Prompting Guide
Learn how to write effective prompts and get better results from AI.
What is a Prompt?
A prompt is the instruction you give to the AI. The better your prompt, the better the result. Think of it like giving directions—detailed instructions lead to the right destination.
Why Prompt Quality Matters
The difference between a vague request and a well-crafted prompt can be dramatic. A clear, specific prompt saves time, reduces back-and-forth, and gets you exactly what you need on the first try.
Good vs. Bad Prompts
See how small changes make a huge difference:
Pro/Contra Analysis
What's the Difference? (Bad)
What's the Difference? (Good)
Resume Review
What's the Difference? (Bad)
What's the Difference? (Good)
Budget Analysis
What's the Difference? (Bad)
What's the Difference? (Good)
What's the Difference?
The good prompts are:
- • Specific — not vague or one-word
- • Structured — tell the AI what format you want
- • Scoped — how long, how many, how detailed
- • Contextual — provide background if needed
- • Formatted — say what output format you want (tables, bullet points, etc.)
5 Easy Steps to Better Prompts
Follow this simple formula to write prompts that get results:
Be Specific
Don't say 'write an email.' Instead: 'Write a professional email to my manager requesting a meeting about my Q2 performance review. Keep it to 150 words.'
Add Structure Hints
Tell the AI how you want the answer formatted. 'Respond as a bullet-point list with 5-7 points.' or 'Use a table with two columns: Problem and Solution.'
Set Scope
Be clear about how long or detailed you want it. 'In 200-300 words...' or 'List 10 ideas...' Scope prevents rambling or leaving things out.
Provide Context
If the AI needs background, include it. 'I'm planning a birthday party for my 8-year-old who loves dinosaurs' tells the AI way more than 'party ideas.'
State the Output Format
Be explicit about what you want. 'Give me a JSON array' or 'Use markdown headers' or 'Respond in German and English' leaves no guessing.
When in Doubt: Use Prompt Enhance
See the sparkle button (✨) next to the input field? Click it to let the AI improve your prompt for you. It will make your prompt more specific, structured, and likely to get better results. Try it on any prompt—even a good one often gets better.
How it works:
- 1. Type your prompt
- 2. Click the sparkle button (✨)
- 3. The AI rewrites it to be more effective
- 4. Review the enhanced prompt and send if it looks good
This is a great way to learn what makes prompts better. Compare your original to the enhanced version to see what changed.
Real-World Examples
Here are prompts you can adapt for your own use:
Content Ideas
Generate 10 blog post ideas for a software engineer audience interested in Next.js. Format as a numbered list. For each idea, include a one-sentence description and the target skill level (beginner/intermediate/advanced).Decision Making
I'm choosing between staying in my current job or taking a new position at a startup. My current job offers stability but limited growth. The startup offers equity and learning but higher risk. Create a decision matrix comparing key factors: salary, growth potential, work-life balance, learning opportunity, and risk. Use a 1-5 scale.Code Review
Review this React component and suggest improvements for performance, readability, and error handling. Include specific code examples. Focus on patterns that would scale to larger codebases. [Your code here]Project Planning
Create a 3-month plan to learn TypeScript for someone with JavaScript experience. Break it into weekly milestones. Include resources (articles, projects), time commitment (hours per week), and success metrics for each week.Pro Tips
Be clear over concise
A longer prompt that's clear beats a short prompt that's ambiguous.
Iterate if needed
If the first response isn't quite right, give the AI feedback. 'More conversational tone' or 'Make it shorter' or 'Add more examples.'
Examples help
If you want a specific style, showing an example of what you mean is powerful. 'Write like this example: [example]' works great.
Try role-playing
'You are a career coach. My question is...' or 'As a technical writer, how would you explain this?' gives the AI helpful context.
Break down complex tasks
Instead of 'Plan my entire year,' try 'Plan my Q1 priorities' then 'Give me a weekly breakdown for January.' Smaller chunks = better results.
Summary
Remember: the goal is clear communication. The more specific, structured, and contextual your prompt, the better the result. Don't worry about being too detailed—the AI prefers clarity.