Four Modes Prompts
Prompts from the Four Modes framework by Tey Bannerman.
Preparing for an important meeting
When to use
You're walking into a meeting underprepared. There's background material you haven't fully processed. You need to understand the key issues, not all the details.
Principles
- Specify what kind of meeting this is and what decisions might be made
- Specify what you need to have a view on vs. what's just context
- Ask for gaps - what might come up that isn't in the documents
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a generic summary. Without knowing what matters to you, everything gets equal weight. A summary of everything is a summary of nothing.
Where your judgement matters
You know the room: who has influence, what's politically sensitive, and which issues to tread carefully around. AI can surface what's in the documents but can't tell you which points to emphasise based on who you're sitting across from.
Tags
meetings, preparation, synthesis, time-pressure
Making sense of customer feedback
When to use
You have more feedback than you can reasonably read. You need themes and patterns, not individual responses. You want to walk away with a clear picture of what customers are actually saying.
Principles
- Specify what decisions this feedback will inform
- Ask for themes ranked by frequency and intensity, not just listed
- Request direct quotes that best represent each theme
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Dumping in the data without context. If you don't say what you're looking for, you'll get a generic theme list that doesn't help you make decisions.
Where your judgement matters
You know your product roadmap, your team's capacity, and what's feasible to act on. Patterns in the data are only useful if you apply the business judgement to decide which ones are worth pursuing.
Tags
feedback, customers, analysis, patterns, data
Summarising a long document or report
When to use
Someone's sent you a long document. You don't have time to read it end-to-end, but you need to understand it well enough to act on it or discuss it.
Principles
- Specify your role and why you're reading this - it changes what matters
- Ask for a layered summary: headline, key points, then detail
- Request the 'so what' - not just what it says, but what it means for you
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking 'summarise this'. Without knowing your angle, everything gets equal weight. Specify what you care about and the priorities shift accordingly.
Where your judgement matters
You know why this document matters and what decisions depend on it. The same report means very different things depending on your role and what you're about to do with the information.
Suggested tools
Tags
summary, documents, reports, reading, time-saving
Catching up on a project you've been away from
When to use
You're returning to something after time away. There's been activity you haven't followed. You need to understand what changed, what decisions were made, and what's coming up.
Principles
- Include the project context and your last known state
- Ask what changed, what was decided, and what's unresolved
- Focus on what you need to know to be useful in the next conversation
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Not anchoring where you left off. Without that, you'll get basics re-explained and waste time on things you already know.
Where your judgement matters
You know the team dynamics and the unspoken context behind decisions. Summaries of what changed don't capture why it changed or what tensions are simmering under the surface.
Suggested tools
Tags
catch-up, project, returning, updates, context
Understanding a new domain quickly
When to use
You don't need to become an expert, but you need to be conversant. You're about to work with people who know this domain well, and you need to keep up.
Principles
- Be honest about your starting level - specificity here shapes what you get back
- Ask for the mental model, not just facts
- Request the vocabulary - the words that mark you as someone who gets it
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for 'an overview'. You'll get a Wikipedia-style answer. Instead, share why you're learning this and what counts as 'good enough' for your purposes.
Where your judgement matters
You're the one who'll be in the room using this knowledge. Only you can judge when your understanding is solid enough for your specific purpose and when you're still bluffing.
Suggested tools
Tags
learning, new-domain, onboarding, knowledge, upskilling
Analysing competitor activity
When to use
You've gathered information about competitors - announcements, product changes, market moves - and need to turn it into insight rather than just a list of things they've done.
Principles
- Include your strategic context, not just the competitor data
- Ask for implications, not just descriptions
- Request the 'so what' for your specific position
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a list of what competitors are doing. That's data, not insight. You want their moves connected to your strategy.
Where your judgement matters
You know your company's real strengths and weaknesses, not just the ones on the strategy deck. Competitor analysis only becomes useful when filtered through your understanding of what your organisation can actually do in response.
Suggested tools
Tags
competitors, strategy, analysis, market, intelligence
Extracting insights from data or spreadsheets
When to use
You're staring at rows and columns and can't see the story. The data is there but you need help finding the patterns, outliers, and implications.
Principles
- Specify what business question the data should answer
- Specify what 'interesting' means to you - trends, outliers, comparisons
- Ask for the story, not just the statistics
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Uploading data without a question. 'Analyse this spreadsheet' will give you a stats textbook answer. Specify what decision the data needs to inform.
Where your judgement matters
You know the business context behind the numbers and whether a pattern is a genuine insight or a data quality problem. Statistical significance and business significance are not the same thing.
Tags
data, spreadsheets, analysis, insights, numbers
Making sense of a contract or policy document
When to use
Someone's sent you a contract, terms of service, or policy document. It's dense, full of jargon, and you need to know what it actually commits you to before you sign or act.
Principles
- Specify your role - are you signing, reviewing, advising?
- Ask for obligations and risks, not just a summary
- Request anything unusual or non-standard compared to what you'd expect
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a summary of the whole document. You'll get legal language rephrased slightly. Instead, specify what you care about and ask for the clauses that affect you.
Where your judgement matters
AI can explain what clauses mean in plain language, but cannot provide legal advice for your specific situation. Verify anything that affects your rights or obligations with a qualified professional, and check that the interpretation matches your jurisdiction.
Suggested tools
Tags
contracts, legal, policy, documents, risk
Distilling a long email thread into what matters
When to use
You've been CC'd into a long thread, or you're joining a conversation late. People have been going back and forth and you need to extract what was decided, what's still open, and what you need to do.
Principles
- Specify why you're reading this thread
- Ask for decisions and actions, not a play-by-play
- Request anything that specifically needs your input
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a summary of each email. You don't need a chronological replay. You need the outcome and whether you need to act.
Where your judgement matters
You know the relationships, the history between the people involved, and the subtext that doesn't appear in the words. What someone wrote and what they meant are often very different things.
Suggested tools
Tags
email, threads, catch-up, decisions, prioritisation
Turning research into a recommendation
When to use
You've gathered information from multiple sources - articles, interviews, data, reports. You can see themes forming but you need help pulling it together into something that actually recommends a direction.
Principles
- Share all your raw material - notes, links, fragments
- Specify what decision your recommendation will feed into
- Separate what the evidence says from what you should do
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking to 'write up my research'. That gives you a report, not a recommendation. Be clear that you want a point of view, not a literature review.
Where your judgement matters
Your recommendation needs to reflect what your audience will actually accept, not just what the evidence suggests. The politics, the budget, and the timing all shape whether the right answer is also the feasible one.
Suggested tools
Tags
research, recommendation, synthesis, evidence, decision
Stuck on a problem you've been circling
When to use
You've been thinking about this for a while. Your instincts keep pulling you toward the same 2-3 options. You need to break out of your own defaults.
Principles
- Share your current thinking so what you've already considered is clear
- Explicitly ask for counterintuitive or unexpected options
- Request quantity first, quality second - you can filter later
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for 'the best solution'. You're in Expansion mode - you want more options, not fewer. Diverge first, converge later.
