Plan, Then Prompt

The 'Step 0' workflow is a reminder that strategy still beats brute force.

We're all chasing the perfect prompt to get an AI to build exactly what we're thinking. A recent discussion highlights how wrong that approach is. The most important work in AI-assisted development happens before you write a single line of instruction, in a 'Step 0' planning phase.

This isn't about prompt engineering; it's about strategy. The idea is to use an AI as a thinking partner to structure your thoughts first. By talking through a problem with a voice agent, you turn vague ideas into a concrete plan, naturally feeding the model the context it desperately needs. This front-loading of structured thought is what separates a useful output from a frustrating hallucination. It's the difference between an architect and a bricklayer.

The real story here is a shift from using AI as a code generator to using it as a thought clarifier. For developers, this means the game is no longer about who can write the cleverest prompt. The advantage goes to those who can build the clearest blueprint before the work even begins.

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My takeaway

The real skill in an AI-powered world isn't prompting, but planning.

We are obsessed with the output, the generated code, the finished product. But the quality of that output is a direct reflection of the quality of the input, and 'input' is more than just the final prompt. It's the context, the constraints, and the clarity of the objective defined beforehand.

This forces us to be better architects and thinkers, not just faster producers. We have to use these tools to clarify our own vision before we ask them to build it. We have to become the master planners.

The next time you start a project, how much time will you spend on the plan before you write a single prompt?

Drop me a reply. Till next time, this is Louis, and you are reading Louis.log().