{"id":"exec-travel-freeze-announcement-exceptions","audience":"executives","category":"leadership-work","track":"leadership","level":"beginner","technique":"constraints","title":"Announce a travel freeze with exceptions and an approver","free":false,"task":"Write an all-staff email in plain text, under 85 words. The first line is exactly: Subject: Travel freeze starting November 17. Say the freeze dates, list the two exceptions as dash bullets, and name who approves exceptions and how to ask. Do not give the financial reason in numbers. End with the line: Thank you for your help.","materialLabel":"Decision notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Travel freeze - decided by the executive team on Nov 6\n\n- All non-essential business travel stops Monday, November 17 and runs through Friday, January 30.\n- Exceptions: (1) travel to meet a customer who has a signed contract with us; (2) travel already booked and paid before Nov 6 that cannot be refunded.\n- Exceptions are approved by Chief Operating Officer Ines Marchetti. Staff ask by emailing travel@ourcompany.example with the trip dates and the reason.\n- Why: cost control. Travel spend was up 31 percent over plan this year and the CFO wants it back below plan.\n- Conference attendance as a speaker is not an exception.\n- Early draft said the freeze ended Dec 31; that was changed to Jan 30.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":85}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Using the old end date","why":"The AI keeps Dec 31.","fix":"Say: \"The freeze runs through January 30.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Sharing the numbers","why":"The AI explains the 31 percent overspend.","fix":"Say: \"Do not give the financial reason in numbers.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Wrong exceptions","why":"The AI adds conference speaking as an exception.","fix":"Say: \"Exactly two dash bullets for the two exceptions.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"No how-to","why":"The AI says \"contact your manager\".","fix":"Say: \"Name the approver and how to ask.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Missing exact lines","why":"The AI writes its own subject and sign-off.","fix":"Say: \"First and last lines exactly as given.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Too long","why":"The AI writes a long email.","fix":"Say: \"Under 85 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it.","fix":"Cap each part instead, for example: \"each line under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Gives the subject line","patterns":["subject: travel freeze"]},{"label":"Gives the dates","patterns":["january 30","november 17"]},{"label":"Two dash bullets","patterns":["two exceptions","2 dash","dash bullets"]},{"label":"Names approver and how to ask","patterns":["approver","ines","travel@"]},{"label":"Gives the ending line","patterns":["thank you for your help"]}],"hint":"Give the exact first and last lines, the freeze dates, and the two exceptions with the approver.","rubricLabels":["The first line is exactly \"Subject: Travel freeze starting November 17\" and the last line is exactly \"Thank you for your help.\"","States the freeze runs November 17 through January 30 (not Dec 31) and lists exactly two dash bullets: customers with a signed contract, and non-refundable travel booked before Nov 6","Names Ines Marchetti as approver and the travel@ourcompany.example email with dates and reason, and does not mention the 31 percent"]}