# Project Setup Checklist

> From NerdSmith Founder Track -- Module 0, Lesson 1: File & Project Management
> Follow these steps every time you start a new AI-assisted project.

---

## Phase 1: Create Your Workspace (5 minutes, one-time)

- [ ] **Create a dedicated workspace folder** -- `~/founder-workspace/` or similar
- [ ] **Confirm it's NOT your Desktop, Downloads, or Documents root** -- Claude should never see personal files
- [ ] **Open the workspace in your file explorer** -- verify it's clean and empty (or has only project folders)

```bash
mkdir -p ~/founder-workspace
```

---

## Phase 2: Set Up Your Project (5 minutes per project)

- [ ] **Create a project folder** with a clear, descriptive name
  - Good: `saas-validation-teamflow/`, `customer-research-q1/`
  - Bad: `project1/`, `stuff/`, `new-folder/`

- [ ] **Create the core subfolders:**

```bash
mkdir -p ~/founder-workspace/my-project/{specs,research,research/interviews,analysis,prompts,marketing,_archive}
```

- [ ] **Verify folder structure looks like this:**

```
my-project/
├── specs/           # Product docs
├── research/        # Interviews, market data
│   └── interviews/  # Individual transcripts
├── analysis/        # Claude outputs
├── prompts/         # Your prompt templates
├── marketing/       # Copy, campaigns
└── _archive/        # Old stuff (Claude ignores)
```

---

## Phase 3: Add CLAUDE.md (5 minutes per project)

- [ ] **Create `CLAUDE.md`** in the project root (not inside a subfolder)
- [ ] **Fill in all 5 sections:**
  - [ ] Project Context -- What you're building, industry, stage
  - [ ] Your Role -- What you do and what you don't do
  - [ ] How to Help -- Your top 3-5 tasks
  - [ ] File Structure -- Where Claude should find and save files
  - [ ] Style Preferences -- Tone, length, format rules
- [ ] **Keep it under 500 words** -- longer wastes context
- [ ] **Test it** -- Open Claude Code, ask "What do you know about this project?"

---

## Phase 4: Add .claudeignore (2 minutes per project)

- [ ] **Create `.claudeignore`** in the project root
- [ ] **Add patterns for files Claude should skip:**
  - [ ] `_archive/` -- old versions
  - [ ] Image files (`*.jpg`, `*.png`, `*.gif`)
  - [ ] Binary documents (`*.pdf`, `*.docx`, `*.xlsx`)
  - [ ] System junk (`.DS_Store`, `Thumbs.db`)
  - [ ] Dev dependencies (`node_modules/`, `.next/`) if applicable
- [ ] **Verify** -- Ask Claude to list visible files, confirm ignored files are absent

---

## Phase 5: Seed Your Project (10 minutes)

- [ ] **Add at least one real file** to `specs/` or `research/` -- Claude needs something to work with
- [ ] **Name files descriptively:**
  - Good: `product-spec-v1.md`, `competitor-analysis-jan2026.md`
  - Bad: `Document1.txt`, `notes.md`, `stuff.docx`
- [ ] **Use date prefixes** for time-series files: `2026-01-15-interview-sarah.txt`
- [ ] **Use number prefixes** for ordered files: `01-idea-validation.md`

---

## Phase 6: First Claude Session (5 minutes)

- [ ] **Open the project folder in VSCode** (not the parent workspace)
- [ ] **Start Claude Code** (click the Claude icon or use the command palette)
- [ ] **Run a test prompt:**
  ```
  What do you know about this project? List the files you can see.
  ```
- [ ] **Verify Claude:**
  - [ ] Summarizes your CLAUDE.md context correctly
  - [ ] Lists only the files you expect (not archived/ignored ones)
  - [ ] Uses the tone and style you specified

---

## Quick Reference: What Goes Where

| Content | Folder | File Name Pattern |
|---------|--------|-------------------|
| Product specs | `specs/` | `feature-name-spec.md` |
| Feature lists | `specs/` | `feature-list.md` |
| Interview transcripts | `research/interviews/` | `2026-01-15-name.txt` |
| Competitor notes | `research/competitors/` | `competitor-name.md` |
| Market data | `research/` | `market-sizing-2026.md` |
| Claude's outputs | `analysis/` | `customer-insights-2026-01.md` |
| Prompt templates | `prompts/` | `01-prompt-name.md` |
| Landing page copy | `marketing/` | `landing-hero-v2.md` |
| Email campaigns | `marketing/` | `onboarding-sequence.md` |
| Old/deprecated | `_archive/` | anything |

---

## Common Pitfalls to Avoid

| Pitfall | Why It's Bad | Fix |
|---------|-------------|-----|
| Opening Desktop as workspace | Claude reads 847 random files | Use `~/founder-workspace/project/` |
| No CLAUDE.md | You repeat context every session | Write it once, save 40+ min/month |
| Random file names | Claude can't find anything | Use descriptive kebab-case names |
| Mixing personal + work files | Context wasted on family photos | One folder per project, work only |
| Never archiving | Old drafts clutter context | Move to `_archive/` regularly |
| No .claudeignore | Binary files eat context | Add one to every project |

---

*NerdSmith Founder Track -- Module 0: Claude Code Bootcamp*
*Download: Project Setup Checklist*