PM Claude Code Setup

A production-ready Claude Code configuration for product managers. Drop these files into your project and Claude Code immediately understands PM work.

Includes a CLAUDE.md context file, 6 PM skills, and 4 templates. Takes 60 seconds to set up.

This setup works standalone. The full PM Operating System goes further: 41+ skills, 7 sub-agent perspectives, a complete context library, launch templates, and sprint planning workflows refined over 100+ iterations.

Get the full PM Operating System →

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What's Inside

pm-claude-code-setup/
├── CLAUDE.md                           # Master context file — drop in your project root
├── templates/
│   ├── prd-template.md                 # Blank PRD structure
│   ├── launch-plan.md                  # Launch planning template
│   ├── okr-template.md                 # OKR scorecard
│   └── sprint-review.md               # Sprint review template
└── .claude/
    └── skills/
        ├── prd-writer/                 # "write a PRD" → structured PRD with clarifying questions
        ├── competitive-analysis/       # "analyze competitor" → smart/weak/implications framework
        ├── launch-checklist/           # "launch checklist" → risk-scaled pre/post launch plan
        ├── metrics-definer/            # "define metrics" → primary, guardrail, and anti-metrics
        ├── sprint-planner/             # "plan sprint" → capacity-checked sprint with risks
        └── user-research/              # "synthesize research" → evidence-ranked findings

Quick Setup

Step 1: Copy CLAUDE.md to your project root:

cp CLAUDE.md /path/to/your/project/

Step 2: Copy the skills folder:

cp -r .claude/ /path/to/your/project/

Step 3: Open Claude Code in your project. It loads automatically.

Done. Claude now knows you're a PM, follows your writing style, and writes PRDs on command.

What the CLAUDE.md Does

CLAUDE.md is a lean config file — not a manual. It tells Claude who you are, how to write, and what rules to follow. Fill in the [FILL IN] fields at the top (~2 minutes), and the rest works immediately:

• Your context — role, product, metrics, OKRs, terminology
• Writing rules — enforced tone, banned words, output standards
• Sub-agent roles — 6 reviewers in a table (engineer, designer, executive, skeptic, customer, data analyst)
• Output standards — clarifying questions before generating, metrics with baselines, risks with mitigations
• Skills reference — points to .claude/skills/ without duplicating their logic
• MCP connections — your integrations (Notion, Jira, Slack, etc.)

The file is intentionally under 60 lines. Claude follows short, specific instructions better than long ones.

What the PRD Writer Skill Does

Say "write a PRD" or "create a PRD for [feature]" and Claude:

1. Asks 3-5 clarifying questions first (never generates blind)
2. Follows a structured format: hypothesis, problem, solution, metrics, non-goals
3. Flags missing info with [NEED: data from X] placeholders
4. Keeps it under 2 pages unless you ask for more
5. Includes success metrics with specific numbers and guardrails

How to Get the Most Out of This Setup

Chain Sub-Agents

Write a PRD → "Review as engineer" → fix gaps → "Review as skeptic" → tighten assumptions → "Review as customer" → simplify the value prop. Three passes, three minutes, dramatically better spec.

Use @ References

Don't paste docs into chat — point to them:

Read @templates/prd-template.md and use that structure.
Summarize @meeting-notes/standup-03-04.md into action items.
Compare @competitor-notes/notion.md against @competitor-notes/monday.md.

Claude reads the file on demand. Your context window stays clean.

Use Plan Mode (Shift+Tab)

Toggle before complex tasks. Forces Claude to outline its approach before executing. You approve the plan, then it runs. Best for PRDs with open questions, multi-file edits, anything where "undo" is expensive.

Set Up Hooks

Unlike CLAUDE.md instructions (advisory), hooks run deterministically:

"Write a hook that spell-checks every file after I edit it"
"Write a hook that blocks writes to /templates/"
"Write a hook that runs a word count check — block any PRD over 1500 words"

Configure via /hooks or .claude/settings.json. Exit code 0 = proceed, exit code 2 = block with feedback.

