Context: what is available for this task
Context is the information available to the model for its current response. It can include the request, instructions, relevant records and tool results. A large document collection only helps if the workflow can bring the right parts into the current task.
For a company, a useful first step is assigning an owner and an update date to important sources. Two conflicting versions of a procedure need a rule for which one applies.
Anthropic describes context selection and maintenance in its context-engineering guide.
Memory: what should carry over
Memory stores selected information beyond the current interaction so it can be retrieved later. It might record a decision, a preference or the state of unfinished work. Storing a note does not guarantee that a later task will retrieve or interpret it correctly.
Define what deserves to persist. A confirmed report format may be useful; an unsupported guess from an earlier run should not quietly become company policy. Record where a memory came from and when it should be reviewed or removed.
Skills: how to carry out a recurring task
A skill packages instructions and supporting resources for a task. In the Agent Skills format, this includes a SKILL.md file and may include scripts, references or templates. It is a way to supply a procedure to a compatible agent, rather than a claim that the model has been retrained.
How they fit together: a monthly report
Imagine a team preparing a monthly activity report. The approved export and reporting period belong in the current context. The agreed structure for that customer might be stored as a maintained preference. A reporting skill could describe the sequence for checking totals, summarizing activity and marking exceptions.
The next month, the workflow should use the new export. Reusing an old total because it appeared in memory would be an error. This hypothetical example shows why the source of a fact and the procedure for using it need separate treatment.
Find the gap before adding another component
- Wrong facts: check the source, its date and what actually reached the model.
- Repeated questions: check whether an approved decision was saved and retrieved.
- Inconsistent format: check the instructions, examples and review criteria.
- Unsafe actions: check permissions and approval controls in the execution system.
Give the information an owner
Keep instructions and source documents reviewable by the people who know the process. Test changes against known examples and include an example where information is missing.
A useful handover identifies the source owner, the rules for persistent information and the person responsible for updating a skill. These decisions make the setup easier to inspect as the business changes.