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AI 101

II · Talk · 7 min

Lesson 06

A prompt you can check

Source, task, boundary, output — then iterate.

A prompt is simply the instruction you give the AI. Four parts make mistakes easier to notice: source, task, boundary, output.

You do not need clever role-play. You need a brief that a colleague could follow. Tell it where the facts come from, what to produce, what not to invent, and what the page should look like.

Lab

Build a prompt you can check

Use only the attached meeting notes.
List decisions, owners, due dates, and unanswered questions.
Write “not stated” instead of guessing.
Return a short summary and a four-column table.

Then iterate

  1. 01

    Ask for an outline first

    A table of contents is cheaper to correct than a finished memo.

  2. 02

    Tighten one thing per turn

    Tone, then structure, then facts. Do not change everything at once or you will not know what helped.

  3. 03

    Paste the error back

    “Row 3 contradicts the notes. Fix only that row.” Specific beats “try harder.”

  4. 04

    Keep a reusable brief

    Once a prompt works, save it as a project instruction, skill, or note. Do not retype folklore.

Check

Which prompt is easier to check?

Choose an answer to see why.

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