Guide to AI Prompting

be C.L.E.A.R.

Quality prompting is critical for quality output. Use the C.L.E.A.R. framework to improve your interactions with any LLM.

  
      What it Means
      Questions to Ask Yourself
    
      C
      Context & Role
      Who or what should the AI “be”? What background does it need?
    
      L
      Language & Tone
      What style or voice? (e.g., formal, friendly, technical)
    
      E
      Exact Task & Format
      What do you want? A list? A table? A summary?
    
      A
      Add Constraints & Details
      Word limit? Specific data points? References?
    
      R
      Review & Refine
      How will you check accuracy? What follow-up prompts might you need?

	What it Means	Questions to Ask Yourself
C	Context & Role	Who or what should the AI “be”? What background does it need?
L	Language & Tone	What style or voice? (e.g., formal, friendly, technical)
E	Exact Task & Format	What do you want? A list? A table? A summary?
A	Add Constraints & Details	Word limit? Specific data points? References?
R	Review & Refine	How will you check accuracy? What follow-up prompts might you need?

For example

  
      Bad Prompt
      Good Prompt
    
      Strategy
      Help me with strategy.
      You are a retail consultant. Our US same-store sales fell 5% in Q2. Propose 3 marketing strategies to boost foot traffic—list KPIs for each.
    
      Summary
      Summarize this report.
      Summarize the attached 12-page market report in 4 bullets, focusing on customer trends and risks.
    
      Email Draft
      Write an email.
      Draft a friendly 3-paragraph email to staff announcing our new remote-work policy; address key FAQs.
    
      Meeting Prep
      Prepare meeting agenda.
      Generate a 1-hour meeting agenda for a Q3 planning session with 5 bullets: topics, time allocation, and desired outcomes.

	Bad Prompt	Good Prompt
Strategy	Help me with strategy.	You are a retail consultant. Our US same-store sales fell 5% in Q2. Propose 3 marketing strategies to boost foot traffic—list KPIs for each.
Summary	Summarize this report.	Summarize the attached 12-page market report in 4 bullets, focusing on customer trends and risks.
Email Draft	Write an email.	Draft a friendly 3-paragraph email to staff announcing our new remote-work policy; address key FAQs.
Meeting Prep	Prepare meeting agenda.	Generate a 1-hour meeting agenda for a Q3 planning session with 5 bullets: topics, time allocation, and desired outcomes.

Checklist

Before you hit “Send,” run through:

Role & Context: Have I defined the AI’s persona and given key data?
Desired Format: Did I ask for the right structure (bullets, table, memo)?
Clarity & Constraints: Are length, style, and any necessary metrics specified?
Next Steps: Have I built in a review or follow-up (“If you need more info, ask…”)?