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The 3R Filter

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Definition

A three-question filter applied to every recurring task in your work to determine whether it belongs in your Claude OS, and if so, in what form. The three questions — Repeats, Rules-based, Referenceable — also tell you which building block (routine, project, connector) the task needs.

You have a list of recurring tasks from Chapter 4.1. Now you need to turn that list into a shortlist of what to actually build. The 3R filter is three simple questions. Every task gets scored on the same three. By the end of this chapter you — and Maya — will know exactly what to build first. There is also a meta-lesson buried in this chapter that matters more than the filter itself. The framework will sometimes give you a clean answer (“automate this”) and other times point to a judgment call (“technically yes, but politically no”). Knowing when to overrule the framework with human judgment is the difference between an OS that helps you and one that gets you in trouble.

Step 1: Check if the task repeats
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Determine whether the task is likely to occur again in the near future. Recurring tasks are generally better candidates for automation than one-off activities.

Step 2: Check if the task is rules-based
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Consider whether the task follows a clear, repeatable process that can be described in a small number of steps. The more structured the process, the easier it is to automate.

Step 3: Check if the task is referenceable
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Verify that Claude can access the information needed to complete the task through connected sources such as emails, calendars, documents, or meeting transcripts.

Step 4: Count the results
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  • 3 Yeses: Suitable for full automation.
  • 2 Yeses: Better suited as an assistant workflow with human review.
  • 0–1 Yeses: Best kept as a manual task.
Step 5: Map to Claude building blocks
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Each criterion corresponds to a component of the overall workflow:

  • Repeats → Routine
  • Rules-based → Project
  • Referenceable → Connector
Step 6: Apply human judgment
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The 3R filter identifies strong automation candidates, but the final decision should also consider business context, responsibility, and the need for human oversight.

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Which task is the best candidate for full automation using the 3R filter?

Select the correct answer

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Section 4. Chapter 2

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Section 4. Chapter 2
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