State the objective, audience, context, sources, output, and constraints.
DAY 02 / 60 MINUTES
Prompting for reliable work
Write, run, and improve a complete professional brief.
DAY 1 HANDOFF
Safe task. Clear boundary. Human review.
01Use synthetic or approved information.
02Give only the access that the task needs.
03Check important facts, calculations, and outputs.
04Keep a person at every consequential decision.
TODAY'S OUTCOME
Direct the work. Inspect the result.
Ask for clarification, a visible plan, and review checkpoints.
Check evidence and criteria. Revise one controlled change at a time.
CORE IDEA
A prompt is a professional brief.
It makes the required work, evidence, boundaries, and finish line visible.
THE COMPLETE BRIEF
Six parts make the work reviewable.
What result is needed?
Who will use it, and why?
What situation affects the work?
Which facts and files can it use?
What format and level of detail?
What must it include, avoid, or stop before?
AUTHORITY BOUNDARY
A prompt gives direction, not permission.
“Use the finance folder and send the report.”
≠
Model capability
Workspace role and policy
App and connected-account access
Provider permission and approval
Prompts never override model, workspace, app, or provider permissions.
CLARIFY FIRST
Ask before a missing fact changes the result.
ASK
What is the decision, audience, period, threshold, or source?
LIMIT
Ask up to three focused questions.
STOP
Do not draft until the material gap is resolved.
PROCEED
If no material gap exists, state that and begin.
DIAGNOSE THE GAP
Weak request versus complete brief.
Write an update about the service desk.
Objective: Draft the weekly service update.
Audience: Department leads who assign support capacity.
Context: Cover 15 to 19 September.
Sources: Use only the attached synthetic log.
Output: 120 words, then a three-row action table.
Constraints: Separate facts from recommendations. Label missing evidence. Ask up to three questions before drafting if a material detail is missing.
CHATGPT COMPOSER / NEWLY AUTHORED
Put the complete brief in one clear request.
ChatGPTSample interface, not a product screenshot
Using only the attached synthetic-service-log.md, draft the weekly service update for department leads. Cover 15 to 19 September. Return 120 words and a three-row action table. Separate facts from recommendations. Label missing evidence. Ask up to three focused questions before drafting if a material detail is missing.
synthetic-service-log.md↑
VISIBLE PLAN
Review the work products, not private reasoning.
Objective, audience, and finish line.
Sources, missing inputs, and assumptions.
Phases, outputs, and checks.
Wait for approval before drafting.
CHECKPOINTS
Approve the next stage, not the whole journey.
PLAN
Are the sources, phases, and risks correct?
DRAFT
Does the structure fit the audience and purpose?
VERIFY
Can each important claim be traced and checked?
RELEASE
A person approves any send, publish, or other action.
CRITERIA-BASED CRITIQUE
“Make it better” is not a review standard.
Review the draft against these criteria. Return: Criterion | Pass or revise | Evidence | Exact correction Do not rewrite yet. Wait for approval. Keep approved content unchanged.
All figures match the source.
Facts and recommendations are separate.
Each required section is present.
Missing evidence is labeled.
Length and tone fit the audience.
THE PERSON OWNS THE CRITERIA AND THE FINAL JUDGMENT.GROUNDED ANSWERS
Make evidence easy to inspect.
01Name the approved sources.
02Ask for source references beside key claims.
03Separate supplied facts, assumptions, and recommendations.
04Open the source and check the claim yourself.
05If support is absent, mark it as unknown.
RESPONSE / SOURCE CHECK
A source chip is a route to evidence, not proof.
Weekly service updateSample response
FACT
Median first response was 1.8 hours across the five-day sample. Open the cited source and confirm the dates, definition, and calculation before use.
synthetic-service-log.md · Response times5 records checked
CONTROLLED ITERATION
Change one variable. Check one result.
Name the gap, preserve approved content, request the smallest correction, then compare versions.
REVISION LOOP
Keep the evidence and decisions visible.
01Inspect
Find the exact gap.
02 / HUMANDecide
Select the correction and criteria.
03Revise
Change only the failed item.
04Compare
Confirm no approved fact moved.
05 / HUMANApprove
Accept, reject, or repeat.
MULTI-STEP PROMPTING
One outcome. Four controlled stages.
Pull facts from approved material.
Group evidence by the decision criteria.
Write for the named audience and format.
Check sources, calculations, constraints, and omissions.
REUSABLE PROMPT TEMPLATE
Complete brief, visible control.
OBJECTIVE [action + required result] AUDIENCE [who will use it + decision or purpose] CONTEXT [situation, period, definitions, priorities] APPROVED SOURCES Use only [files, links, or supplied text]. Cite the source beside each key claim. OUTPUT Return [format, sections, length, level of detail]. CONSTRAINTS Include [requirements]. Avoid [prohibited content]. Separate facts, assumptions, and recommendations. Do not invent missing information. CONTROL Ask up to [number] focused questions if a missing detail can materially change the result. Then show a concise plan, sources, assumptions, and checkpoints. Stop for approval before [stage or consequential action]. REVIEW Check the draft against [criteria]. Return pass or revise, evidence, and the exact correction before rewriting.
GUIDED EXERCISE / PART 1
Build the brief.
Use the worksheet and synthetic service log.
Write the objective, audience, and context.
Name the source, output, and constraints.
Require clarification and a visible plan.
GUIDED EXERCISE / PART 2
Run, check, revise.
Use only the supplied synthetic source.
Check one figure and one source reference.
Apply four visible criteria.
Correct one failed item. Keep approved content.
RECAP
Reliable prompting is visible work.
Define all six parts.
Resolve material gaps first.
Use plans and checkpoints.
Trace claims. Revise against criteria. Require human review.
DAY 02 COMPLETE / DAY 03 HANDOFF
Next: give good prompts a focused workspace.
Day 3 uses Projects to keep related chats, files, and project instructions within one clear work boundary. Availability and controls depend on the plan and workspace.