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Compute signup funnel step rates without test accounts

Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

You're sharing last week's signup funnel. QA ran 200 test signups that hit the signup page and created accounts, then stopped; remove them from both of those steps. Write exactly 4 numbered lines, one per step, each as Step: count ÷ previous count = X%, then one unnumbered last line naming the step with the lowest rate. Plain text, under 70 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Not mentioning the test accounts. The AI can't know about QA's run, so the first two steps are off. Try: Add: "Remove 200 QA test users from the first two steps."
  • Not defining the rate. The AI divides every step by the top of the funnel instead of the step before. Try: Add: "Each rate = this step ÷ the previous step."
  • Not showing the division. Bare percents hide which counts were used. Try: Add a line to copy: "1. Created account: 4,000 ÷ 10,000 = 40%"
  • Leaving the ending open. The AI adds a page of ideas for fixing the funnel. Try: Add: "Then one sentence naming the lowest step. Nothing else."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part: "each line under 10 words, the sentence under 15."
  • Forgetting where it goes. AI loves markdown tables and bold, which show up as clutter in a product channel. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Removes the test accounts
  • Defines the rate
  • Asks to show the math
  • Sets a word limit
  • Asks for plain text

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