Get better results from ChatGPT and Claude

Back to the toolkit

Brief it the way you would brief a capable new starter who does not yet know the business.

1. Goal. What are you trying to achieve?
2. Context. What should it know about the business and this situation?
3. Examples. What does good look like?
4. Constraints. What must it include, avoid, or never assume?
5. Review. What needs a person to check before this is used?

A template you can reuse

Goal
[What you want done]

Context
[The business, the situation, and the facts that are actually true]

Examples
[Paste a real example of a result you are happy with]

Constraints
[What it must not invent, promise, or assume]

Review
[What you will check before this is sent, filed, or relied on]

Use only the information above. If something important is missing, say so instead of guessing.

A worked example

Goal
Draft a reply to a customer asking where their installation is in the schedule.

Context
We install commercial kitchens in the UK. This customer is booked for the week of 12 May. The site survey is done. We do not have a day of the week yet.

Examples
Hi Priya,

The site survey is done, and the installation is booked for the week of 12 May. I don't have the day of the week yet.

I'll confirm the day from the job sheet and come back to you.

Sam

Constraints
Do not promise a day we have not booked. Do not mention other customers. Do not apologise for a delay that has not happened.

Review
I will check the date against the job sheet before sending.

Leave out customer records, staff details and anything you would not hand to a new contractor. Check important outputs. A fluent answer can still be wrong.