Guide to a good prompt
The purpose of this guide is to clear rules and recommendations for creating effective prompts a well-formulated prompt is crucial for the quality and relevance of the generated results, especially when working with AI-powered systems such as ChatGPT.
Characteristics of a good prompt
Clarity and precision
Formulate the prompt clear and unambiguous.
Avoid vague or ambiguous terms.
Example (bad):
"Explain that."
Example (good):
explain in simple terms how conditional formatting works in Excel
2. Insert examples
Use specific examplesto clarify expectations regarding the outcome.
Examples show the model the desired tone, structure, or content.
Example:
create a welcome email for new customers. Example:
Hello [Name], welcome to c-entron! …“
3. Defined criteria for good results
Determine, what is considered a good result:
Tone of voice (e.g., factual, friendly)
Form (e.g., bullet points, continuous text)
Content that should be included or avoided
Example:
"Responses should be factual and solution-oriented. No flippant comments or emojis."
4. Provide detailed instructions
Specify, how something needs to be done – not just what.
Structural guidelines, length, structure, etc. help to maintain consistent quality.
Example:
"Divide the text with subheadings. Use a maximum of 5 paragraphs and start with a summary."
5. Describe specific use cases
Concrete Contexts or roles enable more targeted responses.
Name, for whom or for what the answer is meant.
Example:
"Write instructions on how to create tickets for new employees in the help desk team."
6. Consider user-friendliness
Provide information on the optimal Presentation of results:
Tables, lists, continuous text, text modules?
Readability (e.g., simple language, short sentences)
Example:
summarize the solution in a numbered list with a maximum of 7 steps
Summary: Checklist for a good prompt
Criterion | Explanation |
Clearly formulated | No ambiguities, clear language |
Provided with examples | Shows what the result should look like |
Targeted & specific | Use case and target group clearly specified |
Structural specifications included | Format, tone, length, or structure |
User-friendly presentation | Easy to understand, easy to read |
Clear evaluation criteria | What is a good result? What should be avoided? |