Renewed Ambition’s AI Basics · Lesson 3 of 7
Goal: Write clear requests (prompts) that get useful answers on the first or second try.
What you type into an AI tool is called a prompt. Better prompts get better answers. You do not need special words — just be clear, like you are giving directions to a helpful coworker.
The 4-part prompt: WHO · WHAT · WHY · HOW
| Part | Ask yourself | Example |
|---|---|---|
| WHO | Who should the AI act like? | “Act like a job coach…” |
| WHAT | What exactly do I need? | “…help me write a resume…” |
| WHY | What is it for? What do they need to know about me? | “…for a warehouse job. I have forklift experience and I am returning to work after 8 years.” |
| HOW | How should the answer look? | “Keep it to one page and use simple words.” |
Make it better with follow-ups
- “Make it shorter.”
- “Explain that like I am new to this.”
- “Give me 3 different versions.”
- “What questions should I ask you to make this better?”
- “Turn this into a checklist.”
Weak prompt vs. strong prompt
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| “Help with job.” | “Act like a job coach. Give me 5 interview questions for a forklift operator job and good sample answers. I have a gap in my work history.” |
| “Budget.” | “Help me make a simple monthly budget. I earn $2,200 a month. Rent is $700. I want to save $100 a month. Show it as a table.” |
Try it
- Write one weak prompt, then rewrite it using WHO · WHAT · WHY · HOW.
- Put both into ChatGPT or Claude. Compare the answers.
- Ask one follow-up to improve the better answer.
Check your understanding
1. What is a prompt?
The question or request you type or say to an AI tool.
2. What are the 4 parts of a strong prompt?
WHO (role), WHAT (task), WHY (purpose and details), HOW (format).
3. Name one follow-up you can use.
“Make it shorter,” “Explain it more simply,” “Give me 3 versions,” or “Turn it into a checklist.”
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