Exercise: Rewrite jargon-heavy text

What you'll practice

This exercise puts the conversation skills from Module 2 to work: giving clear instructions, reviewing what Claude Code produces, iterating with specific feedback, and knowing when to stop.

You'll take a block of jargon-heavy text and work with Claude Code to rewrite it in plain language. But you won't accept the first draft. You'll go through three rounds of feedback, and each round you'll get more specific about what you want changed.

By the end, you'll have practiced the feedback loop that makes Claude Code worth using.

Before you start

You need:

1. Claude Code installed and working.
2. A block of jargon-heavy text. You have two options:

Option A: Use text from your own work. Find a real email, report paragraph, or internal memo that's packed with buzzwords and hard to read. Copy it into a plain text file (a .txt file you can create in any text editor). Real text makes the exercise better because you'll actually care about the result.

Option B: Use this sample. If you don't have something handy, create a file with the text below. It's the kind of corporate writing that makes people's eyes glaze over.

Open your terminal, navigate to a folder you'd like to work in, and start Claude Code:

claude

Then ask Claude Code to create the sample file:

Create a file called jargon-memo.txt with this content:

Team,

Per our earlier alignment session, I wanted to circle back on the action items from last quarter's cross-functional synergy initiative. As we move forward into Q2, we need to double down on leveraging our core competencies to drive value-add deliverables across all verticals. The key takeaway from last week's deep dive is that we need to be more intentional about our go-to-market strategy, particularly around ideating scalable solutions that move the needle on KPIs.

Going forward, I'd like each team lead to socialize these findings with their direct reports and identify low-hanging fruit for quick wins. We should also sunset any legacy processes that are no longer fit for purpose. Let's table the discussion about resource allocation until we've had a chance to take this offline and do a deeper dive into the data.

Please advise on bandwidth by EOD Friday so we can right-size the project scope and ensure we're all rowing in the same direction.

Best,
Jordan

Either way, you should have a text file with dense, jargon-filled writing ready to go.

Step 1: The first rewrite

Ask Claude Code to rewrite the text in plain language:

Read jargon-memo.txt and rewrite it so anyone could understand it. Remove the business jargon and replace it with clear, direct language. Save the result to a new file called jargon-memo-revised.txt.

When Claude Code finishes, read the revised version. Don't glance at it and move on — actually compare it to the original.

Ask yourself:

• Did it remove the jargon?
• Does the meaning stay the same?
• Is it clear who needs to do what?
• Does the tone feel right for a team email?

You'll probably notice that the first pass is better than the original, but not quite what you'd send. Maybe it's too casual. Maybe it stripped out detail you actually needed. The structure might have changed in a way that doesn't work. Or maybe it read your mind and nailed it on the first try — but that's rare.

That's expected. The first draft is a starting point, not the finish line.

Step 2: Feedback on tone

Now give Claude Code feedback about the tone. Be specific about what needs to change. Don't say "make it better."

Try something like this:

The rewrite in jargon-memo-revised.txt is too casual. This is going to a team of 15 people, some of whom I don't work with daily. Make the tone professional but still clear — no jargon, but not too informal either. Keep the same structure. Update the file.

Or, if the opposite happened and it's too stiff:

The rewrite reads like a legal document. Loosen it up — this is an internal team email, not a press release. Keep it professional but make it sound like a real person writing to colleagues. Update jargon-memo-revised.txt.

After Claude Code updates the file, read it again. Compare it to the first version.

Did the tone shift in the direction you asked? Did it keep the improvements from the first pass? Did anything get worse while the tone improved?

Tip: Be honest about what bothers you. The more precise your feedback, the better the next version. "The opening paragraph sounds robotic" is more useful than "fix the tone."

Step 3: Feedback on content

The tone should be closer now. This round, focus on the substance.

Look at the rewrite and ask: does it actually say what the original meant to say? Sometimes jargon carries real meaning that gets lost in translation. "KPIs" might need to become "the three metrics we track monthly." "Sunset legacy processes" might need to become "stop using the old spreadsheet workflow."

Give Claude Code specific content feedback:

Two things to fix in jargon-memo-revised.txt:

1. Where the original says "move the needle on KPIs," the rewrite should mention specific metrics if possible, or at least say "improve our key numbers." Don't just delete the concept.

2. The paragraph about sunsetting legacy processes lost the original meaning. The point was: stop doing things the old way. Rewrite that paragraph to say that directly.

Keep everything else as is. Update the file.

Read the result. At this point, you should have a version that's clear, professional, and says what the original intended, without the jargon.

If it's not there yet, keep going. There's no rule that says you have to stop at three rounds. But if you've been correcting the same issue repeatedly, remember the two-correction rule from this module: clear the conversation and start over with a better initial prompt.

Step 4: Check your work

Do a final comparison. Ask Claude Code:

Show me the original jargon-memo.txt and the revised jargon-memo-revised.txt side by side. For each paragraph, tell me: did any meaning get lost in the rewrite?

This is the verification step. Claude Code can spot differences between two pieces of text, which makes it a useful second pair of eyes.

Read through the comparison. If anything was lost or distorted, fix it now.

When you're satisfied that the revised version says the same thing as the original, only clearer, you're done.

What you practiced

You went through the full conversation cycle three times:

1. Ask: Rewrite this in plain language.
2. Review: Read the result and identify what's off.
3. Refine: Name the problem and tell Claude Code what to change.

Each round built on the previous one. You didn't start over each time. You iterated — which is faster than trying to get everything perfect in a single prompt and usually produces a better result.

This is the same pattern you'll use for data analysis, file processing, and building tools in the modules ahead. Ask, review, refine.

If something went wrong

If Claude Code overwrote your original file, press Escape twice. You'll see a menu with options to rewind the conversation, your files, or both. Choose to restore your files, then specify a different filename for the output: "Save the rewrite to jargon-memo-revised.txt, don't change the original."

If the rewrites keep getting worse instead of better, /clear and start fresh. Write one instruction that includes everything you want:

Rewrite jargon-memo.txt in a professional but clear tone, no business buzzwords, keep all the specific deadlines and action items. Save to jargon-memo-revised.txt.

If Claude Code can't find your file, check that you're in the right folder. Type pwd (it shows which folder you're in) and then: "List the files in this folder."

Going further (optional)

If you finished quickly and want more practice:

• Try the exercise again with a different piece of text, like a product spec, a customer email, or a project update. Notice how your instructions get more specific on the second try.
• Ask Claude Code to rewrite the memo for a different audience: "Rewrite this as if you're explaining it to a new employee on their first day."
• Create a CLAUDE.md file in your folder with your writing preferences: "I prefer short sentences, active voice, and no business jargon. When rewriting, always keep specific dates, names, and numbers." Then try the rewrite again and see if the first draft improves.
• Use the /init command to generate a starter CLAUDE.md, then edit it to add your style preferences.

What's next

That wraps up Module 2. You now have the conversation skills to work with Claude Code on real tasks. That covers giving instructions, reviewing output, iterating with feedback, managing sessions, and setting up CLAUDE.md to carry your preferences forward.

In Module 3, you'll put these skills to work on data. Opening CSV files, asking questions about your numbers, cleaning up messy spreadsheets, creating charts and reports. For a lot of people, that's where Claude Code starts paying for itself.