AI Prompting

Techniques
A cheat sheet for business professionals

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Effective Prompting Techniques - Key Elements

1. Task
○ Description: Start with an action verb to clearly define what you want the AI to
do, making the request as specific as possible.
○ Use Case: A project manager wants the AI to create a summary of recent
meeting notes.
○ Example: "Summarize the key takeaways from the meeting notes provided."
2. Context
○ Description: Provide relevant background information to help the AI understand
the bigger picture, guiding it to give more useful responses.
○ Use Case: A content writer is drafting a blog post for a fitness brand and wants
the AI to suggest blog topics.
○ Example: "Suggest blog topics for a fitness brand focused on beginners in strength
training and weight loss."
3. Exemplars
○ Description: Include specific examples to illustrate the style or format you’re
looking for, so the AI knows exactly what you expect.
○ Use Case: A marketer needs the AI to create customer testimonials similar to
existing ones.
○ Example: "Write a customer testimonial in the style of these examples: 'This
product has transformed my daily routine' and 'I’ve never felt more organized and
productive since using it.'"
4. Persona
○ Description: Assign a role or perspective to the AI, such as a teacher or analyst,
to tailor the response style and focus.
○ Use Case: A job seeker wants interview advice as if from a career coach.
○ Example: "As a career coach, provide advice on how to answer questions about
my greatest strengths and weaknesses in an interview."
5. Format
○ Description: Specify the structure or layout for the AI’s response, which can be a
list, bullet points, or paragraphs.
○ Use Case: An executive needs a brief in bullet point format for a quick read.
○ Example: "List the main points from the report in bullet format, focusing on key
metrics and performance highlights."
6. Tone
○ Description: Indicate the desired tone or mood, such as formal, casual, or
motivational, to suit the audience or context.
○ Use Case: A social media manager is creating a post to engage followers with
an enthusiastic tone.
○ Example: "Write an Instagram caption for our new product launch with an
enthusiastic tone that excites followers about the release."

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Putting it into Practice

Scenario: A project manager wants ChatGPT to help create an outline for a presentation on
improving team productivity. The goal is to receive a clear, actionable outline that can be
shared with upper management.

Prompt:

1. Task: "Create an outline for a presentation."

2. Context: "This presentation is for upper management and aims to demonstrate ways to
improve team productivity within the company."
3. Exemplars: "Examples of productivity strategies could include time management
techniques, the use of collaboration tools, and employee engagement activities."
4. Persona: "Act as a productivity consultant who specializes in helping companies
enhance team performance."
5. Format: "Provide the outline in a structured format with main headings and bullet
points for key ideas under each heading."
6. Tone: "The tone should be professional and insightful, as it will be shared with senior
leaders."

Full Prompt Using All Elements:

"Create an outline for a presentation aimed at upper management to demonstrate ways to

improve team productivity. Act as a productivity consultant who specializes in enhancing
team performance. Examples of productivity strategies to consider include time
management techniques, the use of collaboration tools, and employee engagement
activities. Provide the outline in a structured format with main headings and bullet points for
key ideas under each heading. The tone should be professional and insightful."

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Best Practices for Business Professionals Using AI

In addition to prompt types, here are best practices to improve effectiveness:

1. Be Specific and Clear: Precise prompts produce better results. Aim to avoid vague
language.
○ Example: Instead of “Tell me about project management,” try “List key skills a
successful project manager should have and explain each briefly.”
2. Use Contextual Instructions: Briefly describe the background or purpose for better
results.
○ Example: “Act as a customer looking to buy eco-friendly home products. What
questions would you have before purchasing?”
3. Iterate and Refine Prompts: Adjust your prompt as you interact to refine the output.
○ Example: “Summarize the first paragraph in simpler terms. Now add two key points
from the second paragraph.”
4. Set Expectations on Output Length: Specify the desired length for clarity and
conciseness.
○ Example: “Write a 3-sentence summary of this report.”
5. Leverage Step-by-Step Instructions: For complex tasks, breaking down into steps
ensures more accurate results.
○ Example: “First, list the primary goals of our project. Next, provide an estimated
timeline for each goal.”

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Most Common Prompt Use Cases

