You do not need magic words or a perfect prompt. You need to describe the work as clearly as you would to a capable new colleague.
The four-part task
Use this structure:
Goal + Context + Boundaries + Output
| Part | Question it answers |
|---|---|
| Goal | What should be true when the work is finished? |
| Context | What information should the AI use? |
| Boundaries | What must it avoid, preserve or ask about? |
| Output | What exact shape should come back? |
From vague to clear
Vague request:
Look at our customer feedback and tell me what you think.
Clear task:
Goal: Identify the five most common reasons customers cancel. Context: Use the attached cancellation interviews from the last 90 days. Boundaries: Do not infer a reason unless it appears in the interview. Output: A table with reason, frequency, two example quotes and recommended next step.
The second version is not longer for the sake of being longer. Each sentence removes a decision the AI would otherwise have to guess.
Examples help when quality is subjective
Words such as "professional", "concise" and "on brand" mean different things to different people. An example often communicates the standard better than another adjective.
- "Use the attached approved email as the tone example"
- "Return no more than five bullets, each under 20 words"
- "If a source is missing, mark the claim as unverified"
- "Make it really good"
- "Use your best judgement"
- "Make it pop"
Ask for a question when information is missing
Add a simple rule when the task could become risky:
If a required input is missing, stop and ask me instead of guessing.
This is especially useful when the output affects customers, money, legal commitments or systems of record.
Your task brief
Choose one ordinary work request and rewrite it using the four parts. Keep the result to six lines or fewer.
- State the finished result.
- Name the information the AI may use.
- Add one important boundary or stop condition.
- Specify the output format.
Then underline any decision the AI would still have to guess. Revise the brief until the important guesses are removed.
Recap
- State the finished result, not just an activity.
- Provide the information needed for this task.
- Make important boundaries explicit.
- Name the output format.
- Use an example when quality is subjective.