Placeholder Product Line
The guiding question for this context file
"What is true of every product within this product line?"
Every piece of information you include should be answerable with "yes, this applies to everything in this branch." If it only applies to some children, it belongs lower down the tree. If it repeats something already in a parent file, leave it out.
What to include
- ✓The core problem this product line solves — the persistent user or business need that all its products address
- ✓The shared user base — who uses products in this line, and what they are trying to achieve
- ✓Shared technical foundations — architecture, APIs, data models, or infrastructure common to all products here
- ✓The product line's success metrics — what outcomes all products within it are working towards
- ✓Design and experience principles specific to this product line
- ✓Integration points — what external systems, data sources, or platforms every product in this line connects to
- ✓Known constraints — scale requirements, latency budgets, compliance rules that govern the whole line
What to avoid
- ✕Features specific to one product — those belong in that product's context file
- ✕Implementation details that vary across products
- ✕Roadmap items or future plans — context files describe what is currently true
Examples of good context sentences
"All products in the AI CRM line operate on buyer behavioural data. Every product must respect the group's data minimisation policy and must never expose raw PII to model inputs."
"The AI CRM product line shares a unified recommendation engine and messaging infrastructure. New products built in this line should extend these services rather than duplicate them."
General principles
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Tree-aware: Agents receive all ancestor files too. Don't repeat what's already above you in the tree.
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Stable, not live: Write things that stay true for months. Roadmap items, sprint tasks, and current incidents belong elsewhere.
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Agent-first: Write as if briefing a capable colleague who has never worked here. Be explicit; don't assume implied knowledge.