Here are examples illustrating each tip for writing good prompts for generative AI:

Write clear, specific prompts:

  • Instead of: “Write about dogs.”
  • Try: “Write a short, friendly paragraph explaining why dogs make great pets for families.”

Provide context and details:

  • Instead of: “Write an email.”
  • Try: “Write a polite email to a customer apologizing for a delayed shipment due to supply chain issues.”
  • Instead of: “Summarize this document.”
  • Try: “You are a business analyst. Summarize the attached financial report for senior leadership, focusing on quarterly trends. Format the output as a bulleted list with no more than 5 points. Use this example as a guide: ‘Revenue increased by 12% in Q2 due to higher subscription renewals.’”

Set tone and style:

  • Instead of: “Explain blockchain.”
  • Try: “Explain blockchain technology in simple, casual terms suitable for beginners.”

Ask one thing at a time:

  • Instead of: “Write a report summary and list marketing ideas.”
  • Try: First, “Summarize the report in 3 sentences.” Then, “Suggest 5 marketing ideas based on the report findings.”

Give examples if possible:

  • Instead of: “Write a thank-you note.”
  • Try: “Write a thank-you note like this example: ‘Thank you so much for your help and support during the project.’”

Be patient and experiment:

  • If “Explain complex data simply” is too vague, try changing to, “Explain the sales data from last quarter in three easy-to-understand bullet points.”

Specify length or format:

  • Instead of: “List benefits.”
  • Try: “List 5 benefits of exercise in bullet points.”