Before we assign the AI, what do we need to clarify?
AI is not usually lacking in capability because it lacks what you're holding in your head: context, limits and standards of a good output.
This month's sales analysis helped me.
What's wrong with this output?
2. Mental model: CONTEXT → CONSTRAINTS → GOOD OUTPUT
Brief AI like you brief a new analyst on the team.
Three managers may need three different insights.
| Store | Sales vs LY | Margin vs LY | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | +8% | -4% | +10% |
| B | -3% | +2% | -8% |
If the audience is the Operational Director, what context is useful?
AI says sales are up because of promotion.
But you don't have the promotion margin or the promotion mix data yet.
What should you do?
Constraint is a business rule. You don't want AI to decide for itself.
- Don't consider correlation to be causation.
- Not choosing the right source when the source is conflicting.
- Don't take missing value as 0.
- Not changing the forecast.
- Don't add a recommendation to yourself without evidence.
Is there a business rule or assumption I'm holding in my head that AI can't know for itself?
Give me insight that's not the definition of a good output.
Give me some insight into six stores.
Give me the three most important insights for Operations Directors.
- What happened?
- Supporting data
- It's not clear yet.
- Questions to Consider
Why is the second version better?
7. Not a prompt. Do you know what to brief?
What does AI need to know to understand?
What can't AI assume?
What does a useful answer look like?
Write it down in your own words.
8. Upgrade a weak prompt to a task brief
The original prompt
Step 1 · Context
Step two · Constraints
Step 3 · Good output
9. Before vs After
Sales is on a positive trend, so we should continue with the current operations.
Store A increased sales by 8% and traffic by 10%, but margin decreased by 4%. Growth is not yet translated into profitability. There is not enough data to conclude the cause; it needs to be checked promotion mix and ASP.
The most important improvement?
10. Write your 30-second AI Task Brief
Choose a real job you'll assign to the AI in the job.