1. Summarization
○ Description: Condenses lengthy content into concise summaries.
○ Use Case: A manager needs a quick overview of a detailed report.
○ Example: "Summarize the key points of this 10-page marketing report in three
bullet points."
2. Content Generation
○ Description: Creates original text based on user input.
○ Use Case: A blogger seeks ideas for new articles.
○ Example: "Generate five blog post ideas about sustainable living."
3. Question Answering
○ Description: Provides answers to specific questions.
○ Use Case: A student needs clarification on a historical event.
○ Example: "What were the main causes of the French Revolution?"
4. Text Completion
○ Description: Completes a sentence or paragraph based on the given beginning.
○ Use Case: An author is stuck and needs help continuing a story.
○ Example: "Continue this story: 'Once upon a time in a small village...'"
5. Paraphrasing
○ Description: Rewrites text to express the same idea differently.
○ Use Case: A student wants to rephrase a paragraph to avoid plagiarism.
○ Example: "Paraphrase the following sentence: 'Artificial intelligence is
transforming industries worldwide.'"
6. Idea Generation
○ Description: Offers creative suggestions or solutions.
○ Use Case: A marketing team brainstorms campaign ideas.
○ Example: "Suggest innovative marketing strategies for a new eco-friendly
product."
7. Code Assistance
○ Description: Helps with writing or debugging code snippets.
○ Use Case: A developer encounters an error in their code.
○ Example: "Fix the error in this Python code: [insert code]."
8. Email Drafting
○ Description: Composes emails based on user instructions.
○ Use Case: A professional needs to send a follow-up email after a meeting.
○ Example: "Draft a polite follow-up email thanking the client for today's meeting
and expressing enthusiasm for the next steps."
9. Explaining Concepts
○ Description: Breaks down complex ideas into simple terms.
○ Use Case: A parent wants to explain photosynthesis to their child.
○ Example: "Explain photosynthesis in simple terms suitable for a 10-year-old."

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Basic Prompt Techniques

1. Meta Language Creation

○ Description: Define special words or codes to save time. This helps when
certain terms are used often and need a common understanding.
○ Use Case: A recruiter wants the AI to recognize specific job title abbreviations.
○ Example: "Whenever I write 'PJM' or 'BA,' assume I'm referring to 'Project
Manager' and 'Business Analyst,' respectively."
2. Output Automater
○ Description: Ask the AI to create an automated script or instructions to save
manual steps.
○ Use Case: A project manager wants a ready-to-send status report email.
○ Example: "Whenever you create a project update, generate an email draft that
includes each update in bullet points, addressing it to the team leads."
3. Persona
○ Description: Instruct the AI to take on a specific role, like a coach or expert, so
responses match that perspective.
○ Use Case: A recruiter wants advice for job seekers as if from a career coach.
○ Example: "Respond as a career coach, giving tips to help someone strengthen
their resume and highlight relevant achievements."
4. Visualization Generator
○ Description: Get the AI to create text that can be fed into a visualization tool
to create charts or diagrams.
○ Use Case: A project manager wants a flowchart for a project
○ timeline.
Example: "Generate a flowchart outline for 'Project Kickoff,' 'Design,'
'Development,' 'Testing,' and 'Launch,' with dependencies between each step."
5. Fact Check List
○ Description: Ask the AI to include a list of facts or assumptions to double-check
at the end of the response.
○ Use Case: A job seeker wants to verify claims in their resume.
○ Example: "When generating content for my resume, create a list of key skills and
achievements to verify for accuracy at the end."
6. Template
○ Description: Provide a structured format for responses to ensure consistency.
○ Use Case: A recruiter wants candidate summaries in a uniform format.
○ Example: "Use this template for candidate summaries: [Name: X] [Role: X]
[Years of Experience: X] [Key Skills: X]. Fill in the details."
7. Question Refinement
○ Description: Let the AI suggest improved questions to help you get better
results.
○ Use Case: A project manager needs guidance on improving team productivity.
○ Example: "When I ask about team productivity, suggest more specific questions
focused on steps like team exercises or new project tools."
8. Alternative Approaches

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 ○ Description: Ask the AI to suggest different ways of achieving something, with
pros and cons.
○ Use Case: A job seeker wants various strategies for networking in a new field.
○ Example: "Suggest ways to network in the tech industry, like attending meetups
or joining LinkedIn groups, and explain the pros and cons."
9. Cognitive Verifier
○ Description: Have the AI break down a complex question into smaller ones, then
combine answers for a full response.
○ Use Case: A recruiter evaluates a candidate’s fit for a specific role.
○ Example: "When I ask if a candidate is a good fit, break down the response into
sub-questions like experience, skill alignment, and cultural fit."
10. Flipped Interaction
● Description: Instruct the AI to ask you questions to gather details for a more
complete response.
● Use Case: A project manager needs the AI to gather details for a project plan.
● Example: "Ask me questions until you have enough information to create a
detailed project plan with roles, timelines, and risks."
11. Infinite Generation
● Description: Ask the AI to keep generating responses indefinitely until you tell it
to stop.
● Use Case: A recruiter is generating a list of potential candidates.
● Example: "Generate a list of potential candidate names and roles until I ask you
to stop."
12. Game Play
● Description: Set up a game scenario where the AI interacts with you through
questions or challenges.
● Use Case: A job seeker wants to practice interview skills with AI in a simulated
interview.
● Example: "Pretend you’re an interviewer for a product manager position. Ask me
questions about my experience and skills, and give feedback as we go."
13. Context Manager
● Description: Limit the AI’s focus to specific information to keep responses on
track.
● Use Case: A project manager is tracking only budget-related information in a
project.
● Example: "Stay focused on project budgeting in this conversation. Track costs,
report budget deviations, and flag cost overruns."

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