Prompts that get you a better answer

Tips for a better answer

• Try it on something you agree with, too. It’s the best way to spot your own blind spots.
• Treat the critique as a list of things to check, not a verdict.

An example, filled in

Act as a careful, fair critic. Read the text below and tell me: the main claim in one sentence; the evidence offered for it; any gaps, leaps in logic or cherry-picked figures; the strongest counter-argument; and what evidence would change your view. Flag any figure I should check at its source. Keep what the text says separate from your own judgement, and mark which of your points are solid and which are a matter of opinion. Be direct but even-handed. Why I’m reading it: deciding whether to start a free trial for my team The text: An advert in my inbox: “Switch to our AI note-taker and save 10 hours a week. Our customers report 300% productivity gains. Join 50,000 happy teams.”

Tips for a better answer

• Use an assistant that can run code on files, and upload only data you’re allowed to share, with no names, emails or other personal details.
• Work out one key number yourself, such as one month’s total, to check the analysis.

An example, filled in

I’m attaching a file of three years of bookings for our holiday cottages, with guests’ names and contact details taken out, with these columns: booking date, first night, nights, cottage, party size, price paid, booked through (our website or an agency). I want to know which months and cottages bring in the most, and whether agency bookings are worth the agency’s fee. Before you analyse anything, describe the data (rows, columns, blanks and odd values) and ask me about anything unclear. Then analyse it step by step, showing the code you ran and the numbers behind every finding. Make one chart for the main finding. Finish with the limits of this analysis and everything you assumed, in plain English. Don’t remove or change any rows without telling me.

Tips for a better answer

• Do it with your team: people find it easier to raise worries about an imaginary failure.
• Pick the three biggest risks and give each one an owner today.

An example, filled in

Let’s run a pre-mortem. Imagine it’s January 2028, and this project has failed badly: launching our online shop in time for Christmas 2027; two staff will run it, using an online shop builder, with products photographed in house. List the ten most likely reasons it failed, covering people, money, time, technology, suppliers and outside events. For each, rate how likely and how serious it is (low, medium or high), give the early warning sign to watch for, and one thing to do now to prevent it. Put them in a table, most serious first. Be blunt and specific to my project, not generic.

Tips for a better answer

• Share the guide with everyone who writes for you, and paste it in at the start of any AI chat about your marketing.
• Review it after a month. A voice guide gets better as you see what works.

An example, filled in

Here are examples of writing from my business that sound right to me: “Fresh out of the oven at 7am. First come, first served, as always.” “We’re shut on Monday for a deep clean. Back on Tuesday with extra cinnamon buns to make up for it.” “Sorry your loaf was flat. That’s on us: bring it in and we’ll swap it, no receipt needed.”. Analyse them and write a short voice guide: three to five words that describe our voice, each with what it means and what it doesn’t; do and don’t examples; words and phrases we use and avoid; and how we write headlines, calls to action and replies to complaints. Then, as a test, rewrite this sentence in our voice: Our establishment is delighted to announce the introduction of an innovative range of artisanal baked goods..

Tips for a better answer

• Check the counts yourself on a small batch: AI can miscount long lists.
• For hundreds of comments, use an assistant that can read a spreadsheet and show its working.

An example, filled in

Below are 12 pieces of customer feedback from our survey after appointments at a dental practice. Group them into themes. For each theme, give: a short name; how many comments mention it; two typical quotes, in the customers’ exact words; and whether it’s praise, a complaint or a suggestion. Then rank the top three problems by how often they come up and how serious they seem, and suggest one fix for each, in plain, practical language. Count carefully, and say when a comment fits more than one theme. The feedback: Lovely staff but I waited 40 minutes. Couldn’t get through on the phone. The hygienist was so gentle. Online booking kept crashing. Running late again, 30 minutes. Reception were kind when I was nervous. Phone lines always busy at 8am. Parking is a nightmare. Great explanation of my treatment. Waited ages past my time. Can’t book online on my phone. The new chairs are comfy!

Tips for a better answer

• AI reviews miss things: treat this as a second pair of eyes, not a sign-off.
• Ask it to write a test that shows each bug before you fix it.

An example, filled in

Review this JavaScript code as a careful senior developer would. What it does, and where it runs: a form on our website that saves sign-ups to a database. What matters most here: security. List the problems in order of seriousness, each with where it is, why it’s a problem and a suggested fix as a short code snippet. Look especially for bugs, security problems (such as injection or exposed secrets), missing error handling and unclear names. Tell me what’s good, too, and keep the tone constructive. If you’re unsure whether something is a bug, say so and explain what would confirm it. The code: app.post('/signup', async (req, res) => { const email = req.body.email; await db.query("INSERT INTO signups (email) VALUES ('" + email + "')"); res.send('Thanks!'); });