CCAO-F Domain 1 · Task 1.2

What You Need to Know

Complex work gets Claude’s best output when split into pieces it can do properly, one at a time.

Four Techniques (Lightest to Heaviest)

1. Numbered steps inside one prompt — for connected parts that must follow a sequence
2. Staged prompting in one conversation — for a deliverable built in layers; inspect each stage before the next
3. Plan-first prompting — when the right structure is not obvious; review a plan before drafting
4. Separate conversations per sub-task — for genuinely independent pieces

Choosing the Technique

• Connected parts → one conversation, staged
• Independent deliverables → separate chats
• Structure unclear → plan first

Carrying Context Forward

A new conversation does not automatically contain another conversation’s working material. Memory saves context about you as individual topics, not a transcript. Explicit persistence is required: paste the output, re-attach the file, or keep it in a Project’s knowledge base.

Exam Traps

• The do-everything mega-prompt
• Fragmenting connected work across separate conversations
• Plan-first prompting where the structure is already known and agreed