How I Tamed Claude - Emmz Rendle - NDC Copenhagen 2026
The talk details a structured methodology for leveraging advanced coding agents, particularly Claude, to achieve production-grade code generation and maintainability. The core principle is moving away from 'vibe coding' by implementing a spec-driven workflow that enforces separation of concerns among multiple specialized AI agents (Orchestrator, Worker, Reviewer). This process emphasizes defining clear requirements, maintaining an auditable development history, and managing context to ensure the final solution is robust and reliable.
Key takeaways
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Spec First, Code Second
12:04
The workflow must begin with a detailed specification (the 'spec'), which acts as the source of truth for the entire project. The speaker recommends using OpenSpec's four phases: Explore $ ightarrow$ Propose $ ightarrow$ Apply $ ightarrow$ Archive [~10:35].
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Separation of Agent Powers
30:30
The system must enforce a clear separation of duties among agents. The Worker writes code, the Reviewer validates it against the spec and design, and the Orchestrator manages commits and pushes; crucially, neither the Worker nor the Reviewer can approve or commit work [~18:30].
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Definition of Done (DoD)
40:15
A rigorous Definition of Done is critical for preventing scope creep and ensuring quality. This includes mandatory checks like all tests being green, achieving good coverage, running `net format` twice, and completing the entire task group [~24:15].
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Context Management
52:05
To prevent agents from becoming confused or hallucinating outdated information, context must be actively managed. Techniques include using Graphify (for code mapping), Context Mode (to summarize raw output and reduce token count by 70-80%), and dedicated MCP services like Context 7 for accessing up-to-date documentation [~31:25].