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+# Phase 3: Resource Management - Context
+
+**Gathered:** 2026-01-27
+**Status:** Ready for planning
+
+<domain>
+## Phase Boundary
+
+Build system resource detection and intelligent model selection that enables Mai to adapt gracefully from low-end hardware to high-end systems. Detect available resources (CPU, RAM, GPU), select appropriate models, request more resources when bottlenecks detected, and scale smoothly across different hardware configurations.
+
+</domain>
+
+<decisions>
+## Implementation Decisions
+
+### Resource Threshold Strategy
+- Use specific hardware metrics (RAM amounts, CPU core counts, GPU presence) to define hardware tiers
+- Dynamic adjustment based on actual performance testing on the detected hardware
+- Measure both response latency and resource utilization during dynamic adjustment
+- Immediate model switching on first sign of performance trouble (aggressive responsiveness)
+
+### Model Selection Behavior
+- Efficiency-first approach - leave headroom for other applications on the system
+- Notify users only when downgrading capabilities, not when upgrading
+- Wait 5 minutes of stable resources before upgrading back to more capable models
+- After 24 hours of minimal operation, suggest ways to improve resource availability
+
+### Bottleneck Detection & Response
+- Hybrid approach combining continuous monitoring with pre-flight checks before each response
+- Graceful degradation - complete current task at lower quality, then switch models
+- Preventive scaling at 80% resource usage, but consider overall system load (context-dependent)
+- Ask for user help when significantly constrained, with personality: "Ugh, give me more resources if you wanna do X"
+
+### User Communication
+- Personality-driven: "Drowsy Dere-Tsun Onee-san Hex-Mentor Gremlin" tone when discussing resources
+- Inform only about capability downgrades, not upgrades
+- Mix of brief explanations plus optional technical tips for users who want to learn more
+
+### Claude's Discretion
+- Exact hardware metric cutoffs for tiers (RAM amounts, CPU cores, GPU types)
+- Specific performance thresholds for dynamic adjustments
+- Exact wording and personality expressions for resource conversations
+- Which technical tips to include in user communications
+
+</decisions>
+
+<specifics>
+## Specific Ideas
+
+- "Ugh, give me more resources if you wanna do X" - personality for requesting resources
+- User wants a waifu-style AI with personality in resource discussions
+- Drowsy Dere-Tsun Onee-san Hex-Mentor Gremlin personality type
+- Balance between technical transparency and user-friendly communication
+- Don't overwhelm users with technical details but offer optional educational content
+
+</specifics>
+
+<deferred>
+## Deferred Ideas
+
+- None — discussion stayed within phase scope
+
+</deferred>
+
+---
+
+*Phase: 03-resource-management*
+*Context gathered: 2026-01-27*
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