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Lesson 03 / 07

Role · Task · Constraints · ~12 min

Prompting that works at work

Role, task, constraints, and examples — then run a live rewrite of a bad brief.

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A useful prompt is a brief

Treat the model like a sharp junior: tell them who they are, what “done” looks like, what to avoid, and show one example if the format matters.

Vague: “Write something about our product.” Useful: role + audience + outcome + constraints + format.

  1. RoleWho is speaking / deciding
  2. TaskThe concrete deliverable
  3. ConstraintsLength, tone, must / must-not
  4. InputFacts the model may use

Fig. 03 — The four-line stack

What good looks like

R

Role

Who is speaking or deciding — not “act like a genius,” a real job.

T

Task

The deliverable in one sentence. If you cannot name it, stop.

C

Constraints

Length, tone, must-include, must-avoid, banned fluff.

I

Input

Only the facts the model is allowed to use — nothing invented.

Weak vs strong

Weak

  • “Write something cool about AI”
  • No audience
  • No CTA
  • No proof allowed / banned

Strong

  • Audience: CEOs of 20–80 person firms
  • Outcome: book an X-Ray call
  • Constraints: 90 words, no hype stats
  • Input: our Switch-On Method in one line

Live demo

Live lab — rewrite a bad brief

Edit the weak prompt below (or paste your own). Run it. Compare the output to what a clearer brief would unlock — then tighten the prompt and run again.

Notice how specificity changes the output: audience, offer, proof, CTA, and banned fluff all steer the model. The model did not get “smarter” — your brief did.

Check

Which addition usually improves a business prompt the most?

← Tokens, context, and cost intuition
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