Which Prompt Got a Useful Answer?

Spoiler: neither one. Let's see why — and fix it.

The 4-Step Rewrite Checklist

1. Spot the vague verb — help, look at, summarize, check
2. Add role + audience — who you are, who reads it
3. Add context — data, timeframe, background
4. Add constraints — length, format, tone

Run every prompt through these 4 steps.

Before & After — QC Defect Report

Before:
"Help me with the defect report."

After:
[ROLE] Acting as a QC engineer
[TASK] prepare a defect summary
[AUDIENCE] for the plant manager
[CONTEXT] using last week's injection-mold log, top 3 defects
[CONSTRAINTS] under 200 words, bulleted, flag >5 occurrences

Your Turn — ERP Analyst

"Summarize the inventory issues."

Fill in your worksheet:

• Vague verb spotted: ______
• Role + audience: ______
• Context: ______
• Constraints: ______

Pause and fill it in. Then advance for a sample answer.

Recap

• Vague verbs are a — rewrite them every time.
• Stack the 4 ingredients: role + audience, context, constraints.
• A clear prompt = an answer your team can actually use.

→ Next: Section 2 — Patterns that make prompts even more powerful.