Where your judgement matters
You know the constraints that aren't obvious from the outside: budget limits, team dynamics, technical debt, political sensitivities. The best idea on paper might be impossible in your specific context.
Tags
stuck, creative, brainstorm, options, problem-solving
Brainstorming campaign or creative ideas
When to use
You're in the early stages of creative development. You need volume and variety. The brief exists but the ideas don't yet.
Principles
- Share the brief, audience, and any constraints upfront
- Ask for ideas across different dimensions - tone, format, channel, angle
- Explicitly forbid the obvious to force creativity
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Being too vague ('give me some marketing ideas') or too narrow ('write me a LinkedIn post'). You want the sweet spot - enough direction to be relevant, enough freedom to be surprising.
Where your judgement matters
You know your brand's real personality, your audience's sensitivities, and what your team can actually execute. Creative ideas need your taste and judgement to become viable campaigns.
Tags
creative, campaign, marketing, ideas, brainstorm
Finding new angles on a strategy
When to use
You have a working strategy but it feels like it's missing something. You're not starting from scratch - you're looking for the angles you can't see from where you're standing.
Principles
- Share your current strategy so that 'different' means something specific
- Push for different perspectives - customer, competitor, adjacent industry
- Request the uncomfortable questions, not just new ideas
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for validation of your existing strategy. If you want new angles, you have to invite disagreement. Frame it as stress-testing, not approval-seeking.
Where your judgement matters
You know what your organisation can realistically pull off and what would be dead on arrival. Provocative ideas are only useful if you can judge which ones are worth fighting for.
Suggested tools
Tags
strategy, planning, perspectives, innovation, thinking
Generating options for a difficult conversation
When to use
The conversation is important and you're stuck on how to frame it. You're not ready to draft what you'll say - you're still figuring out your approach.
Principles
- Share the relationship dynamics and stakes
- Ask for multiple framings, not just one 'best' approach
- Include what you want to preserve as well as what you want to change
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Jumping straight to drafting the conversation. In Expansion mode, you're exploring approaches, not producing scripts. Figure out your angle first, then switch to Execute mode to draft it.
Where your judgement matters
You know the person, the relationship history, and the emotional dynamics at play. The right approach depends on subtleties that only someone who knows both people can weigh.
Tags
conversation, difficult, approaches, framing, options
Exploring different ways to structure something
When to use
You know the content but not the container. The information is there but the way you've arranged it isn't landing. You need to see different structural options.
Principles
- Share what you have and why you think the structure isn't working
- Ask for structures from different domains - not just your usual format
- Request the logic behind each structure, not just the outline
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Tweaking the existing structure instead of exploring properly different ones. If you keep rearranging the same sections, you're editing, not expanding. Step back and ask for an entirely different approach.
Where your judgement matters
You know your audience's attention span, their prior knowledge, and what they need to take away. The right structure depends on the room, not just the content.
Tags
structure, organisation, presentation, writing, format
Breaking out of 'the way we always do it'
When to use
You can feel the gravitational pull of 'how we've always done it'. You want to explore alternatives before the next iteration locks in the same approach.
Principles
- Name the current approach explicitly - you can't break a pattern you haven't defined
- Ask how other industries or contexts solve the same underlying problem
- Request the trade-offs of each alternative, not just the benefits
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking to improve the existing process. That's incremental. If you want to actually break the pattern, ask for alternatives to the entire approach, not tweaks.
Where your judgement matters
You know your team's appetite for change and what will actually get adopted. An alternative that nobody uses is worse than a familiar process that everyone follows.
Suggested tools
Tags
innovation, process, change, alternatives, fresh-thinking
Naming something - a project, product, or initiative
When to use
Naming is one of those tasks that seems small but eats hours. You've been through the obvious options. You need volume and variety to find something that sticks.
Principles
- Share the brief: what is this thing, who's it for, what should the name evoke?
- Include what you've already rejected and why
- Ask for names across different styles - descriptive, metaphorical, abstract, playful
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Evaluating names as you go. In Expansion mode, collect first, judge later. A name that sounds odd at first might grow on you.
Where your judgement matters
Names carry cultural associations, internal politics, and emotional weight that depend entirely on your specific context. The shortlist is easy; the final choice requires your instinct.
Tags
naming, branding, creative, product, project
Designing workshop or offsite activities
When to use
You know the objectives for the session but you're stuck on format. You don't want another sticky-note brainstorm or breakout group that goes nowhere.
Principles
- Share the objectives, group size, time available, and energy level
- Explicitly ban formats you've overused
- Ask for activities that produce tangible outputs, not just discussion
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Defaulting to 'brainstorm in groups of 4'. There's nothing wrong with brainstorming, but if it's your only format you'll get the same dynamics every time. Push for variety.
Where your judgement matters
You know the group dynamics, energy levels, and interpersonal tensions in the room. Activities that work brilliantly with one team can fall completely flat with another.
Tags
workshop, offsite, facilitation, activities, team
Generating interview questions for a role
When to use
You have a role to fill and standard questions aren't cutting it. You want questions that get past rehearsed answers and show you how someone actually thinks and works.
Principles
- Share the role, the team, and what success looks like in the first 6 months
- Ask for behavioural and situational questions, not just competency-based ones
- Request questions that test for the specific challenges of this role
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for standard competency questions. You'll get answers candidates have rehearsed. The best interview questions are specific to your context and don't have an obvious 'right' answer.
Where your judgement matters
You're the one who'll be reading the room and assessing the answers. Questions are a starting point; the real evaluation happens in the follow-up, the body language, and the things candidates don't say.
Tags
hiring, interviews, questions, recruitment, team
Finding analogies to explain something complex
When to use
You're trying to explain something technical, abstract, or counterintuitive to someone who doesn't share your expertise. You need a bridge from their world to yours.
Principles
- Specify who you're explaining to and what they already understand
- Ask for analogies from the audience's domain, not yours
- Request multiple options - the right analogy depends on the person
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Using analogies from your own domain. If you explain software architecture using construction metaphors to other engineers, you're preaching to the choir. Use analogies from the listener's world.
Where your judgement matters
You know your audience. The analogy that makes something click for one person might confuse another. Test the options with someone similar to your real audience before committing.
Tags
communication, analogies, explanation, teaching, simplifying
Stress-testing a decision before you commit
When to use
You have a recommendation or decision. It feels right, but you're not sure what you might be missing. You want the hard questions before someone else asks them.
Principles
- Share your reasoning, not just your conclusion
- Ask for the strongest counterarguments, not just any objections
- Request specific risks, not generic concerns
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Getting defensive when the challenge is good. The point isn't to win the argument - it's to strengthen your thinking before it counts.
Where your judgement matters
The final call is yours. Counterarguments and risks are useful inputs, but weighing them against your priorities, your values, and your appetite for risk is something no one else can do for you.
