Implementation Planning

What is PLAN.md?

What is PLAN.md?

PLAN.md is a document you’ll give to Claude Code when you start building your app. It should describe your app clearly enough that an AI coding agent can start implementing it — what screens it has, what it does, how it works.

Writing Your Plan

Writing Your Plan

Open your Claude conversation from last week. Start a new message asking Claude to help you write a PLAN.md. Your plan should include:

1. App overview — What the app does, in 2-3 sentences
2. Key screens/views — What the user sees and can do on each screen
3. Core features — The essential functionality (not stretch goals)
4. Data — What information the app stores and where
5. External dependencies — Any APIs, servers, or services needed

Keep it focused: describe the simplest version that works. You can always add features later. Claude Code works best with clear, specific instructions.

Submit Your Conversation

Submit Your Conversation

Continue your Claude conversation from last week (or start a new one if you prefer). Your conversation should include new planning discussion beyond what you submitted last week.

When you’re ready, create a new share link — share links are snapshots, so your old link from last week won’t include any new messages:

1. Click the Share button at the top-right of your Claude conversation
2. Toggle the link to Public
3. Copy the link and paste it below

Submit Your Plan

Submit Your Plan

Copy and paste the full text of your PLAN.md from the Claude conversation into the box below—not a share link, but the actual plan content itself. Also save it as a file—you’ll need it when you start coding, and you should understand every part of it.

Important: Make sure you understand every part of your plan. Don’t just copy and paste — you should be able to explain what each section means and why you made those choices. There may be questions about your plan on an upcoming quiz.

Meet Your Tutor Mentor

Meet Your Tutor Mentor

Once you’ve submitted your plan, you’ll be assigned a tutor mentor — a course tutor from your discussion section who will be your go-to person for help throughout the semester. Go find them, introduce yourself, and tell them a bit about what you’re planning to build. They’ll mark your attendance.

Looking Ahead: Elevator Pitch

Looking Ahead: Elevator Pitch

Next week, you’ll give a 2-minute elevator pitch about your app to a small group of classmates and course tutors. This isn’t a formal presentation — think of it as explaining your app to a friend. You should be able to answer:

• What problem does your app solve? (or what does it make easier/more fun?)
• Who is it for?
• How does it work? (walk through the main user experience)
• What makes it interesting? (what’s the hook?)

You don’t need slides — just be ready to talk. Having a solid PLAN.md will make this easy since you’ll already know your app inside and out.

To prepare, try out the pitch practice tool — record yourself, get a transcription, and receive feedback on your delivery.