← Back to Framework
The Uncommon Business Framework Reference Sheet
theuncommonbusiness.com
Framework № 07

When to Build What

Two questions. Four answers. Know exactly what to build.

Question 01
How often will you do this?
Once / Rarely ←———→ Recurring / Always
Question 02
Does the output need to know your business?
Generic ←———→ Business-Specific (your voice, data, rules)
↑ Business-Specific
Generic ↓
03 · Once + Business-Specific
One-Off Project
Use a Project. Work manually.

You need this done once, but AI needs context to do it well. Open a Claude Project with your context loaded. Work inside it manually.

Examples
Reviewing a proposal against your standards
Writing a strategy doc in your voice
First-time work that benefits from context
04 · Recurring + Business-Specific
★
AI Employee
Build it. Train it. Let it run.

This is where AI employees live. Build a Skill. Give it a Brain. Train it with Spot → Build → Train until you'd send it unedited.

Examples
Weekly client update in your voice
Monthly performance report
Daily social content pipeline
01 · Once + Generic
Quick Prompt
Just ask Claude.

You need this done once. Any AI can do it well. No setup. Open Claude, describe what you need, get it done, close the tab.

Examples
Summarize this document
Draft a reply to this specific email
Translate this paragraph
02 · Recurring + Generic
Prompt Template
Save it. Fill in the blanks.

You do this regularly and any AI does it well — it just needs structure. Save the prompt with [BLANKS] in your Prompt Library.

Examples
Weekly status update with [WINS], [BLOCKERS]
Social post in a specific format
Meeting recap template
← Once / Rarely
Recurring / Always →
Step 01

"Would I be embarrassed to send this output to a client without reading it?"

Yes → Needs business context → top row
No → Generic is fine → bottom row
Step 02

"Will I do this again?"

Yes → Build a system → right column
No → Don't over-engineer → left column