Tags
decision, challenge, prepare, risks, presentation
Preparing for a tough Q&A or presentation
When to use
You're presenting to stakeholders, a board, clients, or anyone who'll push back. You know your material but you don't know what they'll ask. You want to walk in having already faced the worst questions.
Principles
- Specify who the audience is and what they care about
- Push for the toughest questions in the room
- Practice your answers out loud, not just in your head
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Only preparing for the questions you expect. The point of this exercise is to find the questions you haven't thought of. Push for adversarial questioning.
Where your judgement matters
You know the audience: their history with similar proposals, their unspoken concerns, and what they're really pushing back on. Prepared answers only work if they address what the room actually cares about.
Tags
presentation, Q&A, preparation, stakeholders, rehearsal
Challenging your own assumptions
When to use
You're quite sure about something and that's what worries you. You want to check whether your confidence is earned or whether you've just stopped questioning.
Principles
- State your belief or assumption clearly - make it specific enough to test
- Look for the conditions under which you'd be wrong
- Be open to updating your view
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Framing your belief as a fact. If you present it as settled, you'll get agreement, not challenge. Frame it as a hypothesis you want to test.
Where your judgement matters
This exercise is only as valuable as your willingness to genuinely change your mind. If you're going through the motions to confirm what you already believe, you're wasting your own time.
Tags
assumptions, bias, critical-thinking, beliefs, testing
Running a pre-mortem on a plan
When to use
You're about to kick off a project or initiative. The plan looks good on paper. You want to imagine what failure looks like so you can prevent it.
Principles
- Share the full plan, not just the highlights
- Start from the assumption it has already failed - then work backwards
- Focus on the most likely failures, not just the most dramatic
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for risks in the abstract. A pre-mortem works because it forces concrete, specific failure stories. 'What could go wrong?' is weaker than 'It failed - why?'
Where your judgement matters
You know the team, the politics, and the hidden dependencies that no outsider can see. The most dangerous failures are the ones that look obvious in hindsight but rely on institutional knowledge to predict.
Tags
planning, risks, pre-mortem, prevention, project
Getting ready for a difficult conversation
When to use
The conversation has stakes - someone might get defensive, emotional, or resistant. You want to anticipate their reactions and plan your approach.
Principles
- Share the other person's likely perspective, not just yours
- Roleplay the other side of the conversation
- Focus on what could derail the conversation, not just what you want to say
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Only preparing your side. The conversation will be shaped by their reaction, not your plan. Spend as much time thinking about their perspective as yours.
Where your judgement matters
You know the person and the relationship. How you read the room in the moment, when to push and when to pause, depends on emotional intelligence that can't be scripted in advance.
Tags
conversation, preparation, conflict, stakeholder, difficult
Testing your understanding of a new topic
When to use
You've read about or been briefed on something new. You could explain it, but you're not sure your explanation would survive scrutiny. You want to find the holes in your understanding.
Principles
- Explain what you think you know - don't ask for an explanation
- Look for the gaps, misconceptions, and oversimplifications
- Request the questions that would expose shallow understanding
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking to be taught. In Reflection mode, you're testing yourself, not learning for the first time. If you need to learn, switch to Compression mode first.
Where your judgement matters
Only you can honestly assess whether something has genuinely clicked or you're just recognising the vocabulary. Being truthful about what you don't understand is the hardest and most valuable part of this exercise.
Suggested tools
Tags
learning, understanding, testing, knowledge, gaps
Reviewing your own writing before you send it
When to use
You've drafted something - an email, a report, a proposal - and it's going to an audience that matters. You want someone to tell you what's not landing before the real audience does.
Principles
- Specify who the audience is and what reaction you want
- Ask for honest criticism, not copy-editing
- Specify what you're most worried about - tone, clarity, persuasiveness, length
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a proofread. Grammar and spelling aren't what you need at this stage. You need to know whether this works - whether it's clear, persuasive, and right for the audience.
Where your judgement matters
You know your audience personally, the organisational context, and the subtext. Whether the tone is right for this specific person at this specific moment is something only you can judge.
Tags
writing, review, editing, feedback, quality
Evaluating a vendor or partner proposal
When to use
You've received a proposal, pitch, or partnership offer. It looks attractive but you want to check what you might be missing. You need to separate the sales pitch from the substance.
Principles
- Share the full proposal and your evaluation criteria
- Look for what's missing, not just what's there
- Request comparison with what 'good' looks like in this category
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking whether it's a good proposal in the abstract. Without knowing what matters to you and what alternatives you have, 'good enough' is meaningless. Share your criteria.
Where your judgement matters
You know your alternatives, your negotiating position, and what your organisation actually needs versus what looks impressive on a slide. Red flags depend on context that only you have.
Suggested tools
Tags
vendor, proposal, evaluation, procurement, partnership
Getting a second opinion on feedback you're about to give
When to use
You have feedback for a colleague, direct report, or collaborator. You think you're being fair, but you want to check your framing before you deliver it. The goal is feedback they can act on, not feedback that makes them defensive.
Principles
- Share the feedback and the context - what happened, what you expected, what you observed
- Read it from the recipient's perspective
- Check whether your feedback is specific enough to act on
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Testing whether your feedback is 'nice enough'. The question isn't whether it's comfortable - it's whether it's clear, fair, and actionable. Kind feedback can still be direct.
Where your judgement matters
You know the full history with this person, their circumstances, and what they're capable of changing. Whether feedback is fair, well-timed, and proportionate requires your knowledge of the whole picture.
Tags
feedback, management, people, communication, leadership
Making a decision with incomplete information
When to use
The deadline is approaching or the window is closing, and you still don't have everything you'd want. You need to think clearly about what you know, what you don't, and whether waiting will actually help.
Principles
- Map out explicitly what you know versus what you're guessing
- Ask what additional information would actually change your decision
- Consider the cost of waiting versus the cost of being wrong
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Waiting for perfect information. Sometimes the cost of delay is higher than the cost of being wrong. Ask yourself: would more data actually change my decision, or am I just procrastinating?
Where your judgement matters
This is fundamentally about your risk tolerance and your accountability for the outcome. Information can inform the decision, but the courage to commit with imperfect data is entirely yours.
Suggested tools
Tags
decisions, uncertainty, risk, judgement, leadership
Pressure-testing a hiring decision
When to use
You like a candidate but you're not sure if that's because they're right for the role or because they interviewed well. You want to separate the signal from the charm.
Principles
- Share your evaluation criteria and how each candidate performed against them
- Push for challenge, not confirmation
- Consider what you're optimising for - skills, potential, culture, or speed
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Looking for the decision to be made for you. That's not possible without being in the room. What you can do is surface the blind spots in your reasoning and make sure you're not just going with your gut.
Where your judgement matters
You've met these candidates in person. Reasoning can be checked, but your intuition about energy, culture fit, and potential is built from human interaction that no transcript fully captures.
