Refining Prompts

Process

Assess — Identify what the prompt is missing:

| Element | Check | |---------|-------| | Task | Is the core action explicit and unambiguous? | | Constraints | Are length, format, tone, and scope defined? | | Output format | Does it specify the expected structure? | | Context | Does the model have enough background to act? Check: audience, input format, success criteria, scope boundaries, technical constraints | | Examples | Would a demonstration clarify the expected output? | | Edge cases | Are failure modes and boundary conditions addressed? |

Rewrite — Transform into specification language: precise, imperative, no filler. Treat the prompt as a spec, not conversation.
Validate — Check the rewrite against the assessment table. Every gap identified in step 1 must be addressed.

Rules

Length: 0.75x–1.5x the original. Conciseness is a feature — add only what's missing, cut what's vague.
Never invent — only use information present in the original prompt or conversation context. If critical info is missing, ask instead of assuming.
Instruction hierarchy — order sections by priority: task → constraints → examples → input data → output format. Place the most important instruction first.
Progressive complexity — start with the simplest prompt that could work. Add few-shot examples, chain-of-thought, or role framing only when the task demands it, not by default.
Specific verbs — replace vague actions ("analyze", "process", "handle") with measurable ones ("list the top 3", "classify as A/B/C", "return JSON with keys X, Y").
One output format — specify exactly one format (JSON schema, markdown template, numbered list). Ambiguous format expectations cause inconsistent results.
No meta-commentary — output only the refined prompt as markdown. No preamble ("Here's an improved version..."), no explanation of changes unless explicitly requested.

Persistence

After refining, save the result to .ai/PROMPT.md (create .ai/ directory if needed). This builds a reusable prompt library over time. Append with a heading and date:

## [Prompt Name] — YYYY-MM-DD

[refined prompt content]

Anti-Patterns

| Problem | Fix | |---------|-----| | Vague verbs ("look into", "deal with") | Replace with concrete actions ("list", "compare", "extract") | | Missing output spec | Add explicit format section with example structure | | Examples contradict instructions | Align examples to match every stated rule | | Over-engineered from the start | Strip to simplest working version, then add complexity only where output quality requires it | | Prompt exceeds context with examples | Limit to 2–3 diverse examples; use one simple, one edge case |