End-of-session debrief to capture learnings and keep documentation current.
When to Run
- Before ending a productive session
- When context window is getting full
- After significant conversations about preferences, workflows, or decisions
- Periodically as maintenance
Workflow
Phase 1: Gather Context
- Read current state:
- .claude/memories/about-taylor.md - Current profile - .claude/memories/index.json - Existing memories - CLAUDE.md - Current instructions (skim for relevant sections)
- Get today's date:
date +%Y-%m-%d
Phase 2: Analyze Conversation
Review the conversation for memory-worthy moments:
Preferences (category: preference)
- "I like X better than Y"
- "I prefer...", "I don't want..."
- Choices made when given options
Corrections (category: workflow or context)
- "Actually...", "No, that's not right"
- Clarifications about how something works
- Misunderstandings corrected
Personal Context (category: personal or context)
- Life events (moves, job changes, milestones)
- Schedule or routine changes
- Health, relationships, living situation
Workflow Insights (category: workflow)
- How Taylor actually uses tools vs. assumptions
- Shortcuts or patterns observed
- Friction points identified
Decisions (category: project or workflow)
- Architecture or design choices
- Tool/technology selections
- Process changes
Phase 3: Present Findings
Present findings one category at a time:
## Proposed Memories
### Memory 1: [Brief title]
**Category:** preference
**Content:** Taylor prefers X over Y because Z.
**Source:** [Quote or paraphrase from conversation]
Action? [Save / Skip / Edit]Phase 4: Updates to about-taylor.md
Check if any new information should be added to the profile:
- Job status changes
- New skills or interests
- Updated preferences that are significant enough for the profile
- Life changes (location, situation)
## Suggested Profile Updates
### Update 1: [Section]
**Current:** [What it says now, if anything]
**Proposed:** [New or updated text]
**Reason:** [Why this matters]
Action? [Apply / Skip / Edit]Remember: about-taylor.md has a 300-line limit. Only add significant, lasting information.
Phase 5: Updates to CLAUDE.md
Check if any workflow or instruction changes should be documented:
- New conventions established
- Process improvements agreed upon
- Corrections to existing instructions
- New skills or capabilities added
## Suggested CLAUDE.md Updates
### Update 1: [Section]
**Location:** [Which section]
**Change:** [What to add/modify]
**Reason:** [Why this should be documented]
Action? [Apply / Skip / Edit]Phase 6: Execute Approved Changes
For approved memories:
- Create JSON file:
.claude/memories/YYYY-MM-DD-NNN.json{"date": "YYYY-MM-DD", "category": "preference|workflow|context|project|personal", "content": "Concise description (1-2 sentences)", "source": "conversation|observation|correction"} - Update
.claude/memories/index.json
For approved profile/CLAUDE.md updates:
- Apply edits to the relevant files
- Confirm changes
Phase 7: Summary
## Debrief Complete
**Memories saved:** N
**Profile updates:** N
**CLAUDE.md updates:** N
**Skipped:** N
Next debrief recommended: [if context is still full, suggest continuing]Memory JSON Format
{
"date": "2026-01-20",
"category": "preference",
"content": "Taylor prefers not to over-engineer tooling for rare edge cases.",
"source": "conversation"
}Tips
- Be selective - not every detail needs a memory
- Memories should be durable (still relevant in weeks/months)
- Profile updates should be significant life/work changes
- CLAUDE.md updates should be reusable conventions, not one-off fixes
- When in doubt, ask rather than skip