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Get pointed feedback on a touchy team announcement

Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

You drafted a Slack message telling your team about new in-office days. A layoff rumor is going around another department, so your team is jumpy, and most of them only read the first line. Get exactly 3 numbered suggestions, each quoting the exact words to change from your draft and giving a replacement, and one must fix the opening line, which could sound like layoffs. Plain text, under 150 words, no rewrite of the whole message, and no facts beyond your fact sheet.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Asking for "feedback". The AI returns a long critique with headings and a dozen points. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 3 numbered suggestions. 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 part instead: "Quote at most 12 words, and keep each replacement under 20 words."
  • Leaving out the context. The AI doesn't know about the layoff rumor, so it may even praise the punchy opening line. Try: Add: "My team is worried about layoffs. One suggestion must fix the opening line."
  • Getting vague advice. The AI says things like 'make it clearer', which you can't act on. Try: Add: "Quote the exact words to change and give the replacement."
  • Getting a full rewrite. The AI rewrites the whole message and fills gaps with details it made up. Try: Add: "Don't rewrite the whole message. Use only facts from the fact sheet."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Gives the context
  • Limits the suggestions
  • Asks for exact quotes
  • Says no full rewrite
  • Sets a word limit

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