Use six pieces of information
A good brief says what you need, why you need it, what material the AI may use, what the finished answer should look like, what constraints matter, and what to do when information is missing. Add only context that changes the answer.
- Task: the action you want completed.
- Context: audience, goal, and relevant background.
- Source material: the facts or text to rely on.
- Output: format, length, tone, and language.
- Boundaries: what to avoid or not assume.
- Check: how to mark uncertainty or missing information.
Copy this starter template
Replace each bracketed note with information that is safe to share. Keep credentials and unnecessary personal data out of the prompt. For important work, ask the AI to separate facts from suggestions so you can review them.
Task: [What should be done?]
Goal and audience: [Who will use this and what should it help them do?]
Context: [Only the background that matters]
Source material: [Paste approved text or describe the source]
Output: [Format, length, tone, language]
Requirements: [Must include]
Avoid: [Must not do or assume]
If information is missing: [Ask me / state the gap / make no assumption]
Before finishing, check that the answer follows the requirements and flag anything I should verify.Give the model a bounded example
For a customer-service draft, you might ask for a warm, concise reply based only on the approved return policy and the customer’s non-sensitive question. Tell it to avoid promising an exception, include the next step, and mark any policy detail that is not in the source.
Examples help when format is hard to explain. Provide one short example of the style you want, but do not include a real customer’s private message unless it is approved for that use.
Improve the result with a focused follow-up
If the first answer misses the mark, identify the specific gap: too long, missing a step, unsupported claim, wrong audience, or incorrect format. Ask for that correction directly. Repeating the same broad prompt usually produces another broad answer.
For research, code, calculations, or decisions, ask for evidence you can inspect and verify the result yourself. A structured answer is easier to review, but structure does not guarantee accuracy.
Keep reusable prompts honest and safe
A saved prompt should not contain API keys, passwords, customer data, or private business information. Add a short reminder about the approved source material and human review, then test it again when the task or service changes.
The best reusable prompt is not the longest. It is the shortest instruction that consistently produces a result your team can evaluate and improve.