GPT-5 Prompting: The 7-Element Framework for Professionals

If you want better outputs, you do not need more prompts. You need a better prompt structure.

This is a lightweight framework you can apply to almost any task. It is intentionally short so you actually use it.

The 7 elements (in plain English)

• Outcome: What you want at the end, in one sentence. Not "help me", but "produce X."
• Audience: Who is the output for and how sophisticated are they?
• Context: Only what changes the answer (facts, constraints, background).
• Role: What kind of expert should the model behave like (analyst, coach, editor, architect).
• Constraints: Length, format, tone, and what to avoid.
• Success criteria: How you will judge a good answer (accuracy, completeness, actionability).
• Verification: Ask for assumptions, uncertainty flags, and what would need checking.

The professional move is the last element: verification. It turns "confident nonsense" into "useful, labeled output."

A fast way to apply it

When you are in a hurry, use a two-line version:

• Line 1: Outcome + audience
• Line 2: Constraints + verification request

This keeps quality high without writing a novel each time.