---
id: "action-implement-folders"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["00:00:44", "00:06:53"]
tags: ["architecture", "best-practices"]
related: ["concept-icm", "claim-icm-superiority"]
speakers: ["Jake Van Clief"]
action: "Structure AI context using folders and markdown files instead of complex code frameworks."
outcome: "Reduced token usage, increased transparency, and easier maintenance of AI workflows."
sources: ["video"]
sourceVaultSlug: "interpretible-context-methodology-icm-2026Jun02"
originDay: 1
---
# Implement Folder-Based Context

## Action

Structure your AI agent's context, instructions, prompts, and 'skills' using **standard file system folders and markdown files** rather than adopting an orchestration framework such as [[entity-langchain]] or [[entity-semantic-kernel]].

## How

1. Create a vault/folder per project or domain
2. Place reusable skills as markdown files in a `skills/` subfolder (use [[framework-skill-creation]])
3. Keep voice/tone, constraints, and brand guidelines as named markdown files referenced from the main prompt
4. Give a single agent (e.g., [[entity-claude]]) navigational access to the folder

## Expected Outcome

- 20–40% reduction in token usage (anecdotal — verify locally)
- Increased transparency and inspectability
- Easier maintenance because everything is plain text
- Lower barrier for non-engineers to participate

## Underlying Concept

[[concept-icm-d1]]

## Supporting Claim

[[claim-icm-superiority]]


## Related across days
- [[action-numbered-stage-folders]]
- [[framework-icm-architecture]]
- [[concept-five-layer-hierarchy]]
- [[synthesis-three-levels-meets-stage-pipeline]]