Tags
hiring, decisions, recruitment, team, bias
Drafting a difficult message
When to use
The thinking is done. You know the message. But the blank page is intimidating, or you're worried about tone, or you've rewritten the opening five times.
Principles
- Share the context and relationship dynamics
- Specify the tone you're aiming for
- Give an example of your voice if possible
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Skipping the context. Without the relationship and stakes, you'll get something generic that doesn't fit.
Where your judgement matters
You know the relationship, the history, and how this person reads tone. Read the draft as if you're the recipient before sending. If you're unsure whether it lands right, sleep on it.
Suggested tools
Tags
email, communication, difficult conversations, drafting
Writing a project brief or proposal
When to use
You know what you want to do and why. Now you need to package it for an audience - a manager, a client, a funding committee. The thinking is done; the writing isn't.
Principles
- Share who will read this and what they need to approve or support
- Start with your raw thinking - bullet points, notes, fragments are fine
- Specify the format and length expected
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Starting without your actual thinking. You'll get plausible content that isn't grounded in reality. Supply the substance; let the structure and polish come after.
Where your judgement matters
You know the unwritten rules of what gets approved in your organisation. A brief can be perfectly structured and still fail if the political framing doesn't match what your audience needs to hear.
Suggested tools
Tags
writing, proposal, brief, project, stakeholders
Creating a presentation outline
When to use
You have a presentation to give. You know your material. But turning knowledge into a clear story with slides is a different skill. You need a starting structure.
Principles
- Specify the audience, time slot, and desired outcome
- Share your key messages - what must the audience remember?
- Ask for slide-by-slide structure with speaking notes
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for slides. The value here is narrative structure, not visual design. Get the outline and flow right, then build the slides yourself.
Where your judgement matters
You know the room: their patience, their prior beliefs, and what they're expecting. A great structure still needs your read of the audience to land properly.
Tags
presentation, slides, outline, speaking, structure
Producing meeting notes and actions
When to use
You've just come out of a meeting. You have raw notes, maybe a transcript. You need to produce something useful before you forget the context.
Principles
- Start with your raw notes - they don't need to be clean
- Specify the format your team expects for meeting notes
- Ask for decisions and actions to be pulled out separately
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Waiting too long after the meeting. Your raw notes make more sense to you right now than they will tomorrow. Process them quickly while the context is fresh.
Where your judgement matters
You were in the room. You know what the pauses meant, who was reluctant, and what was agreed in principle versus what was actually committed to. Accuracy is your responsibility.
Tags
meetings, notes, actions, follow-up, documentation
Formatting and structuring a document
When to use
The substance exists - in your head, in bullet points, in a draft that reads like a brain dump. You need it formatted, structured, and polished without losing your voice or meaning.
Principles
- Start with your raw content and specify the target format
- Specify what the document needs to achieve, not just what it should look like
- Specify any templates, brand guidelines, or structural requirements
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Getting new content instead of structured content. You want structure and polish, not new substance. Be explicit: 'use my content, don't add new points.'
Where your judgement matters
Read the finished version as if you're seeing it for the first time. Does it still sound like you? Does it say what you actually mean? Polish should clarify your thinking, not replace it.
Suggested tools
Tags
formatting, structure, document, polish, writing
Writing social copy or content
When to use
You know the message and the audience. The strategy is set. Now you need to actually write the thing - and it needs to sound like you (or your brand), not a robot.
Principles
- Share examples of your brand voice or past content that nailed the tone
- Specify the platform - what works on LinkedIn doesn't work on Twitter
- Bring the substance; delegate the craft
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Not sharing your voice. Without examples of how you write, you'll get generic 'content marketing' tone. Include your best past work and say 'sound like this.'
Where your judgement matters
You know your audience, your brand's real voice, and what might land badly in the current moment. Review everything before posting. What reads well in a draft can look very different in context.
Tags
social media, content, copywriting, marketing, writing
Writing a job description
When to use
You know what you need in a hire but translating that into a job description that actually works is harder than it should be. You want something that sounds like a real person wrote it.
Principles
- Specify the role, the team, and what success looks like
- Be specific about what the person will actually do day-to-day
- Ask for a tone that matches your team's culture, not corporate HR-speak
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Copying a generic template and tweaking it. Generic job descriptions attract generic applications. The more specific and honest you are, the better the candidates you'll get.
Where your judgement matters
You know the team dynamics, the real challenges, and what you're genuinely willing to compromise on. Make sure the description honestly represents the role, not an idealised version that leads to mismatched hires.
Tags
hiring, job description, recruitment, writing, team
Turning a conversation into a follow-up email
When to use
A phone call, a corridor chat, a video call that wasn't recorded. Things were discussed and agreed but nothing is written down. You need to get it into an email while it's still fresh.
Principles
- Write your notes immediately - even messy bullet points are fine
- Specify the tone and relationship
- Be clear about what's a record of the conversation vs. what you're proposing
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing from scratch instead of from notes. Without your raw input, there's nothing real to work from - even a messy list is better than nothing.
Where your judgement matters
You were there. The accuracy of what was discussed, what was agreed, and what was merely floated depends entirely on your memory and honesty. Get it right, because this email becomes the record.
Suggested tools
Tags
email, follow-up, meetings, documentation, actions
Creating onboarding or handover documentation
When to use
You're handing off a project, onboarding a new team member, or documenting how something works before you move on. The knowledge is in your head and it needs to be somewhere useful.
Principles
- Focus on what the new person needs to know, not everything you know
- Include the unwritten rules and context, not just the processes
- Structure your brain dump into something navigable
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing a process manual. What people actually need when they're new isn't a list of procedures - it's context, judgement calls, and the stuff that isn't written down anywhere. Include the human side.
Where your judgement matters
You know the shortcuts, the workarounds, and the politics that no process document captures. The most valuable handover information is usually the stuff that's hardest to write down.
Suggested tools
Tags
onboarding, handover, documentation, knowledge, team
Writing a status update or progress report
When to use
Your manager, your client, or your stakeholders want to know what's happening. You know the status but turning it into a clear, useful update feels like a chore.
Principles
- Lead with what changed since the last update, not a full recap
- Be honest about blockers - vague updates erode trust faster than bad news
- Specify who's reading this and what they care about
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing an activity log instead of a status update. Nobody cares what you did - they care what it means. 'Completed 12 user interviews' is an activity. 'User research surfaced three critical usability issues' is a status.
Where your judgement matters
You know what your audience can handle, what level of transparency is appropriate, and what they need to hear versus what they want to hear. The editorial judgement on what to emphasise is yours.
Suggested tools
Tags
reporting, status, updates, communication, stakeholders
Writing performance review feedback
When to use
You've got performance reviews to write. You know what you want to say but putting it into writing that's specific, fair, and useful takes longer than it should.
Principles
- Include specific examples, not general impressions
- Cover strengths and development areas with equal specificity
- Include your organisation's review format and rating system
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing vague praise ('great team player') or vague criticism ('could improve communication'). Neither is actionable. Every point should have a specific example and a clear 'keep doing this' or 'try this instead'.
