{"id":"lead-clarify-vague-request-three-questions","audience":"managers","category":"leadership-work","track":"leadership","level":"intermediate","technique":"context","title":"Write three clarifying questions for a vague request from your VP","free":false,"task":"Write exactly 3 numbered clarifying questions to send back to your VP, in plain text. Each question covers one of the three gaps in this order: what the deliverable is, who the audience is, the deadline. Each is a single question under 16 words, and none repeats information already in the message. Do not answer the request or suggest solutions.","materialLabel":"Your VP's message (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Message from VP Elena Brandt, Monday 9:12 a.m.:\n\n\"Hi - I need something on how the support team is doing before the leadership thing. You know, the numbers and what we're doing about the backlog. Make it good. Thanks!\"\n\nWhat you already know:\n- \"The leadership thing\" is the monthly leadership meeting. You know it is on Thursday, Nov 20.\n- The support backlog is 214 open tickets, and the team has the weekly numbers in a dashboard.\n- Elena likes short documents but has also asked for slides in the past.\n- You have a customer deadline on Wednesday, so your time is tight.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":60}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Asking what is known","why":"The AI asks when the meeting is.","fix":"Say: \"None repeats information already in the message.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Solving the request","why":"The AI starts drafting the report.","fix":"Say: \"Do not answer the request or suggest solutions.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Wrong order or count","why":"The AI asks the deadline first or writes five questions.","fix":"Say: \"Exactly 3 numbered questions in the order: deliverable, audience, deadline.\"","checks":["r0","numberedItems"]},{"title":"Compound questions","why":"The AI packs three asks into one.","fix":"Say: \"Each is a single question under 16 words.\"","checks":["r1","maxWords"]},{"title":"Markdown","why":"The AI bolds the key words.","fix":"Say: \"Plain text.\"","checks":["plainText"]},{"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":"Exactly three numbered","patterns":["3 numbered","exactly 3","three"]},{"label":"Names the three gaps in order","patterns":["deliverable","audience","deadline"]},{"label":"Single short question","patterns":["single question","under 16 words"]},{"label":"Avoid known facts","patterns":["already","not repeat"]},{"label":"No solutions","patterns":["do not answer","solutions"]}],"hint":"Name the three gaps in order, keep each to one short question, and exclude what you already know.","rubricLabels":["Has exactly three numbered questions, in the order deliverable, audience, deadline","Each question is a single question under 16 words, the first asks for the format (for example a one-page summary or slides), the second asks who will read it, and the third asks when she needs it","None of the questions asks about the meeting date, the backlog number or the dashboard that the notes already settle, and none suggests an answer or solution"]}