A practical prompt reference for product managers, operations leaders, and business users. The framework here is the one Elizabeth teaches in Unleashing Potential — built around the idea that the prompt is the key, and that better-written prompts open more doors.
"Think of your prompt as a key. The better it fits, the more doors it will open."
Clearly define what you want. Instead of "tell me about cats," say "describe the behavior and characteristics of Siamese cats."
Begin with a general context, then specify the exact question. Example: "Imagine you're teaching a 5th-grade science class. Explain the process of photosynthesis in simple terms."
If you want bullet points, an essay, a dialogue, or a matrix — say so. Example: "List in bullet points the main causes of World War I."
Use "how," "why," or "what" instead of yes/no questions to get more comprehensive answers.
If you're not sure how to frame the question, try a few different phrasings. The best result usually comes from the third or fourth attempt.
If the first answer isn't right, refine your prompt and ask again. AI conversations are a dialogue, not a search query.
"Explain quantum physics in a casual and humorous way." "Make this more formal and empathetic." Tone is part of the prompt.
Ambiguity gets you ambiguous answers. Don't ask about "climate change impacts" — ask about "the economic impacts of climate change on coastal real estate."
The more you use AI, the better you'll get at prompts. Save the ones that work. Adjust the ones that don't.
This is how the nine steps stack when you actually use them — each iteration adds one more dimension of specificity.
The output: a detailed transition timeline that saved hours of drafting. From here, you add specific people, additional details that come up, and any extra resources.
Break the prompt into stages, the same way you'd break a project into stages. Tell the AI to ask you for information in steps, then synthesize.
These are the prompts that turn AI from a novelty into a daily assistant.