Prompting is not magic. It is specification. If your spec is unclear, the output will be unclear.
The 7 failure modes (and the fix for each)
- No clear objective: State the outcome in one sentence and define what "done" means.
- Missing audience: Say who the output is for (executive, student, customer) and what level.
- No constraints: Give format, length, tone, and what to avoid.
- Too many tasks at once: Split into steps and ask for an outline before a full draft.
- No examples: Provide one example of what you like (or what you dislike).
- No verification step: Ask the model to separate facts vs assumptions and flag uncertainty.
- No iteration loop: Draft first, then critique, then finalize. One pass is rarely enough.
If you fix only one thing, fix constraints. Constraints turn generic output into usable output.
A tiny troubleshooting checklist (save this)
Before you hit send, confirm you included: objective, audience, constraints, and a verification request. If any are missing, the model will invent them.
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