STEP 1: BE SPECIFIC

Instead of asking general questions, give exact details about what you need.

Bad example: “Help me with my code”

Good example: “I have a Python script that reads CSV files. It works for small files but crashes on files over 100MB. How can I read large CSV files without running out of memory?”

STEP 2: ADD CONTEXT

Tell the AI what you’re working with and what you’ve already tried.

Bad example: “How do I fix this error?”

Good example: “I’m building a React app and getting ‘Cannot read property of undefined’ when I try to map over an array from my API. I’ve checked that the API returns data in Postman. Here’s my code: [paste code]”

STEP 3: ASK FOR EXAMPLES

Don’t just ask for explanations – request working examples you can use immediately.

Bad example: “Explain how to use async/await”

Good example: “Show me a working example of fetching data from an API using async/await in JavaScript. Include error handling.”

QUICK REFERENCE

– Be specific (exact details, not vague questions)

– Add context (what you’re using, what you tried)

– Ask for examples (working code, not just theory)

PRACTICE Try rephrasing this bad prompt using the 3 steps: Bad: “My website is slow” Good: “My WordPress site takes 8 seconds to load. I’m using 5 plugins and hosting on shared hosting. What are the top 3 things I should check first to improve load time?”.