Library › Data AI › Business analysts

Fill in a metric request intake template from a messy ask

  • For Business analysts
  • You practice Asking for a format you can use
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

A stakeholder dropped a vague data request in Slack and you need to log it. Fill in this template with exactly these 7 labeled lines in plain text, under 100 words: Requester, Question, Metric, Time range, Segments, Deadline, Missing. Write 'Not stated' for anything the message doesn't say, and put the questions you must still ask on the Missing line.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Inventing a time range. The AI fills 'last quarter' because it sounds sensible. Try: Add: "Write 'Not stated' where the message doesn't say."
  • Dropping the exclusion. The AI forgets the late 'don't include Marlow' message. Try: Add: "Segments: big partners vs everyone else, excluding the Marlow pilot."
  • No follow-up questions. The AI leaves gaps unresolved. Try: Add: "Missing: the 2 or 3 questions we must ask her, separated by semicolons."
  • Leaving the format to chance. The AI picks its own length and layout unless told the exact shape. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold or headings."
  • 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 instead, for example "each line under 15 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Lists the seven labels
  • Says mark gaps
  • Asks for the exclusion
  • Asks for questions
  • Caps length

Practice this now ↑

Related exercises