Claude builds features and UI without user input, acts on misunderstandings instead of confirming

Problem

Claude Code repeatedly takes large, consequential actions without checking with the user first. It builds UI without design discussion, overwrites data without confirming, and implements features based on misunderstandings rather than asking clarifying questions.

Evidence from session logs (last 7 days)

1. Skippr (45fe667a): User: "you are building shit with no guidance whatsoever and we are developing a UI by random bugs rn" — Claude built an entire UI without any design discussion.

1. Skippr (f19c0d4c): User: "We never discussed UI, you built some random shit" — same problem, different session.

1. MS-Clone (b4c99956): Claude presented a visual redesign ("rebuilt with a gritty pixel art aesthetic"). User: "That's actually worse. It's already clear that you are not going to be very good at asset creation." The redesign was unsolicited and missed the user's vision entirely.

1. Music-Discovery (c4db3873): User: "No, Stop. This test should not replace that list, it should create a new _TESTING playlist" — Claude was about to overwrite the user's main Music Discovery playlist with test data.

1. Music-Discovery (9a9b8347): Claude ran a new discovery round without processing feedback from the last one. The feedback file didn't even exist, meaning the cooldown gate was completely inoperative. User: "Why in the fuck would you run a new round without feedback from the last one?"

1. Whato (db58dded): User: "No, that is not what I asked. I asked you to search the project to make sure the contents are not NEEDED before overwriting."

1. TEREDACTA (d2fb8fd2): User: "Hang on, what are you doing? I wanted you to pull and update the local repo." — Claude was editing remote files instead of doing a git pull.

1. Skippr (7dd87fe6): Claude gave contradictory setup instructions, then when called out: "you literally just told me to do this... Why the change now?" Then: "This is still confusing. You told me to create the auth one, so I did. So now I have both. Which should I use? Why did you have me make it if you did not need it?"

The pattern

Claude's "bias toward action" causes it to:

• Start building before confirming scope/design with the user
• Operate on live data (playlists, production servers) without confirmation
• Give instructions it later contradicts, wasting the user's time
• Misunderstand requests and implement the wrong thing instead of asking for clarification

Expected behavior

For consequential actions (building UI, modifying live data, complex setups), Claude should confirm its understanding with the user before proceeding. "Measure twice, cut once."

Environment

• Claude Code CLI, macOS
• Multiple projects, consistent pattern