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Set RAG statuses from forecast versus planned dates

  • For Managers and team leads
  • You practice Catching mistakes and made-up facts
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

Build an implementation status table with the header row exactly "Workstream | Days late | RAG" and five rows. Days late is forecast minus planned, with a minimum of 0; write "blocked" for a blocked workstream. RAG: Green is 0 days late, Amber is 1 to 5, Red is more than 5 or blocked. Plain text, table only, under 55 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Calling SSO Amber. The PM comment says only a week late. Try: Say: "Apply the thresholds: more than 5 days = Red."
  • Showing negative days. The AI writes -2 for Reports. Try: Say: "Minimum 0 days late."
  • Wrong table. The AI adds a notes column. Try: Give the exact header; table only.
  • Getting markdown back. AI adds bold and headings by default, which show up as stray symbols where this is pasted. Try: Say "plain text, no bold, no headings, no asterisks".
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting and usually runs long, so a vague "keep it short" lands well over the limit. Try: Cap each part instead of the total, for example "each line under 15 words".

What a strong prompt includes

  • Asks for plain text
  • Sets a length limit
  • States the RAG rules
  • Gives the header

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