Learn · Basics · 5 min
Writing a good prompt
Four things to put in any request so the first answer is closer to what you wanted.
Say who it is for
Name the reader: your manager, a ten year old, a new client. The same facts read very differently for each.
Give it the background
Paste the details it cannot guess: the date, the names, the tone you like, what you have tried already.
Ask for a shape
Say what you want back: three bullet points, a short email, a table, under 100 words.
Then talk back
If the answer is off, say what to change rather than starting again. 'Shorter, and warmer in the opening line' works well.
Try it now
Write your first prompt now: one idea, who it is for, and the shape you want.
Reviewed from: Google AI Essentials (Google), Generative AI for Beginners (Microsoft). Written in our own words.
Drafted with AI from the linked sources. Check the links for the full detail.