1.5 Practical Prompting Lab¶

Hands-on exercises to master your prompting skills

Welcome to your prompting workout! This lab contains real-world exercises that let you practice everything you've learned. Think of this as your gym for building prompting muscle memory. Each exercise builds on previous skills while introducing new challenges.

Learning Objectives¶

By completing this lab, you'll:

Apply the CLEAR framework to real business scenarios
Practice advanced techniques like chain of thought and few-shot learning
Build confidence through hands-on problem solving
Develop a toolkit of prompts you can use in your work
Learn to iterate and improve prompts based on results

Lab Structure¶

Each exercise includes: - Scenario: The real-world situation - Your Mission: What you need to accomplish - Starter Prompt: A basic version to improve - Success Criteria: How to know you've succeeded - Sample Solution: One possible approach (yours might be different!)

Exercise 1: The Email Rescue Mission¶

Scenario¶

You're helping a small business owner write professional emails. They tend to be too casual or too aggressive, and need help finding the right tone.

Your Mission¶

Transform this email into something professional but warm:

Original email:

"hey sarah, ur late on the payment again. this is the 3^rd time this month. we need the money ASAP or we'll have to cut off service. not trying to be mean but business is business. let me know whats up."

Starter Prompt (Improve This!)¶

"Make this email more professional"

Success Criteria¶

✅ Maintains the core message (payment is overdue)
✅ Professional but not cold or threatening
✅ Preserves relationship while addressing issue
✅ Includes specific next steps

Practice Space¶

Take 5 minutes to improve the starter prompt using techniques from Modules 1.2-1.3. Consider: - What role should AI play? - What specific guidance about tone? - What examples might help? - How can you ensure the right balance?

Sample Solution¶

You are a professional business communication consultant specializing in maintaining positive relationships while addressing difficult topics.

Transform this informal email into a professional but warm message:

[Original email text here]

Requirements:
- Maintain a respectful, understanding tone
- Clearly communicate the payment issue and urgency
- Preserve the business relationship
- Include specific next steps for resolution
- Professional language while avoiding corporate coldness

Format: Standard business email with appropriate greeting, body paragraphs, and closing.

Consider that this is the third occurrence, so acknowledgment of the pattern is needed, but approach it collaboratively rather than accusingly.

Expected AI output style:

"Dear Sarah,

I hope this email finds you well. I'm reaching out regarding your account balance, which shows a payment that was due [date]. I notice this is the third occurrence this month, and I wanted to connect directly to understand if there are any challenges we can help address.

While I want to support your business in every way possible, the outstanding balance is affecting our cash flow and we'll need to resolve this within the next 48 hours to avoid any service interruptions.

Could we schedule a brief call to discuss your payment schedule and see if we can establish a arrangement that works for both of us? I'm confident we can find a solution that keeps our partnership strong.

Please let me know your availability for a conversation.

Best regards, [Name]"

Exercise 2: The Strategic Decision Matrix¶

Scenario¶

A freelance graphic designer has been offered a full-time position at a tech startup. They need help thinking through this major career decision systematically.

Your Mission¶

Create a prompt that will help them analyze this decision thoroughly, considering multiple factors and potential outcomes.

The Challenge Details¶

Current freelance income: $80K/year, variable
Job offer: $75K salary + equity + benefits
Enjoys creative freedom but struggles with inconsistent income
Has two young children
Partner also works full-time

Starter Prompt (Improve This!)¶

"Should I take the job or stay freelance?"

Success Criteria¶

✅ Systematic analysis of multiple factors
✅ Considers both short and long-term implications
✅ Accounts for personal circumstances
✅ Provides decision framework, not just advice
✅ Identifies information needed to make choice

Practice Space¶

Build a comprehensive prompt that uses: - Chain of thought reasoning - Role prompting for expertise - Structured analysis framework - Specific context about their situation

Sample Solution¶

You are an experienced career counselor who specializes in helping creative professionals navigate major career transitions. You excel at systematic decision analysis that considers both logical and emotional factors.

Help this freelance graphic designer think through a major career decision using a systematic framework:

SITUATION:
- Currently earning $80K/year freelancing (variable income)
- Job offer: $75K salary + equity + benefits at tech startup
- Has creative freedom now but inconsistent income creates stress
- Two young children, partner works full-time
- Values both financial security and creative autonomy

ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK:
1. Financial comparison (immediate and 5-year outlook)
2. Risk assessment for both options
3. Work-life balance implications
4. Career growth potential
5. Personal values alignment
6. Family impact considerations

For each factor, think step by step:
- Current state vs. proposed change
- Pros and cons of each option
- Potential mitigation strategies
- Questions to investigate further

Then provide:
- Decision criteria framework
- Key questions to research
- Suggested next steps for making the choice
- Timeline for decision-making

Don't just recommend one option - give them the tools to make the best choice for their specific situation.