Where your judgement matters
You've observed this person's work firsthand. The substance of the review, whether the feedback is fair, accurate, and balanced, is your responsibility. Framing helps, but the truth has to come from you.
Suggested tools
Tags
performance, reviews, feedback, management, HR
Building a dashboard or report from raw data
When to use
You're sitting on data that could answer important questions, but it's raw and unstructured. You need a dashboard, chart, or report that makes the patterns visible and the insights obvious.
Principles
- Start with the questions the dashboard needs to answer, not the data you have
- Specify who will read this and what decisions they'll make from it
- Define what 'good' looks like - real-time monitoring, monthly snapshot, or one-off analysis
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Starting with charts instead of questions. A dashboard full of graphs that don't answer specific questions is just decoration. Start with what decisions the data needs to inform.
Where your judgement matters
You know what decisions this dashboard needs to drive and how your audience actually uses data. A beautiful chart that nobody looks at is worse than an ugly spreadsheet that everyone checks daily.
Tags
data, dashboard, visualisation, reporting, analytics
Designing a visual asset or social post
When to use
The message is clear. The brief exists. Now you need something that looks good enough to publish, share, or present. You're not designing from scratch - you're turning a brief into a finished visual.
Principles
- Start with the message and audience, not the format
- Provide brand guidelines, colours, or examples of what 'good' looks like
- Specify where this will appear - the context shapes the design
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Starting without a clear message. A beautiful visual that doesn't communicate anything is wasted effort. Nail the message first, then design around it.
Where your judgement matters
You know your brand's visual identity and what will resonate with your specific audience. Review the output against your brand guidelines and check that it communicates what you intended, not just what looks good.
Tags
design, visual, social media, graphics, branding
Organising a workflow or tracking system
When to use
Things are falling through the cracks. The process exists but it's not visible, trackable, or shareable. You need to turn a messy workflow into something your team can actually follow and maintain.
Principles
- Map the current process before building the system - you can't organise what you haven't defined
- Start with the minimum viable workflow, not the perfect one
- Design for the people who'll use it daily, not the people who'll review it occasionally
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Over-engineering the system before people are using it. Start simple, see what's actually needed, then add complexity. A system nobody maintains is worse than no system at all.
Where your judgement matters
You know how your team actually works versus how the org chart says they work. The best system is the one people will use. Design for real behaviour, not ideal behaviour.
Suggested tools
Tags
workflow, tracking, systems, process, organisation
Practising for a job interview
When to use
You've got an interview lined up and you want more than just reading a list of common questions. You want to practise out loud, hear what works and what doesn't, and refine your answers before the real thing.
Principles
- Share the role, company, and what you know about the interview format
- Practise answering questions in real time rather than just reading model answers
- Ask for specific feedback on what landed and what fell flat after each round
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Reading lists of sample answers instead of practising your own. Knowing what a good answer looks like isn't the same as being able to deliver one under pressure. Practise speaking, not reading.
Where your judgement matters
Only you know your genuine stories, what makes you distinctive, and what actually motivates you. Practise sharpens delivery, but the substance needs to be authentically yours or it won't hold up under follow-up questions.
Tags
interview, job, preparation, practice, career
Writing a formal letter to a company or organisation
When to use
You need to put something in writing. Maybe you're requesting a refund, notifying a landlord, updating an account, or responding to a letter you've received. The tone needs to be professional but you're not sure how to structure it.
Principles
- Include the key facts: who you are, your account or reference number, what you want
- Specify the tone you're after: firm, polite, urgent, or matter-of-fact
- Be clear about what outcome you're requesting and by when
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Being too vague about what you want. A letter that describes the problem without making a specific request gives the recipient nothing to act on. Always end with a clear ask and a timeline.
Where your judgement matters
Check every date, reference number, and factual claim before sending. The structure and tone can be drafted for you, but the accuracy of your account is your responsibility.
Suggested tools
Tags
letter, formal, utilities, landlord, correspondence
Writing a complaint or dispute letter
When to use
Phone calls haven't resolved the issue. You need a written record that's clear, factual, and hard to ignore. You want to escalate without sounding unreasonable.
Principles
- Lead with facts and dates, not emotions
- Reference any consumer rights or terms that support your case
- Make a specific request: refund, replacement, apology, or next steps
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing an emotional rant instead of a factual account. Complaints that list grievances without specific dates, amounts, and requested outcomes are easy to dismiss. Be precise and make your ask undeniable.
Where your judgement matters
Verify all dates, amounts, and reference numbers before sending. Factual accuracy is what gives a complaint letter its weight. Also consider whether written escalation is the right next step given your full history with the company.
Suggested tools
Tags
complaint, dispute, consumer, escalation, letter
Structuring and drafting a university essay
When to use
You understand the topic and you've done the reading. The problem isn't knowledge, it's turning that knowledge into a structured essay with a clear argument. You need help with the outline and a strong start.
Principles
- Share the exact essay question, your reading, and your argument or thesis
- Ask for structure first, then prose
- Specify the academic level, word count, and any formatting requirements
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a finished essay. Apart from academic integrity issues, an essay in someone else's voice won't reflect your understanding. Use prompts for structure and argumentation, then write in your own words.
Where your judgement matters
The argument must be genuinely yours. Structure and scaffolding can come from anywhere, but your essay needs to reflect your understanding, your reading, and your intellectual position. Your tutors will know the difference.
Suggested tools
Tags
essay, university, academic, writing, assignment
Condensing course material for revision
When to use
You have too much material and not enough time. You need to identify what's most likely to come up, understand the core concepts, and build revision resources you can work through efficiently.
Principles
- Specify the exam format: essay, multiple choice, problem-based, open book
- Ask for material organised by concept, not by lecture order
- Focus on understanding, not memorisation: ask for explanations you can test yourself on
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Re-reading notes passively. Revision isn't about seeing the material again. Ask for test questions, flashcard-style summaries, and practice problems. Active recall beats passive reading every time.
Where your judgement matters
You know your own weak spots better than any summary can reveal. Be honest about which concepts you've genuinely understood and which ones you're just recognising the words for.
Suggested tools
Tags
revision, exams, university, studying, learning
Writing or updating a CV and cover letter
When to use
You have a specific role in mind and your current CV is either outdated, generic, or doesn't highlight the right experience. You need both documents tailored to this particular opportunity.
Principles
- Share the job description and your actual experience in detail
- Tailor to the role: the same experience can be framed very differently for different jobs
- Keep the cover letter specific to this company and this role, not a template
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Sending the same CV for every application. Every role emphasises different skills and experience. Tailoring takes 20 minutes and makes the difference between the 'yes' pile and the 'maybe' pile.
Where your judgement matters
Every claim on your CV needs to be something you can confidently discuss in an interview. Framing helps, but the substance must be truthful and the voice recognisably yours.
