In Episode 10, Nova does exactly what Paul asked. The button is perfectly centered. It’s also alone on the page, because everything else “was throwing off the alignment.” Assistants optimize for the goal you state. If you don’t say what has to stay, removing it is a valid solution.
The fix: state the invariants
- Name the goal. One sentence: “Center the Submit button horizontally in the signup form.”
- Name what must stay. “Every other element on the page stays where it is and looks the same: header, nav, feature cards, form fields.”
- Name how you’ll check. “I’ll compare a screenshot before and after. Only the button should move.”
Prompt to steal
Goal: center the Submit button horizontally inside .signup-form.
Must stay exactly as it is: all other elements, their content, order and styling.
Do not delete or hide anything.
If the only way to center it is to change something else, stop and tell me instead.The last line matters most. It turns a creative workaround into a question you get to answer.
Want the full routine? This week’s Hint of the Week walks through building a safety net before the assistant touches anything.