Principles of Good Prompts

Prompting is an art, but it's also a science. Most "bad" AI responses are the result of "bad" prompts. To avoid this, follow the 3 Cs Framework.

1. The 3 Cs Framework

Clarity

Be direct. Avoid ambiguous language. If you want a list, ask for a list. If you want a summary, specify the length.

• Bad: "Tell me about space."
• Better: "Explain the lifecycle of a star in three paragraphs."

Context

Give the AI the background information it needs to succeed. Who are you writing for? What is the goal?

• Bad: "Write an email."
• Better: "Write a professional email to my manager, Sarah, requesting a meeting to discuss my Q4 performance review."

Constraints

Tell the AI what not to do. Common constraints include word counts, tone, and formatting.

• Example: "Do not use technical jargon," or "Provide the final answer in a JSON object."

2. The Anatomy of a Power Prompt

A perfect prompt often looks like this:

1. Instruction: What to do.
2. Context: Background info.
3. Input Data: The text to process.
4. Output Indicator: What the result should look like.

graph TD
    Prompt[High Quality Prompt]
    Prompt --> Clarity[Clarity: Precise Verbs]
    Prompt --> Context[Context: Audience & Role]
    Prompt --> Constraints[Constraints: Format & Length]

3. Use Delimiters

Use special characters like ###, """, or --- to separate your instructions from the content you want the AI to process. This prevents "Prompt Leakage"—where the AI gets confused between the task and the data.

---

Hands-on: Fix the Prompt

Take this bad prompt: "Help me write a blog post about dogs."

Your Task: Rewrite it using the 3 Cs.

• Role: Expert veterinarian.
• Constraint: Under 300 words, use bullet points.
• Context: For new puppy owners who are worried about diet.

Key Takeaways

• Be Direct (Clarity).
• Provide Background (Context).
• Set Boundaries (Constraints).