Foundations · Lesson 1
What a Prompt Really Is (and Why Most Fail)
A prompt is not a question. It’s an instruction. When prompts fail, it’s usually because key instructions are missing — and the AI is forced to guess.
Learning objectives
- Understand what a prompt really does
- Recognise why vague prompts fail
- Shift from “asking” to “directing”
- Write one improved prompt using clear instructions
The core idea
A prompt is not a casual question. It’s a set of instructions that tells the AI:
- Who it should act as
- What it should do
- What limits to respect
- What the output should look like
Why most prompts fail
Most failures come from four predictable issues:
- Vague intent: the AI has to guess what you really want.
- No role: tone and depth drift because the perspective is unclear.
- No constraints: the output length and detail become unpredictable.
- Question mindset: asking invites guessing; directing creates clarity.
Simple rule: when you don’t provide enough instruction, the AI fills the gaps. That gap-filling is where unreliable outputs come from.
The mindset shift
Instead of thinking:
“What should I ask the AI?”
Think:
“What instructions would I give a human expert?”
Practical exercise
Rewrite a vague prompt into a clear instruction.
Start with this weak prompt
Explain website SEO.
Improve it (example)
You are an SEO consultant. Explain on-page SEO to a complete beginner in simple language. Keep it under 150 words and use bullet points.
Your job is not to be clever. Your job is to be clear.
Quick quiz
Check your understanding. Then move to Lesson 2.
1) What is a prompt really?
2) Why do vague prompts fail?
3) What mindset produces more reliable output?
Score: –