# AI engineering without getting out of touch

> Source: <https://noworriesnate.com/blog/cornerstone-development/>
> Published: 2026-10-12 00:00:00+00:00

# AI engineering without getting out of touch

You know using Claude Code can make you lose track of your architecture? It can be disconcerting to need to work without AI.

Here’s a trick I developed to address this problem. Put this in your context:

```
I want to understand the architecture. Leave changes that establish or alter architecture to me. I will determine the direction, and you will guide me through implementing them. You may extend existing patterns.

Example: I create `main.py` for a new production process; you may add a controller alongside existing controllers
```

I call this *cornerstone-driven development*. See the image at the top? You’re laying the cornerstones and letting the AI fill in the walls.