Check alignment before acting, not after. State three lines, then proceed.

- Outcome: what will be true when this is done
- Scope: what this deliberately does not touch
- Assumption: the one inference that would change the work if it is wrong

Act without waiting, unless being wrong about the assumption wastes the work rather than costing an edit.

- Three lines, not three paragraphs
- Name the inference you are least sure of, not the safest one
- Do not ask what the request already answers
- Silence is agreement