The four-part formula
A clear request reduces the number of choices the model must make on your behalf. You can write it in four lines, then add a constraint only when it changes the answer.
Goal: [what you need to do]
Context: [facts the answer must use]
Output: [length, structure, audience, and tone]
If an essential fact is missing, ask me up to three questions before answering.Example: a useful email draft
“Write an email” says nothing about the recipient or outcome. Give the model the facts and reserve your own decision about what to send.
Goal: ask a supplier for an update about a late delivery.
Context: the agreed date was July 8; I have no new delivery date.
Output: a subject line and a polite email under 120 words.
Do not invent the reason for the delay or promise a next action.Example: compare options without hiding assumptions
For a purchase or contract, ask for a table with the same fields for every option. If a price, term, or condition is absent, the answer should say “not provided” instead of filling the gap.
Goal: compare offers A and B.
Context: [paste only the relevant non-sensitive terms].
Output: a table of upfront cost, recurring cost, contract length, exclusions, and missing information.
Do not recommend a winner until you show the total cost under the same time period.Run a quick before-and-after test
Try the vague and specific versions on the same task. Judge them by missing questions, unsupported claims, and whether the result is usable, not by how polished it sounds.
- Check every figure, date, and citation against the source.
- Remove personal or confidential information before pasting.
- Ask a targeted follow-up when the first result misses a constraint.
- For consequential decisions, seek the relevant expert or primary source.
Source and limits
The prompt structure is an editorial method, not a product feature. Important answers still need independent verification.