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Clear instructions matter

Clear instructions matter Bad Practice
Clear instructions matter Best Practice

Clear instructions form the backbone of effective AI communication. When prompts lack clarity, AI responses become generic and less actionable. Think of prompt writing like creating a product brief: the clearer your requirements, the better the outcome.

Start with action verbs that specify exactly what you need: analyze, summarize, generate, compare, or evaluate. Avoid vague requests like "tell me about" or "what do you think." Instead, use directive language that guides the AI toward your specific goal.

Breaking complex requests into structured components helps AI process your needs systematically. Rather than asking for "product improvements," request "5 feature enhancements for our mobile app's onboarding flow, prioritized by implementation effort." This precision transforms generic suggestions into targeted solutions.

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