SYSTEMS NOTE // 06 · JULY 2026 · SGI RESEARCH
Claude is six tools wearing one name. The gap between a mediocre session and a great one is mostly setup an identity doc, a folder structure, and knowing which model and mode to reach for.
Twelve Habits
Set It Up Once,
Use It Properly Forever
Click any card to pin it click again to release
Before anything else, write down who you are and what you're working on. Every later step reads from this.
For anything with real stakes, have it confirm scope and priorities before it starts producing output.
"Write like this" plus a real sample beats a paragraph explaining the tone you want.
Multi-file, multi-step work that spans documents and code belongs in Cowork, not a single chat turn.
THE MODEL ISN'T
THE BOTTLENECK.
THE SETUP
USUALLY IS.