Library › Productivity AI › Product managers
Build a launch checklist with owners and dates
Practice: Asking for a format you can use. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
You're turning a messy launch thread into a checklist for the team's tracker. You need exactly 6 numbered lines in the form 'Owner - task - due date', sorted by due date with the earliest first, plain text, under 90 words. One date moved during the thread, so use the latest date for every task.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Asking for 'a checklist'. The AI groups tasks under bold headings by team, with checkboxes and extra tasks it thinks are wise. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 6 numbered lines. 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 instead: "each line under 10 words."
- No line shape. The AI mixes formats, so some lines lack an owner or a date. Try: Show it: "Each line like '1. Omar - feature freeze - Mar 6'."
- Missing the moved date. Omar's first date is still in the thread, and the AI may use it. Try: Add: "Use the latest date for each task; the load test moved to Mar 12."
- Keeping the thread order. The AI lists tasks in the order people replied, not by date. Try: Add: "Sort by due date, earliest first. Skip anything that was dropped."
What a strong prompt includes
- Shows the line shape
- Sorts by date
- Uses the latest dates
- Sets the number of items
- Asks for plain text
Related exercises
- Announce a new weekend rotation in three clear rules (Productivity AI · Managers and team leads)
- Announce a referral bonus with the steps to claim it (Marketing AI · HR and recruiting)
- Announce a team meeting change people will actually follow (Writing AI · Managers and team leads)
- Answer a 'found an error' question in STAR order (Writing AI · Finance and accounting)
- Answer a wholesale inquiry with clear terms (Writing AI · Small business owners)