How to Create Your First Project

Updated on December 9, 2025

5 min read

Doc Summary

Category: Working With CRAFT
Type: How-to Guide
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Skill Level: Intermediate

This guide walks you through creating a CRAFT Studio project from scratch. By the end, you’ll have a properly configured project with custom variables, organized files, and a foundation for multi-session work.

Note: This guide is for CRAFT Studio users. If you’re using Foundations or Express, you don’t need to create projects — those versions use pre-configured generic files.

Before You Start #

Make sure you have:

Downloaded the Studio template files from CRAFTFramework.ai/downloads
A clear idea of what your project is about
10-15 minutes for initial setup

Step 1: Define Your Project #

Before touching any files, answer these questions:

Question	Why It Matters
What is this project?	Becomes your PROJECT_NAME and PROJECT_DESCRIPTION
How long will it take?	Single session = use Express. Multiple sessions = Studio is right
What context persists?	Becomes your custom PROJECT_VARIABLES
What type of work?	Helps you choose default personas

Step 2: Name Your Project Files #

CRAFT uses a specific naming convention. Your project needs two custom files:

Project File Name #

Pattern: CFT-PROJ-CP-XXX_PROJECT-NAME-vMMYYaX.txt

Example: CFT-PROJ-CP-001_MARKETING-CAMPAIGN-v1225a1.txt

Component	Meaning	Example
CFT-PROJ	CRAFT Project identifier	Always the same
CP-XXX	Your project number	CP-001, CP-042, CP-100
PROJECT-NAME	Descriptive name (hyphens, no spaces)	MARKETING-CAMPAIGN
vMMYYaX	Version (month, year, iteration)	v1225a1 = Dec 2025, first iteration

Chat History File Name #

Pattern: CFT-PROJ-CP-XXX_AI-CHAT-HISTORY-vMMYYaX.txt

Example: CFT-PROJ-CP-001_AI-CHAT-HISTORY-v1225a1.txt

Use the same project number (CP-XXX) in both files.

Step 3: Configure Your Project File #

Open the Project File template and customize these sections:

PROJECT_VARIABLES #

This is the heart of your project configuration. Add variables that should persist across all sessions:

PROJECT_VARIABLES = {
    # Required
    "PROJECT_NAME": "Q1 Marketing Campaign",
    "PROJECT_DESCRIPTION": "Develop integrated marketing campaign for product launch",
    "PROJECT_START_DATE": "2025-12-09",
    "PROJECT_OWNER": "Your Name",
    
    # Recommended
    "PROJECT_STATUS": "active",
    "TARGET_COMPLETION": "2026-02-15",
    
    # Project-specific (add what you need)
    "TARGET_AUDIENCE": "Small business owners, 25-45",
    "BUDGET": "$15,000",
    "KEY_CHANNELS": ["Email", "LinkedIn", "Google Ads"],
    "BRAND_VOICE": "Professional but approachable",
    "PRIMARY_CTA": "Start free trial"
}

Tips for PROJECT_VARIABLES:

Include anything you’d hate to re-explain each session
Add constraints that should guide all work
Include reference information the AI should know
Update these as the project evolves

PERSONA_PREFERENCES (Optional) #

If you want specific personas for this project:

PERSONA_PREFERENCES = {
    "default_persona": "Morgan",  # Strategic work
    "writing_tasks": "Dominique",  # Copy and content
    "technical_tasks": "René",     # Technical implementation
    "auto_select": True            # Allow AI to suggest others
}

Leave this section as default if you’re fine with automatic persona selection.

Step 4: Set Up Your Chat History File #

Open the Chat History template and customize:

Update the Header #

Change the project reference at the top to match your project:

# =======================================
# CRAFT PROJECT CHAT HISTORY
# File: CFT-PROJ-CP-001_AI-CHAT-HISTORY-v1225a1.txt
# Project: Q1 Marketing Campaign
# =======================================

Leave the Handoff Placeholders #

The template includes empty handoff sections (H001, H002, etc.). These will be filled as you work. Don’t delete them.

Step 5: Verify Your File Set #

Before your first session, confirm you have four files ready:

File	Type	Customized?
Framework Specification	Generic	No
Core Cookbook	Generic	No
Your Project File	Project-specific	Yes ✓
Your Chat History	Project-specific	Yes ✓

Step 6: Start Your First Session #

Open your AI assistant
Start a new conversation
Upload all four files
Initialize the project:

Initialize CRAFT session for [Your Project Name]. This is a new project.

The AI will:

Confirm it read your PROJECT_VARIABLES
Acknowledge the project scope
Ask what you’d like to work on first

After Your First Session #

Create Your First Handoff #

Before ending your first session:

Create a handoff for this session.

This becomes H001 in your Chat History — the foundation for all future sessions.

Update Your Files #

After each session:

Copy the handoff content into your Chat History file
Update PROJECT_VARIABLES if anything changed
Save both files for your next session

Continuing the Project #

Next session, upload the same four files and:

Continue from handoff H001.

Project Organization Tips #

Project Numbering Strategies #

Some practitioners organize project numbers by category:

Range	Category
CP-001 to CP-099	Personal projects
CP-100 to CP-199	Client work
CP-200 to CP-299	Learning/experimental
CP-300 to CP-399	Team projects

Choose a system that works for you — or just number sequentially.

When to Create a New Project #

Create a new project when:

The work has a distinct scope and goal
You want separate handoff history
Different PROJECT_VARIABLES apply

Don’t create a new project for:

A new phase of existing work
Continuing the same scope with different tasks
Minor pivots in direction

Troubleshooting #

“The AI isn’t using my PROJECT_VARIABLES.”
Make sure you saved the file after editing. Re-upload if needed. You can also explicitly reference them:

Check my PROJECT_VARIABLES — what's our target audience?

“I made a mistake in my project setup.”
Just edit the files and re-upload. Projects aren’t locked — you can modify configuration anytime.

“I want to archive this project and start fresh.”
Rename your current files with an -ARCHIVED suffix, then create new project files with the same number or a new one.

What’s Next #

Now that you have a project:

How to Use the Handoff System — Master session continuity
Understanding Projects — Deeper dive into project structure
How to Create a Custom Persona — Build specialized AI personas for your project

Last Updated: December 2025