Exercise 3: The Content Creation Challenge¶

Scenario¶

A B2B software company needs to create educational content for their blog, but they want to ensure it's genuinely helpful rather than sales-focused.

Your Mission¶

Create a prompt that generates a comprehensive content strategy and sample piece focused on providing real value to their audience.

Company Context¶

Target audience: Small business owners struggling with project management
Product: Simple project management software
Goal: Build trust and authority, not direct sales
Competitors: Asana, Trello, Monday.com

Starter Prompt (Improve This!)¶

"Write a blog post about project management for small businesses"

Success Criteria¶

✅ Strategic approach to content planning
✅ Audience-focused rather than product-focused
✅ Provides genuine value independent of their product
✅ Builds authority without being sales-heavy
✅ Includes content distribution strategy

Practice Space¶

Design a multi-part prompt that addresses: - Content strategy development - Audience research and needs analysis - Competitive differentiation - Value-first approach - Specific content creation

Sample Solution¶

You are a content marketing strategist specializing in B2B educational content that builds trust and authority without being sales-focused.

COMPANY CONTEXT:
- B2B project management software for small businesses
- Competing with Asana, Trello, Monday.com
- Target: Small business owners struggling with project chaos
- Goal: Build trust and authority, establish thought leadership

TASK 1 - Content Strategy Development:
Think step by step to develop an educational content approach:

1. Audience pain point analysis
   - What project management challenges keep small business owners up at night?
   - What mistakes do they commonly make?
   - What solutions exist that don't require expensive software?

2. Content positioning strategy
   - How can we provide value regardless of what tool they use?
   - What unique insights can we offer based on working with 1000+ small businesses?
   - How do we differentiate from competitor content?

3. Trust-building approach
   - What makes content genuinely helpful vs. sales-focused?
   - How do we establish expertise without product promotion?

TASK 2 - Specific Content Creation:
Based on your strategy analysis, create:

1. Blog post outline: "5 Project Management Mistakes That Are Costing Small Businesses Time and Money (And How to Fix Them Without Expensive Software)"

2. Article content that:
   - Addresses real problems with specific solutions
   - Includes actionable tips they can implement immediately
   - References tools/methods beyond software solutions
   - Builds credibility through specific examples and data

3. Content distribution recommendations:
   - Where should this content be shared?
   - How should it be adapted for different channels?
   - What follow-up content would provide additional value?

Remember: The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing. Focus on being genuinely helpful.

Exercise 4: The Technical Translation Challenge¶

Scenario¶

A software development team needs to explain a complex technical concept to non-technical stakeholders who will make budget decisions about the project.

Your Mission¶

Create a prompt that helps translate "API integration challenges" into language and concepts that business executives will understand and care about.

Context¶

Need to explain why API integration is taking longer than expected
Executives care about timeline, cost, and business impact
Technical team struggles to communicate complexity
Budget approval needed for additional development time

Starter Prompt (Improve This!)¶

"Explain APIs to business people"

Success Criteria¶

✅ Uses relevant business analogies
✅ Connects technical concepts to business impact
✅ Explains delays in terms executives understand
✅ Provides clear path forward with justification
✅ Avoids technical jargon while being accurate

Practice Space¶

Build a prompt that: - Assigns appropriate roles - Requires specific business context - Demands analogies and concrete examples - Focuses on business impact - Provides structure for the explanation

Sample Solution¶

You are a technical product manager who excels at translating complex engineering challenges into business language that executives understand and care about.

SITUATION:
Your development team is experiencing delays due to API integration complexity. You need to explain this to non-technical executives who control the budget and need to understand:
1. Why integration is harder than originally estimated
2. What business risks exist if we don't do this properly
3. What additional time/budget is needed and why
4. The consequences of rushing vs. doing it right

EXECUTIVE AUDIENCE:
- CEO, CFO, VP Sales
- Care about: timeline, budget, competitive advantage, customer impact
- Don't care about: technical details, coding languages, architecture specifics
- Need to understand: business justification for additional investment

COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. Use business analogies to explain technical concepts
2. Focus on business impact rather than technical challenges
3. Provide clear options with pros/cons for each
4. Include specific timeline and budget recommendations
5. Address risk mitigation and competitive implications

STRUCTURE YOUR EXPLANATION:
1. Current situation summary (what executives need to know)
2. Why this is more complex than anticipated (using analogies)
3. Business risks of different approaches
4. Recommended path forward with justification
5. Timeline and budget implications
6. Success metrics and milestones

EXAMPLE ANALOGY STARTER:
"Think of API integration like connecting plumbing between two buildings that weren't designed to work together..."

Create a comprehensive explanation that helps executives make an informed decision while understanding the technical realities.

