To craft great prompts, be clear, specific, and intentional—this helps AI understand your goals and deliver more accurate, creative, and useful responses.

Here’s a breakdown of expert-backed strategies to elevate your prompting skills:

🧠 1. Start with a Clear Goal

  • Define what you want: a summary, a list, a creative idea, a comparison, etc.
  • Example: Instead of “Tell me about climate,” try “Summarize the key causes of climate change in 3 bullet points.”

✍️ 2. Be Specific with Context

  • Include relevant details like tone, format, audience, or constraints.
  • Example: “Write a formal email to my manager requesting time off next Friday.”

🧩 3. Use Structured Instructions

  • Break complex tasks into steps or use numbered lists.
  • Example: “Give me 3 ideas for a birthday party, then list pros and cons for each.”

🎯 4. Set Boundaries

  • Limit scope with word counts, formats, or timeframes.
  • Example: “Explain quantum computing in under 100 words for a high school student.”

🧪 5. Experiment and Iterate

  • Try variations to see what works best.
  • Example: “Rewrite this paragraph to sound more persuasive” vs. “Make this paragraph more concise.”

🗣️ 6. Use Role Play or Personas

  • Ask the AI to act as a specific expert or character.
  • Example: “Act as a nutritionist and suggest a high-protein vegetarian meal plan.”

🔄 7. Refine with Follow-Ups

  • Don’t settle for the first answer—ask for clarification, expansion, or alternatives.
  • Example: “Can you give me a more creative version of that?”

🧭 8. Avoid Vague Prompts

  • Vague: “Help me with my resume.”
  • Better: “Improve the summary section of my resume to highlight leadership skills.”

📚 9. Use Examples

  • Provide samples or templates to guide the response.
  • Example: “Rewrite this sentence like the one below: [insert example].”

🧰 10. Leverage Tools Like Copilot

  • Use Microsoft Copilot with apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to prompt directly within your workflow.
  • Example: “In Excel, create a dashboard showing monthly sales trends with charts and filters.”