Show Notes
Episode 2 of our beginner series on directing AI to build software, aimed at non-coders who worry about the technical side. The core idea: use one AI to plan and review, a different AI to do the building, and never let a builder judge its own work. You hold two simple checkpoints — approve the plan, then verify the result — a skill no harder than briefing a capable contractor.
In this episode: - Why you split the job: one AI plans and reviews, a separate 'coding agent' does the building - The builder is the worst-placed thing to check its own work — a fresh AI catches what it was blind to - Your role: sit at two gates and decide what passes, in a rhythm of plan, gate, build, gate, accept - Four rules for a brief that can't be misread: one job at a time, define 'done', state what not to touch, ask for the plan first - Why experienced builders converge on this separation — they tried the alternative and got burned - The hardest gate to hold is when everything seems to be going well, because speed without a check just makes the cost bigger later
Sources: episode-02-the-planner-and-the-builder.md
Full episode page: https://fatsandsugars.com/ai-hype-signal/how-to-build-software-with-ai-ep-2-the-planner-and-the-builder/
AI Hype & Signal is produced with AI, including its two synthetic hosts, and every episode is grounded in cited sources and reviewed before release. Even so, it is intended for general information and discussion, not professional advice, so please check anything important against the original sources linked above before relying on it.
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