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Size peak-season staffing from forecast volume and recommend an ask
- For Managers and team leads
- You practice Catching mistakes and made-up facts
- Time about 5 minutes
- Level Advanced
About this exercise
You must request temporary labor for the holiday peak. Write a prompt for a memo with exactly three headings: Numbers, Gap, Ask. Under Numbers give one line per week showing lines / 60 = hours, then hours / 34 = people rounded up. Under Gap compare to the current 30 people. Under Ask recommend how many temps to request, saying HR and the ops manager approve the headcount. Under 150 words.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Rounding down or skipping the math. The AI states people needed without showing hours or rounding up. Try: Say: "Show lines / 60 = hours, then hours / 34, rounded up."
- Adding a buffer. The AI adds the 10% last-year overage to the forecast. Try: Say: "Use the forecast figures only; do not add a buffer."
- Wrong headings. The AI writes its own sections. Try: Name the three headings in order.
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting and usually runs long, so a vague "keep it short" lands over the limit. Try: Cap each part instead of the total, for example "each line under 15 words".
What a strong prompt includes
- Names the headings
- Shows the math
- Compares to 30 staff
- Says who approves
- Sets a length limit
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