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Time a catering order's prep backward from delivery
Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
You run a small taco shop and have a catering order for an office lunch. You want exactly 5 numbered lines in time order, each as time - task - who, under 60 words, plain text. Work every time back from the delivery time using the prep times in your notes, and use the client's updated headcount for quantities. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Forgetting the drive. The AI counts back from 11:30 and has everything late. Try: Add: "Delivery is 11:30 with a 15-minute drive, so leave at 11:15."
- Using the old headcount. 60 is at the top; the update says 80. Try: Add: "Use 80 people: 240 tacos and 4 trays."
- Dropping who does it. The AI lists tasks without names. Try: Add: "Each line: time - task - who."
- Letting the AI pick the layout. The AI writes a long prep plan with headings. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 5 numbered lines, plain text."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 60 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each line under 8 words."
What a strong prompt includes
- Says how many lines
- Counts back from delivery
- Uses the new headcount
- Shows the line shape
- Sets a word limit
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