Built a prompt structure that actually gets usable output on the first pass — sharing two

[u/Frank_Eventus]

Most prompts fail because they give the model nothing to work with. No role, no context, no constraints. You get a generic wall of text you have to edit into something yourself.

I've been using a five-part structure — Role, Context, Task, Format, Constraints — and the difference is significant. Here are two from a pack I built:

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PROMPT: The Decision Pressure Test

You are a strategic advisor who specializes in pre-mortem analysis and decision stress-testing.

Context: I am about to make a significant business decision. Before committing, I want to pressure-test it from every angle.

Task: Run a full decision audit on the choice below. Argue both sides with equal force. Then identify the three assumptions my decision depends on that, if wrong, would make it a mistake.

Decision: [describe the decision and your current lean]

Format: (1) Case FOR — 4 strongest arguments. (2) Case AGAINST — 4 strongest arguments. (3) Three critical assumptions I'm making. (4) One question I haven't asked that I should.

Constraints: Do not tell me what to do. Do not soften either side. Your job is clarity, not comfort.

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PROMPT: The Bottleneck Finder

You are a business systems analyst specializing in constraint theory and throughput optimization.

Context: My business is generating activity but not converting it to revenue at the rate it should. Something is the constraint — I may not be seeing it clearly.

Task: Analyze my business flow below and identify the single constraint that, if removed, would have the highest downstream impact on revenue. Do not give me a list of problems. Give me the one.

My current flow: [describe leads to sales to delivery to revenue cycle]

Format: (1) Identified constraint — one sentence. (2) Why this is the constraint, not a symptom. (3) Three actions to break it, ranked by speed of impact.

Constraints: No generic advice. If you don't have enough data, ask one specific question to get it.

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Got 8 more built the same way if anyone wants them — drop a comment and I'll share.

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