Prompt Elements

An effective prompt consists of various elements that together paint a clear picture of your requirements. Understand these building blocks to achieve better results.

The Core Elements

1. Role

Define what expertise or perspective the AI should adopt.

"You are an experienced tax advisor specializing in startups..."
"As a professional UX designer with 10 years of experience..."
"Take on the role of a patient elementary school teacher..."

2. Context

Provide relevant background information for your request.

"Our company is a B2B SaaS startup in the HR sector.
We have 50 employees and annual revenue of 5M EUR..."

3. Task

Describe clearly and precisely what the AI should do.

"Create an agenda for our monthly all-hands meeting..."
"Analyze the attached customer feedback and identify main themes..."
"Translate this contract into English while maintaining legal accuracy..."

4. Format

Specify how the output should be structured.

"Format the response as:
- Executive Summary (50 words)
- Main points as numbered list
- Recommendations in a table"

5. Constraints

Define boundaries and rules for the response.

"Maximum length: 200 words"
"Use only technical terms that are understandable for laypeople"
"No personal opinions, only fact-based statements"

Advanced Elements

Examples

Show the AI through examples what you expect.

"Similar to this style:
'Dear Sir or Madam,
We are pleased to inform you...'"

Tone & Style

Determine the language and mood of the response.

"Tone: Professional but warm"
"Style: Short, concise sentences in active voice"
"Language: Formal, using formal address"

Audience

Who is the output intended for?

"Audience: C-Level Executives without technical background"
"For: New employees in the onboarding phase"
"Readers: Professional audience with basic knowledge in Machine Learning"

Practical Combinations

Complete Prompt for Email

Role: You are a customer service manager
Context: A customer complains about delayed delivery
Task: Write an apology email
Format: Professional email with subject line
Tone: Apologetic but solution-oriented
Constraints: Max. 150 words, offer concrete solution

Analytical Prompt

Role: You are a data analyst
Context: Q3 sales data for three product categories
Task: Identify trends and anomalies
Format:
1. Executive Summary
2. Detailed analysis per category
3. Action recommendations
Constraints: Focus on actionable insights

Finding the Right Balance

Golden Rule: Not every prompt needs all elements. Choose the relevant building blocks for your specific request.

Simple Requests

For simple tasks, often 2-3 elements are sufficient:

Task: Translate this sentence into French
Text: "Welcome to our new office"

Complex Requests

For demanding tasks, use more elements:

Role: Experienced project manager
Context: Software development project with 6 months delay
Task: Create a recovery plan
Format: Gantt chart compatible milestones
Audience: Management and stakeholders
Constraints: Realistic, without additional resources
Tone: Confident but honest

Checklist for Perfect Prompts

Define the role (if relevant)

Provide sufficient context

Formulate a clear task

Specify the desired format

Set reasonable constraints

Determine tone and audience

Pro Tip: Start with the most important elements and add more as needed. Quality over quantity!