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Create a vacation coverage handoff checklist your backup can follow

  • For Managers and team leads
  • You practice Giving the right context
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Beginner

About this exercise

You are out Dec 16-27. Write a handoff checklist for your backup, Ike, in plain text with exactly 6 lines. Each line starts with [ ] and has the form: what - who - by when. Put the item with the earliest date first. Use only the notes and the real dates, and do not include anything Ike should not touch.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Wrong order. The AI lists by importance. Try: Say: "Earliest date first."
  • Old payroll date. The AI uses Dec 19. Try: Say: "Payroll moved the approval to Dec 18."
  • Including the off-limits item. The AI adds the budget spreadsheet. Try: Say: "Don't include the budget spreadsheet."
  • Wrong count. The AI lists 8 items. Try: Say: "Exactly 6 lines starting with [ ]."
  • Markdown. The AI uses bullets and bold. Try: Say: "Plain text."
  • 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 line: "each line under 22 words."
  • 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 12 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Line format
  • Order
  • Count
  • Corrections
  • Leaves out

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