Suggested tools
Tags
CV, cover letter, job application, career, hiring
Comparing options for a big purchase or life decision
When to use
You've done some research but you're going in circles. Each option has trade-offs and you can't tell whether you're overthinking or genuinely missing something important.
Principles
- List your options and what you know about each
- Be honest about what matters most to you, not what 'should' matter
- Ask for the trade-offs you might not be seeing, not just a recommendation
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Researching endlessly without defining your priorities. If you don't know what matters most, more information just creates more confusion. Decide your non-negotiables first, then compare.
Where your judgement matters
You know what you'll actually use, how you'll feel about this choice in six months, and which trade-offs you can genuinely live with. Comparisons can clarify your thinking, but the priorities are personal.
Suggested tools
Tags
decision, comparison, purchase, options, everyday
Planning a trip or holiday
When to use
You're in the early stages of planning. Maybe you haven't picked a destination, or you have one but don't know what to do there. You want creative ideas and options, not a final itinerary.
Principles
- Share your constraints: dates, budget, group size, travel style
- Ask for options you haven't considered, not just the obvious ones
- Include what kind of traveller you are: adventure, culture, relaxation, food, or a mix
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a day-by-day itinerary before you've explored options. In Expansion mode, you want breadth and inspiration. Lock in the plan later once you've found what excites you.
Where your judgement matters
You know your own energy levels, your group's real preferences versus their stated ones, and what kind of trip you actually need right now. Recommendations can't account for how you'll feel after a long flight or a busy week.
Suggested tools
Tags
travel, holiday, planning, ideas, everyday
Writing a personal statement for an application
When to use
You know why you want this opportunity but putting it into 4,000 characters that sound genuine, specific, and compelling is harder than the application form suggests.
Principles
- Share your real experiences, motivations, and what you've learned, not what you think they want to hear
- Specify the programme, institution, and what they value
- Ask for structure and a draft you can rewrite in your own voice
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Opening with 'I have always been passionate about...' or any variation of that. Admissions tutors read hundreds of these. Start with something specific and personal that only you could write. Be concrete, not generic.
Where your judgement matters
This needs to sound like you, not like a well-crafted template. The experiences, motivations, and voice need to be authentically yours. Admissions readers have seen thousands of these and can spot when someone has outsourced the thinking.
Suggested tools
Tags
personal statement, university, application, UCAS, writing
Making sense of a medical diagnosis or treatment options
When to use
You've come out of a medical appointment with a lot of information and not enough clarity. You've got leaflets, printouts, or notes and you need to understand what's being proposed and what your options are.
Principles
- Share the specific terms, medications, or procedures you need explained
- Ask for plain-language explanations, not simplified ones - you want clarity, not dumbing down
- Request what questions to ask your doctor at the next appointment
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Treating the output as a second opinion. AI tools can explain terminology and help you understand what you've been told, but they're not diagnosing you or evaluating your specific case. Use this to prepare better questions, not to make clinical decisions.
Where your judgement matters
You know your body, your medical history, and your priorities. Understanding the terminology is the starting point - but decisions about your care should always involve your clinician, not just your research.
Suggested tools
Tags
health, medical, personal, understanding, jargon
Understanding your financial documents or tax situation
When to use
Something financial has arrived and you can't tell whether it's fine or whether you need to act. You want to understand what you're looking at before deciding whether you need professional help.
Principles
- Type out or describe the key figures and terms rather than uploading sensitive documents
- Ask what the numbers mean in practical terms, not just what they are
- Request a list of things that need action vs. things that are just informational
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Uploading sensitive financial documents directly. Type out the relevant sections instead. AI tools process your inputs on remote servers - treat bank statements, tax returns, and anything with account numbers as documents you describe, not documents you share.
Where your judgement matters
You know your full financial picture - other accounts, upcoming changes, dependants, risk tolerance. Understanding what a document says is step one. Deciding what to do about it should involve a qualified professional if the stakes are high.
Suggested tools
Tags
finance, personal, jargon, understanding, documents
Digesting a regulatory or compliance update
When to use
A regulatory update has come through and it's dense. You need to quickly understand what's new, what's different from before, and what you or your organisation need to do about it.
Principles
- Specify your industry, role, and what you're currently doing that might be affected
- Ask for what changed vs. what stayed the same - delta, not the full picture
- Request a timeline: what needs to happen and by when
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Reading the whole update with equal attention. Most regulatory changes are 90% unchanged boilerplate and 10% material difference. Ask for the delta, not a summary of the entire document.
Where your judgement matters
You know how your organisation actually operates, which processes are affected, and where you're already close to the line. A summary of what changed is useful, but assessing exposure and prioritising remediation requires someone who knows the business.
Suggested tools
Tags
compliance, regulation, policy, legal, updates
Catching up on an industry or topic after being offline
When to use
You've been away from the conversation for days or weeks. Things have moved on - news, developments, debates - and you need the shape of what happened, not every detail.
Principles
- Specify the timeframe and what you were last across
- Ask for significance, not just chronology - what mattered vs. what was just noise
- Request the 2-3 things you'd be embarrassed not to know in conversation
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for 'everything that happened'. You'll get a chronological dump that's no better than scrolling through your feed. Ask for significance and you'll get a much more useful picture.
Where your judgement matters
You know which developments are genuinely relevant to your work and which are just conversation starters. A catch-up gives you the landscape - you decide which parts of it actually matter for what you're doing.
Suggested tools
Tags
catch-up, industry, news, returning, context
Summarising a podcast, talk, or video you don't have time to watch
When to use
There's something you should probably watch or listen to but realistically won't. You want the key ideas and whether it's worth your full attention later.
Principles
- Share the link or title so the tool can find or work with it
- Ask for key arguments and novel ideas, not a play-by-play
- Request a 'worth watching in full?' verdict with reasoning
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a full summary of a 2-hour podcast. You'll get a wall of text that takes almost as long to read. Ask for the ideas that surprised you or challenged conventional thinking - that's where the value usually is.
Where your judgement matters
You know what's actually relevant to your work and interests. A summary can tell you what was said, but whether an idea is worth pursuing or acting on depends on context only you have.
Suggested tools
Tags
media, learning, time-saving, synthesis, content
Making sense of competing advice from multiple experts
When to use
You've gathered multiple opinions and instead of getting clearer, you're more confused. You need to understand where they agree, where they disagree, and why.
Principles
- Lay out each person's advice clearly, including their reasoning
- Ask for the underlying assumptions behind each recommendation
- Request what would need to be true for each option to be the right one
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking which expert is right. That's a decision, not a compression task. Focus on understanding the landscape of opinion first - map the disagreement before you try to resolve it.
Where your judgement matters
You know the experts' track records, their potential biases, and which of their assumptions best match your situation. Mapping the disagreement is the useful part - choosing between them is yours to do.
Tags
advice, decisions, synthesis, experts, comparison
Understanding a property listing, lease, or survey report
When to use
You've got property documents in front of you and need to understand what they're actually saying before you sign anything or make an offer. You want to know what's normal, what's unusual, and what needs a closer look.
