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Pick a chart that compares two years of donations
- For Nonprofit staff
- You practice Saying who it's for
- Time about 5 minutes
About this exercise
Your board wants one slide comparing donations by source in 2025 and 2026. Ask for exactly 4 numbered lines labeled Chart:, Categories:, Series: and Title:, where Categories: lists the 5 sources from largest to smallest 2026 amount, and Title: is a headline sentence with the biggest change and its two numbers. Plain text, under 80 words.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not saying what to compare. The AI suggests two pies again, which the treasurer couldn't compare. Try: Add: "Compare each source across 2025 and 2026 on one chart."
- Leaving the order open. The AI keeps the table's order, so the biggest source isn't first. Try: Add: "Categories largest to smallest by 2026."
- A label, not a headline. The AI titles it "Donations by Source", which says nothing. Try: Add: "Title: a sentence with the biggest change and its numbers."
- Long or formatted output. AI adds design tips in bold. Try: Add: "Exactly 4 numbered lines, each under 18 words, plain text."
What a strong prompt includes
- Says what to compare
- Sets the order
- Asks for a headline title
- Names the 4 labels
- Asks for plain text
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