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Turn kickoff notes into an onboarding milestone table

  • For Customer success managers
  • You practice Keeping the AI to your sources
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

You're the CSM for Larkfield Dental Group, a new customer. Turn the kickoff notes into an onboarding plan as one markdown table with exactly these columns: Week, Milestone, Owner, Done when. Exactly 5 rows, one per milestone, ending with go-live. Every owner must be a named person from the notes, and the dates must reflect the latest decisions in the thread. Under 160 words, and nothing before or after the table.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Not naming the columns. The AI picks its own layout, usually long bullet lists with headings. Try: Spell out the shape: "one table with columns Week, Milestone, Owner, Done when, exactly 5 rows."
  • Missing the later email. The AI builds the plan from the kickoff notes and treats the follow-up email as a footnote. Try: Say: "Use the latest decisions in the thread, including the Feb 5 email."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting and pads plans with explanations. Try: Keep each cell short: "each cell under 8 words", and ask for well under the real limit.
  • Letting extras in. The AI adds the out-of-scope request, a summary and next-steps notes around the table. Try: Add: "Output only the table. Leave out anything not a milestone."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the columns
  • Sets the row count
  • Uses the latest changes
  • Sets a word limit
  • Asks for only the table

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