Principles
- Specify whether you're buying, renting, or renewing - the stakes and relevant details differ
- Ask for red flags and unusual terms, not just a summary
- Request a list of questions to ask the agent, landlord, or solicitor
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Skimming the summary and assuming everything's fine. The important things in property documents are usually in the clauses nobody reads - break clauses, maintenance responsibilities, restrictive covenants. Ask specifically about those.
Where your judgement matters
You know the neighbourhood, you've seen the property, and you know what compromises you're willing to make. Understanding the documents is essential, but significant property decisions should involve a solicitor or qualified conveyancer.
Tags
property, legal, documents, personal, jargon
Processing academic papers for a literature review or research
When to use
You're doing a literature review or research synthesis. You have more papers than you can carefully read and you need to understand the shape of the field before going deep on specific sources.
Principles
- Specify your research question or angle - the same papers look different depending on what you're looking for
- Ask for agreements and disagreements across papers, not individual summaries
- Request gaps in the literature, not just what's been covered
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for individual paper summaries. You'll get a list of separate summaries with no synthesis. What you need is the map - how these papers relate to each other and to your question.
Where your judgement matters
You know your research question, your supervisor's expectations, and the disciplinary norms of your field. AI tools can help you map the territory faster, but the critical evaluation of sources and the argument you build from them is your work.
Suggested tools
Tags
academic, research, literature, synthesis, university
Making sense of a codebase or technical system you've inherited
When to use
You've joined a project, taken over from someone, or been asked to fix something in a system you didn't build. The documentation is sparse or outdated and you need a mental model of how things fit together.
Principles
- Start with what you're trying to do, not just 'explain this code'
- Ask for architecture and data flow first, implementation details second
- Request the things that would trip up a newcomer
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Pasting an entire codebase and asking 'explain this'. Start with the entry points and architecture. Once you have the mental model, you can go deep on specific components.
Where your judgement matters
You know the production context, the team's priorities, and the real-world constraints on what you can change. Understanding the code is the first step, but deciding what to touch and what to leave alone requires judgement about risk and impact.
Suggested tools
Tags
code, technical, onboarding, engineering, systems
Distilling a conference or event into what was actually worth knowing
When to use
You've been at a conference and your notes are scattered, or you missed it entirely and want to know what mattered. You need the takeaways, not a session-by-session recap.
Principles
- Specify your role and what you were hoping to learn
- Ask for themes across sessions, not summaries of individual talks
- Request what was genuinely new vs. what was the same conversation as last year
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Summarising each session separately. A conference's value is in the themes and tensions across sessions, not a list of what each speaker said. Ask for the through-lines.
Where your judgement matters
You know your industry and can tell the difference between genuine signal and conference-circuit talking points. The real takeaway is often what wasn't said, or what one speaker implied in response to another - things that require context to interpret.
Suggested tools
Tags
events, learning, synthesis, industry, networking
Analysing your sales pipeline or CRM data
When to use
You have more pipeline data than you can eyeball. You need patterns: what's moving, what's stuck, where the risk is, and what the numbers are actually telling you about performance.
Principles
- Specify what decisions this analysis will inform - forecast, resourcing, strategy
- Ask for patterns and anomalies, not just totals
- Request comparisons: this period vs. last, by segment, by stage
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a dashboard without specifying what decisions it needs to support. A summary of totals doesn't tell you what to do. Ask for patterns, risks, and anomalies - those are what drive action.
Where your judgement matters
You know the deals, the relationships, and the context behind the numbers. A deal that looks stalled in the data might have a handshake agreement behind it. Patterns are the starting point - your knowledge of the accounts is what makes the analysis useful.
Tags
sales, data, pipeline, analysis, business
Making sense of your child's school report or assessment
When to use
You've got a school report, assessment results, or educational psychologist evaluation and the language is opaque. You want to understand what it means in plain terms so you can support your child and have a useful conversation with their teacher.
Principles
- Share the specific language, levels, or codes you need translated
- Ask what the results mean relative to expectations for your child's age
- Request questions to ask at the next parent-teacher meeting
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Panicking about a single grade or comment. School reports are a snapshot, not a verdict. Ask for the overall picture and the trajectory, not just whether each individual score is 'good enough'.
Where your judgement matters
You know your child - their interests, their confidence, what lights them up and what they struggle with. A report tells you what was measured. You know the whole person behind the numbers and what kind of support they actually need.
Suggested tools
Tags
parenting, education, personal, understanding, jargon
Understanding a new tool or platform you've just started using
When to use
You've just started using a new tool and you're drowning in features, settings, and tutorials. You don't need to learn everything - you need to know the 20% that gets you 80% of the value.
Principles
- Specify what you're trying to accomplish with the tool, not just the tool itself
- Ask for the essential features and common workflows for your use case
- Request what to ignore for now - knowing what doesn't matter yet is as useful as knowing what does
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Trying to learn the entire tool before using it. You don't need to understand every feature - you need to know the workflow that matches your use case. Start narrow and expand as you go.
Where your judgement matters
You know how you actually work, what your team uses, and which integrations matter. A tool's best features are only useful if they fit into your real workflow, not a theoretical one.
Suggested tools
Tags
tools, learning, onboarding, productivity, software
Exploring career paths after a redundancy or transition
When to use
You've left a role, been made redundant, or hit a point where the default career path doesn't appeal any more. You need to see more options than 'do the same thing somewhere else'.
Principles
- Share your skills, experience, and what you actually enjoy, not just your job title
- Ask for non-obvious paths, not just lateral moves
- Include what matters to you now, even if it's different from what mattered before
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Only sharing your job title and asking 'what should I do next'. Your title doesn't capture what you're good at or what you care about. The richer the input, the more surprising and useful the output.
Where your judgement matters
You know your energy levels, your financial runway, your appetite for risk, and what you'll actually follow through on. Ideas are the easy part - knowing which ones fit your real life is where your judgement matters.
Suggested tools
Tags
career, personal, transition, options, exploration
Finding angles for a talk or conference presentation
When to use
You've got a talk coming up and you know the subject, but you haven't found the angle that makes it interesting. You want to explore different framings before you commit to building the deck.
Principles
- Share the audience, context, and what they've probably heard before on this topic
- Ask for angles that challenge conventional thinking, not just different titles
- Include what you actually believe or have experienced - the best talks come from a genuine point of view
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Starting with the slides. A talk without a clear angle is just a tour through your knowledge. Find the argument first - the structure follows from that.
Where your judgement matters
You know this audience, you know what's been said to death, and you know what you can credibly deliver. The right angle is one that's both genuinely interesting and authentically yours.
Tags
speaking, presentation, creative, content, ideas
Coming up with ways to say no without damaging a relationship
When to use
Someone's asked you to do something and the answer needs to be no, but how you say it matters. You want options that are honest and respectful without being a pushover or burning a bridge.
