The difference between "AI is useless" and "AI saved me two hours" usually comes down to how you ask the question. Here are five prompt structures that work across any AI tool.
1. The Role Prompt
"You are a [role] with expertise in [domain]. I need help with [task]."
Giving the AI a role instantly improves output quality. Instead of generic advice, you get domain-specific answers.
2. The Before/After Prompt
"Here's my current [email/report/process]. Rewrite it to be [shorter/clearer/more persuasive]. Keep the same key points."
Great for editing and refinement. Works especially well for customer-facing communications.
3. The Constraint Prompt
"Give me [output] in exactly [format]. Maximum [length]. Use [tone]."
Constraints produce better output. The more specific your boundaries, the more useful the response.
4. The Example Prompt
"Here are three examples of what I want: [examples]. Now create a new one for [context]."
Few-shot prompting works because the AI pattern-matches from your examples. The best shortcut when explaining is hard.
5. The Chain Prompt
"First, [step 1]. Then, based on that, [step 2]. Finally, [step 3]."
Break complex tasks into sequential steps. Each step builds on the last, producing more thoughtful output.
Put Them Into Practice
Print these out. Pin them on the wall. Share them in Slack. The teams that get the most from AI are the ones that practice prompting as a skill, not a novelty.
Want your team trained on advanced prompting techniques? Check out our workshops or book a call.
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