memory-management

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from when this skill was listed. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: memory-management
description: Two-tier memory system that makes Claude a true workplace collaborator. Decodes shorthand, acronyms, nicknames, and internal language so Claude understands requests like a colleague would. CLAUDE.md for working memory, memory/ directory for the full knowledge base.
user-invocable: false
---

# Memory Management

Memory makes Claude your workplace collaborator - someone who speaks your internal language.

## The Goal

Transform shorthand into understanding:

```
User: "ask todd to do the PSR for oracle"
              ↓ Claude decodes
"Ask Todd Martinez (Finance lead) to prepare the Pipeline Status Report
 for the Oracle Systems deal ($2.3M, closing Q2)"
```

Without memory, that request is meaningless. With memory, Claude knows:
- **todd** → Todd Martinez, Finance lead, prefers Slack
- **PSR** → Pipeline Status Report (weekly sales doc)
- **oracle** → Oracle Systems deal, not the company

## Architecture

```
CLAUDE.md          ← Hot cache (~30 people, common terms)
memory/
  glossary.md      ← Full decoder ring (everything)
  people/          ← Complete profiles
  projects/        ← Project details
  context/         ← Company, teams, tools
```

**CLAUDE.md (Hot Cache):**
- Top ~30 people you interact with most
- ~30 most common acronyms/terms
- Active projects (5-15)
- Your preferences
- **Goal: Cover 90% of daily decoding needs**

**memory/glossary.md (Full Glossary):**
- Complete decoder ring - everyone, every term
- Searched when something isn't in CLAUDE.md
- Can grow indefinitely

**memory/people/, projects/, context/:**
- Rich detail when needed for execution
- Full profiles, history, context

## Lookup Flow

```
User: "ask todd about the PSR for phoenix"

1. Check CLAUDE.md (hot cache)
   → Todd? ✓ Todd Martinez, Finance
   → PSR? ✓ Pipeline Status Report
   → Phoenix? ✓ DB migration project

2. If not found → search memory/glossary.md
   → Full glossary has everyone/everything

3. If still not found → ask user
   → "What does X mean? I'll remember it."
```

This tiered approach keeps CLAUDE.md lean (~100 lines) while supporting unlimited scale in memory/.

## File Locations

- **Working memory:** `CLAUDE.md` in current working directory
- **Deep memory:** `memory/` subdirectory

## Working Memory Format (CLAUDE.md)

Use tables for compactness. Target ~50-80 lines total.

```markdown
# Memory

## Me
[Name], [Role] on [Team]. [One sentence about what I do.]

## People
| Who | Role |
|-----|------|
| **Todd** | Todd Martinez, Finance lead |
| **Sarah** | Sarah Chen, Engineering (Platform) |
| **Greg** | Greg Wilson, Sales |
→ Full list: memory/glossary.md, profiles: memory/people/

## Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| PSR | Pipeline Status Report |
| P0 | Drop everything priority |
| standup | Daily 9am sync |
→ Full glossary: memory/glossary.md

## Projects
| Name | What |
|------|------|
| **Phoenix** | DB migration, Q2 launch |
| **Horizon** | Mobile app redesign |
→ Details: memory/projects/

## Preferences
- 25-min meetings with buffers
- Async-first, Slack over email
- No meetings Friday afternoons
```

## Deep Memory Format (memory/)

**memory/glossary.md** - The decoder ring:
```markdown
# Glossary

Workplace shorthand, acronyms, and internal language.

## Acronyms
| Term | Meaning | Context |
|------|---------|---------|
| PSR | Pipeline Status Report | Weekly sales doc |
| OKR | Objectives & Key Results | Quarterly planning |
| P0/P1/P2 | Priority levels | P0 = drop everything |

## Internal Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| standup | Daily 9am sync in #engineering |
| the migration | Project Phoenix database work |
| ship it | Deploy to production |
| escalate | Loop in leadership |

## Nicknames → Full Names
| Nickname | Person |
|----------|--------|
| Todd | Todd Martinez (Finance) |
| T | Also Todd Martinez |

## Project Codenames
| Codename | Project |
|----------|---------|
| Phoenix | Database migration |
| Horizon | New mobile app |
```