Diagnose and resolve underperforming prompts

Most problems trace back to inputs: missing context, buried or conflicting instructions, or stale knowledge.

Key ideas

Generic or bland output

Missing audience, goals and specifics; no examples of the target style.

Ignores a requirement

The instruction is buried in a long prompt or conflicts with another. Make it prominent, unambiguous and show an example.

Wrong or outdated facts from a Project

Check whether the current document is in knowledge and whether an older version or contradicting file is also there.

Different answers for different people

Different prompts, files or setups (Project vs standalone chat). Standardise inputs before judging consistency.

Invented numbers

Data wasn't provided and there's no rule for missing data. Supply the data and require “data not provided” instead of estimates.

Hedging on a legitimate task

Missing context about purpose and audience (training, safety, education). Explain it plainly; never disguise the request.

Common traps

• Switching models before fixing the inputs.
• Asking the same question repeatedly and taking the most common answer.