In this lesson, you'll learn to set global instructions so Claude starts every session already knowing how you work, decide when a piece of work belongs in a project, and choose between the three ways to start a project.
In Chat, memory builds itself โ turn it on and Claude learns from your conversations automatically. Cowork works differently. The context that carries from task to task is mostly the context you set up: global instructions, which apply to every Cowork session, and projects, where Claude builds memory automatically from the conversations you have inside them. Most people start with global instructions and add projects as recurring work surfaces.
Global instructions are a standing brief. You write them once, in Settings, and Claude will reference them during every session โ every chat, every scheduled task.
To set them up:
What to put in it: who you are and what you do; the shorthand and acronyms you use (so Claude doesn't have to ask what "the QBR deck" is); and how you like output delivered (format, length, tone, etc.).
Your global instructions don't need to be complete on day one. As you work with Cowork more, you'll notice corrections you keep giving ("share the bottom line up front in your responses" or "don't use Oxford commas") โ those are global-instruction candidates.
Global instructions cover you. Projects cover what you're working on.
A project is a workspace tied to a specific stream of work โ a customer, a recurring deliverable, a launch. Inside the project are three things you can set up and one that Claude builds for you:
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That last one is the difference projects make. Outside of a project, each session starts fresh apart from your global instructions. Inside one, every conversation adds to what Claude knows โ so the next task opens with the client's situation, last week's decisions, and what's still open already in hand.
Some streams of work that are good for a project:
There are three ways to create a project, depending on where the materials already live:
To create one, click Projects in the Cowork sidebar, then New project, and choose whichever option makes the setup easiest for you. You can change the working folder, instructions, and connectors at any time.
Put both layers in place โ global instructions for you, and one project for a stream of work you're in right now.
1. Write a first-pass global instructions block. Don't overthink it โ just start with a few sentences.
A useful starter:
I'm a [role] at [company], working on [main 1โ2 streams of work]. Here are some common [acronyms/shorthand] you need to know. Most of my deliverables are [docs, decks, briefs, models โ whatever]. I want updates and briefs concise โ lead with the recommendation, keep background to one paragraph. I like to review the .md previews before creating the final document file.
2. Create a project for one stream of work. Pick something recurring โ a customer account, a monthly deliverable, a current initiative. Point it at the folder where the materials already live, or start fresh if there isn't one yet.
In the next lesson, you'll meet skills โ how to teach Claude the processes you and your team rely on, so the way you do specialized work happens automatically.