Session Management

• /clear between unrelated tasks. Context bleed is the #1 quality killer.
• Cap conversations at ~50 exchanges. Quality degrades past this.
• Use handoffs. Before ending a long session: "Write a HANDOFF.md." Next session: "Read @HANDOFF.md and continue."
• Run parallel sessions. Multiple terminals, each with its own Claude instance and context window.
• Resume sessions. claude --continue for last session, claude --resume to pick from history.

Make CLAUDE.md Self-Improving

When Claude makes a mistake, correct it, then: "Add a rule to CLAUDE.md so you don't make that mistake again." Claude proposes the rule, you approve, it edits the file. Next session, the rule is loaded automatically. Prune quarterly.

Customize the Skills

Skills ship with generic examples. Replace them with real examples from your product. A sprint planner that knows your team's velocity outperforms a generic one every time.

Feed in Real Artifacts

Don't describe your Slack thread — paste it. Don't summarize the user interview — paste the transcript. Skills extract and structure messy information; raw inputs produce the best output.

Quick Reference

/clear              Reset context (CLAUDE.md reloads automatically)
/hooks              Configure automation hooks
/init               Generate a starter CLAUDE.md from your project
/permissions        Set tool access rules
Shift+Tab           Toggle Plan Mode
Esc                 Cancel current generation
claude --continue   Resume last session
claude --resume     Pick a specific past session
claude -p "prompt"  Non-interactive single prompt

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Want the Full Setup?

This setup covers the core PM workflow. The full PM OS covers every PM task I run daily:

• 41+ custom skills for every PM task
• 7 sub-agent perspectives (engineer, designer, executive, skeptic, customer, data analyst, legal)
• Context library with your OKRs, terminology, and team structure
• Templates for launches, roadmaps, retros, and sprint planning
• Hooks for automated spell-checking and file protection

Get the full PM Operating System →

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Built by Aakash Gupta | Product Growth Newsletter

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Troubleshooting

Common issues and fixes.

Claude doesn't seem to follow my CLAUDE.md instructions

• Check file location. CLAUDE.md must be in your project root (the directory where you run claude). Claude Code loads it automatically from the working directory.
• Check file size. Beyond ~150 lines, Claude starts ignoring instructions. Prune aggressively. Move domain knowledge into skills.
• Check for conflicting instructions. Contradictory rules produce unpredictable behavior. Audit for conflicts.
• Restart the session. Run /clear or start a new terminal. Claude loads CLAUDE.md at session start.

Skills aren't triggering

• Verify the path. Skills must be at .claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md (exact casing matters).
• Check the trigger. The SKILL.md needs a clear trigger phrase that matches how you're asking. If your SKILL.md says "triggers when user asks to write a PRD" but you say "draft a spec," Claude may not connect them.
• Test with an explicit request. Try: "Use the prd-writer skill to write a PRD for X." If that works but natural language doesn't, refine your trigger description.
• Check that SKILL.md isn't empty or malformed. Open it and verify it has content.

Claude forgets context mid-conversation

• Context limits. Long conversations degrade after ~50 exchanges. Use /clear and start fresh with a summary.
• Use handoffs. Before clearing, have Claude write a HANDOFF.md summarizing state, decisions, and next steps. Start the new session with "Read @HANDOFF.md and continue."
• Avoid pasting huge docs. Use @ references instead of pasting entire documents into chat.

Hooks aren't running

• Check .claude/settings.json. Hooks are configured there, not in CLAUDE.md.
• Check exit codes. Hooks use exit 0 (proceed) and exit 2 (block + feedback). Other exit codes may cause unexpected behavior.
• Check permissions. Hook scripts need to be executable (chmod +x).

MCP servers won't connect

• Verify credentials. Most MCP servers require API keys or OAuth tokens. Confirm yours are current.
• Check server config. MCP connections are configured in Claude Code settings, not CLAUDE.md. CLAUDE.md only documents them for reference.
• Restart Claude Code. MCP connections initialize at startup.

"I changed CLAUDE.md but nothing changed"

Claude reads CLAUDE.md at session start. Mid-session edits require a reload:

1. Run /clear to reset context (CLAUDE.md reloads automatically)
2. Or start a new terminal session