Exercise 5: The Creative Problem-Solving Sprint¶

Scenario¶

A local restaurant saw a 30% drop in customers during weekdays. They need creative solutions that go beyond typical "run a promotion" advice.

Your Mission¶

Design a prompt that generates innovative, specific solutions tailored to their unique situation.

Restaurant Context¶

Family-owned Italian restaurant, 15 years in business
Great evening/weekend business, but weekday lunch struggles
Located in business district that's gone more remote
Limited marketing budget ($500/month)
Known for authentic recipes and warm atmosphere

Starter Prompt (Improve This!)¶

"How can the restaurant get more customers?"

Success Criteria¶

✅ Creative solutions beyond obvious promotional tactics
✅ Considers their specific context and constraints
✅ Provides actionable ideas within their budget
✅ Addresses the core problem (weekday business district changes)
✅ Leverages their unique strengths

Practice Space¶

Create a prompt that: - Encourages creative thinking beyond standard solutions - Considers their unique situation and assets - Provides diverse types of solutions - Includes implementation guidance - Addresses budget constraints

Sample Solution¶

You are a creative business consultant specializing in helping small restaurants adapt to changing market conditions. You excel at finding innovative solutions that leverage existing assets rather than requiring major investments.

CHALLENGE ANALYSIS:
Family Italian restaurant facing 30% weekday customer decline due to business district going remote. Traditional lunch crowd has disappeared.

RESTAURANT ASSETS:
- 15-year reputation for authenticity
- Warm, family atmosphere
- Proven evening/weekend success
- $500 monthly marketing budget
- Established customer relationships

CREATIVE SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS:
1. Think beyond typical restaurant marketing (discounts, social media ads)
2. Consider how to use their space differently during slow times
3. Leverage their authenticity and family connection
4. Address the root cause: missing business district workers
5. Build on existing strengths rather than trying to be something new

SOLUTION CATEGORIES TO EXPLORE:
- Space utilization innovations
- Community partnership opportunities
- Service model adaptations
- Revenue stream diversification
- Customer experience enhancements

For each solution provide:
- Core concept and implementation steps
- Estimated startup costs and timeline
- Success metrics to track
- How it leverages their existing strengths
- Specific actions they can take this month

THINK CREATIVELY:
What if this restaurant became more than just a place to eat lunch? What if they solved other problems for their community? What unique value can a family Italian restaurant provide that chain competitors cannot?

Generate 5-7 innovative solutions with implementation details.

Lab Conclusion: Building Your Prompting Toolkit¶

Reflection Questions¶

After completing these exercises, consider:

Which techniques felt most natural? Start with these in your real work
Where did you struggle most? These are areas for continued practice
What patterns emerged in your successful prompts? Note these for future use
How can you adapt these examples to your industry/role?

Your Personal Prompting Checklist¶

Based on this lab, create your own checklist:

Before writing any prompt, I will: - [ ] Define the role/expertise I need from AI - [ ] Specify my audience and context - [ ] Include examples when helpful - [ ] Ask for reasoning, not just answers - [ ] Set clear success criteria

For complex tasks, I will: - [ ] Break the task into smaller parts - [ ] Use chain of thought reasoning - [ ] Consider multiple perspectives - [ ] Ask for specific implementation steps - [ ] Plan to iterate and improve

Next Steps in Your Prompting Journey¶

Immediate actions: 1. Choose one exercise that relates to your work and try it with a real scenario 2. Save the prompt templates that worked best for you 3. Practice one advanced technique daily for the next week

Ongoing development: - Keep a "prompt journal" of what works and what doesn't - Share successful prompts with colleagues - Experiment with combining different techniques - Stay curious and keep iterating

Key Takeaways from the Lab¶

Practice builds intuition - The more you prompt, the more natural it becomes
Context is everything - Generic prompts get generic responses
Iteration is normal - Don't expect perfect prompts on the first try
Structure beats improvisation - Frameworks like CLEAR consistently work better
Specificity wins - Detailed prompts get better, more useful responses

Troubleshooting Common Lab Challenges¶

"My prompts are too long"¶

Start with core elements: role, task, context
Add details only when the basic version doesn't work
Use bullet points and clear structure

"AI responses are still generic"¶

Add more specific context about your situation
Include constraints and requirements
Ask for examples rather than general principles

"I don't know if my prompt is good"¶

Test it! Run the prompt and evaluate the response
Ask: "Could I actually use this output?"
Compare responses from different prompt versions

"Advanced techniques feel awkward"¶

Start with one technique at a time
Master basic structure first
Practice with low-stakes scenarios

Congratulations! You've completed Module 1 and built a solid foundation in prompting. You now understand how AI works, how to structure effective prompts, advanced techniques for complex tasks, how to improve reasoning, and you've practiced with real scenarios.

Coming up in Module 2: We'll explore the broader AI landscape and learn how to choose the right AI tool for different tasks.