Reviewing my experience using LLMs, to improve results, reduce churn and token usage. Discovering the gap between what they produce and what I'd normally do is a significant source of output cost, regressions and surfacing a bit of why and how to fix it. Notably Claude is remarkably bad at/about this, producing errors even when directed toward modern Web solutions—that cut token use a lot, like toward 90% occasionally, which together with the frustrating churn led me to review how I'm working, what is happening and generate this article.

Excellent article, with impeccable analysis, that will fundamentally change how I work with Claude myself. I have already learned to give Claude both a "do" and a "don't" in order to limit unpleasant surprises.