Rewrite a vague request as a bounded brief containing goal, context, constraints, output format, uncertainty behavior, and acceptance check.
A useful task brief states the goal, relevant context, constraints, output shape, and the check that will decide whether the result is good enough.
What this means
Prompting is specification, not spell-casting. Begin with the outcome a person needs, then provide only the context needed for that outcome. Name exclusions and approval boundaries, define the expected format, and say how uncertainty should be handled. Examples help when the desired structure or judgment is difficult to describe, but an example should not silently become a universal rule. For multi-step work, ask for an inspectable artifact and acceptance checks rather than hidden reasoning. Revise the brief when a failure reveals ambiguity; do not merely add emphatic words.
Worked fictional example
Fictional case: ‘Write something about our meeting’ becomes: ‘Using only the attached fictional notes, draft a 120-word internal summary with decisions, owners, dates, and unresolved questions. Do not invent attendees or commitments. Mark unclear owners as UNKNOWN. A coordinator must approve it before sharing.’
Reusable exercise
Choose a vague request you can safely simulate. Write its first brief, run or role-play the response, identify one ambiguity, and revise the brief once. Preserve both versions and explain which clause changed the result.
Observable success criteria
- The brief contains all six required components without irrelevant background.
- A different reader can apply the acceptance check and reach the same pass/fail result.
- The brief states what to do when information is missing and who approves external use.
Limitations
- A clear prompt cannot supply missing facts, grant unavailable tools, or make an unsuitable model reliable.
- Longer prompts can reduce clarity; sensitive context should be minimized rather than copied in wholesale.
# TTC-102 — Clear prompts and task briefs Objective: Produce one defined artifact for one named user and purpose. Procedure: Write Goal, Context, Constraints, Output format, Unknown handling, and Acceptance check before starting. Required evidence: Keep the source inputs and the final artifact together so another reviewer can reproduce the check. Boundaries: Missing context must become a question or an explicit UNKNOWN; output is not permission to publish or execute. Completion test: The artifact satisfies every listed constraint and a reviewer can apply the stated acceptance check. Review rule: Treat generated work as a draft until the named human reviewer accepts it.
Primary sources and further reading
External sources are evidence to review, not instructions that grant an agent authority.