Thread by @nurijanian

I don't know if there's a way for product managers to not be obsolete, but we're going to try...

Claude Code can be your superpower (for a bit)
(not sponsored, but Anthropic hit me up)

Here are 10+ techniques that will change how you work with code/eng teams:

1/ Codebase Q&A is your new superpower

Stop asking engineers "where is the login feature implemented?"

Claude Code can:
• Identify where specific features live in the code
• Analyze Git history to understand how code evolved
• Summarize team contributions and recent shipments
• Pull context from GitHub issues and PRs

You get answers in minutes, not meeting requests.

2/ Use it as your planning thought partner

Before writing any requirements, tell Claude Code: "brainstorm ideas and outline a plan for implementing [feature]."

This validates your approach before engineering even sees it.

Pro tip: Ask for multiple options. Engineers appreciate when PMs come with thoughtful alternatives, not just demands.

3/ Prioritize analysis order in your instructions

Always tell Claude Code what to analyze first.

Example: "Analyze the user registration form before reviewing the UI mockup."

Understanding the form structure gives context for evaluating the design. This sequencing prevents misaligned outputs.

4/ Integrate your team's actual tools

Don't work in isolation. Connect Claude Code to:
• Your issue tracker (Linear, Jira)
• Observability tools (Sentry, DataDog)
• Team CLI tools
• Project documentation

This gives Claude Code the same context your engineers have.

5/ Create feedback loops for quality

Set up Claude Code to verify its own work:
• Run unit tests automatically
• Take screenshots of UI changes
• Use tools like Playwright for visual verification

This lets Claude Code iterate and improve outputs without constant human oversight.

6/ Focus on "leaf nodes" for autonomous work

Let Claude Code work on parts of the system that other components don't heavily depend on.

Think: individual API endpoints, isolated UI components, utility functions.

Keep human oversight on core architecture and critical user flows.

7/ Set up "reasonable heuristics" like managing an intern

Give Claude Code guiding principles, not just task lists:
• "Irreversibility rule" - avoid destructive actions without explicit confirmation
• "Budget" tool calls - limit how many API calls it makes per task
• "Graceful degradation" - always have a fallback when something fails

These heuristics prevent Claude Code from going off track in unpredictable ways.

8/ Manage context windows strategically

Claude Code has a 200,000 token limit. For long projects:
• Use "compaction" - summarize previous conversations to start fresh
• Enable Claude to write to external memory files
• Break complex features into smaller, context-manageable chunks

Don't let context overflow kill your momentum on multi-day projects.

9/ Create team-wide Claude contexts with claude.md files

Stop re-explaining your project setup every time.

Include in your claude.md:
• Architectural decisions and why they were made
• Style guides and coding standards
• Common commands and workflows
• Project-specific context and constraints

This ensures consistency across your entire team's Claude Code usage.

Go into individual sub-folders and run /init again to go deeper

10/ As Claude Code handles larger chunks of work (hours, soon days/weeks), think of yourself as "Claude's PM." You can finally be an asshole to your engineers, and they will still oblige (this is a joke btw)

Your job shifts from reviewing every line to:
• Defining clear success criteria
• Setting strategic direction
• Ensuring outputs align with user needs
• Managing technical debt accumulation

11/ Communicate limitations explicitly

Train Claude Code to tell you when it can't deliver:
• "This contact form is front-end only - it won't actually send emails"
• "I can't access your database to test this feature end-to-end"
• "This approach might work but could impact performance"

Limits curb false confidence.

12/ Anthropic just dropped a whole playlist on Claude Code, so check it out


Also hit up @iannuttall and his youtube - he's the bestyoutube.com/playlist?list=…