Why ordinary prompts underperform
“Explain marketing” leaves the audience, goal, depth, format, and situation blank. An AI system fills those blanks with averages. Better prompting does not require magic words; it requires making the real assignment visible.
The four-part habit
- Task: say what should be done.
- Perspective: name the useful role or point of view when one helps.
- Context: supply the facts and constraints that change the answer.
- Output: state the shape, length, audience, and standard you need.
Complex work needs stages
For a larger project, the book favors a sequence: define, outline, expand, inspect, and revise. One enormous prompt often hides errors and conflicting instructions. Smaller stages let the user evaluate the work before compounding it.
The verification rule
Clear instructions improve relevance, not truth. Verify consequential facts, protect confidential information, and keep human judgment over decisions in health, law, finance, employment, safety, or other high-stakes areas.
