4.3 — Supporting Solution Design, Development and Iteration

CCAO-F Domain 4 · Task 4.3

What You Need to Know

Solution iteration improves a deliverable over several rounds, with Claude as the drafting partner. A solution here is a process, template, piece of guidance, scheme, service design, form or plan — never software.

Why the Loop Is Worth Running

Claude changes the economics: a second and third version cost minutes. Comparing three concrete options is a better way to design than arguing about one. It only works while the versions stay disposable.

One Named Criterion per Round

Every round needs a named criterion from the requirement. “Make it better” produces something different, not something better. Run each round against one criterion, check the result against that criterion alone, and keep the version that passes. (AI Fluency: Description-Discernment Loop.)

Knowing When to Stop

Stop when remaining changes are matters of preference rather than fitness. If a round shows the requirement itself was wrong, the next stop is the requirement, not another draft. State the stopping reason in one line.

Artifacts and Branches

Substantial content goes into an artifact. To compare two options, edit the message that produced the draft — that creates a different version of the chat with its own artifacts, while the original branch keeps the first draft. Keep the requirement visible while you compare.

Key Concept: When a stem shows a workable first draft, name one criterion from the requirement and check the revision against it.

Exam Traps

• Round after round of make-it-better with no named criterion
• Redrafting a deliverable whose requirement was wrong
• Letting the best-written version beat the one that fits