Principles
- Share the relationship dynamic and why this particular no feels difficult
- Ask for a range of approaches from soft to direct
- Include what you would be willing to do, if anything - a good no often includes an alternative
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Drafting the actual 'no' message before exploring your options. In Expansion mode, you're figuring out the approach, not the wording. Once you've chosen how to handle it, switch to Execute mode to craft the actual message.
Where your judgement matters
You know the relationship history, the power dynamics, and what this person is actually asking for underneath the request. The right way to say no depends on things only you can see.
Tags
communication, relationships, options, difficult, boundaries
Brainstorming side project or small business ideas
When to use
You're thinking about starting something on the side but haven't landed on what. You want to explore what's realistic given your skills, interests, and constraints - not just what sounds cool.
Principles
- Share your actual skills, interests, and available time - not your idealised version
- Ask for ideas that fit your constraints, including budget and risk appetite
- Request a mix: some that could start this weekend, some that need more build-up
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Being vague about your constraints. 'I want to start a business' generates generic ideas. 'I have 10 hours a week, I'm good at writing and data analysis, and I can't invest more than £500' generates ideas you might actually pursue.
Where your judgement matters
You know your real energy levels, what you'll actually stick with, and whether this is about income, fulfilment, or both. A good idea for someone else might be a terrible idea for your life right now.
Suggested tools
Tags
business, entrepreneurship, personal, ideas, creative
Generating content ideas for a newsletter, blog, or channel
When to use
You publish regularly (or want to) and the well is dry. You need a batch of ideas that are on-brand, varied, and actually worth someone's time.
Principles
- Share your audience, your niche, and what you've already covered
- Ask for variety in format and angle, not just different topics
- Include what's performed well before and what kind of voice you write in
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for 'blog post ideas about [topic]' without context. You'll get the same ideas everyone else gets. The more you share about your voice, your audience, and what's been done to death, the more useful and distinctive the ideas become.
Where your judgement matters
You know what your audience actually responds to, what fits your voice, and which ideas you'll follow through on. A list of 20 ideas is only useful if you can spot the 5 that are genuinely yours to write.
Suggested tools
Tags
content, writing, creative, marketing, ideas
Finding fresh ways to teach or explain something
When to use
You're teaching, training, or presenting something and your current explanation isn't landing. You need different analogies, structures, or approaches to make the same idea click for a different kind of learner.
Principles
- Share the concept, the audience, and what you've already tried
- Ask for multiple modalities: visual, narrative, hands-on, analogy-based
- Include what's not working about the current approach
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking for a simpler explanation when the problem might be the structure, not the complexity. Sometimes people don't understand because the order is wrong, not because the words are too hard. Explore different structures, not just simpler language.
Where your judgement matters
You know your audience - their attention span, their prior knowledge, what motivates them, and what switches them off. The right explanation depends on the room, not just the content.
Tags
teaching, explanation, communication, learning, options
Thinking through how to price or package your work
When to use
You're freelancing, consulting, launching a product, or rethinking your pricing and you need to explore different models before committing. You want to understand the trade-offs of different approaches.
Principles
- Share what you're offering, who you're selling to, and what the market looks like
- Ask for different pricing models, not just different prices
- Include your own constraints: capacity, costs, how you want to work
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Asking 'what should I charge for [thing]?' without context. Pricing isn't about finding the right number - it's about choosing the right model. The same work at the same price can feel expensive or like a bargain depending on how it's packaged.
Where your judgement matters
You know your market, your costs, and what kind of client relationship you actually want. A pricing model that maximises revenue but attracts the wrong clients might not be the right choice for you.
Suggested tools
Tags
pricing, business, freelance, strategy, options
Exploring ways to recognise or motivate a team
When to use
Your team has delivered something big, morale needs a boost, or you want to recognise effort in a way that feels genuine. You need ideas that fit your budget, your culture, and your people.
Principles
- Share your team size, culture, and what they actually value
- Ask for ideas across different budgets and effort levels
- Include what's been done before and how it landed
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Going straight to perks and gifts. The most meaningful recognition is often about visibility, autonomy, or time - not things. Explore what your team actually values before you default to spending money.
Where your judgement matters
You know your people - what they care about, what would embarrass them, and what would genuinely make them feel valued. Generic recognition can feel worse than no recognition. The best ideas are the ones that show you've been paying attention.
Tags
team, leadership, management, motivation, culture
Generating questions for a user research or discovery session
When to use
You've got research sessions booked and you need a discussion guide. You want questions that get past surface-level responses and reveal what people actually think, feel, and do.
Principles
- Share what you're trying to learn and what decisions the research will inform
- Ask for a mix of question types: behavioural, emotional, hypothetical, provocative
- Request follow-up probes, not just top-level questions
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing questions that confirm what you already believe. Good research questions are genuinely open - they make it easy for participants to surprise you. If every answer would validate your hypothesis, you're not doing research, you're doing a survey.
Where your judgement matters
You know the context, the politics around the findings, and what your organisation is actually willing to act on. Good questions surface truth - but knowing which truths to prioritise requires judgement about what's actionable.
Tags
research, users, design, interviews, discovery
Coming up with ideas for a celebration, event, or milestone
When to use
You need to plan or contribute to a celebration and you want ideas that go beyond the obvious. You want something that fits the person or occasion, not something that could be for anyone.
Principles
- Share who it's for and what they actually like, not just the occasion
- Include constraints: budget, group size, dietary needs, logistics
- Ask for ideas at different scales - not everything needs to be a big production
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Describing the occasion without describing the person. 'Ideas for a 40th birthday' gives you generic party ideas. 'Ideas for a 40th birthday for someone who hates surprises, loves cooking, and has young kids' gives you something worth doing.
Where your judgement matters
You know this person - their sense of humour, what would delight them, and what would make them uncomfortable. The best celebration ideas come from paying attention to someone over time, not from a list.
Tags
personal, celebration, planning, creative, events
Finding analogies or framings to get buy-in from a sceptical audience
When to use
You're trying to get buy-in for something - a new approach, a technology, a strategy shift, an investment - and the audience is sceptical, unfamiliar, or just not seeing it yet. You need different ways to frame the same idea.
Principles
- Share who the audience is and what they care about (it's probably different from what you care about)
- Ask for analogies from domains your audience already understands
- Include what objections you've already heard
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Explaining the idea better when the problem is that you're explaining it in your language. Sceptical audiences don't need more detail - they need a frame that connects to what they already value. Translate, don't amplify.
Where your judgement matters
You know this audience - what they've approved before, what makes them nervous, and which analogies would land vs. feel patronising. The right framing depends on the room, not just the idea.
Tags
persuasion, stakeholders, communication, framing, buy-in
Exploring different revenue or funding models for a project
When to use
You've built something with value but the business model isn't clear yet. Or you have a model that works but you want to explore whether there's a better one. You need to see the full landscape of options.
Principles
- Share what you've built, who it serves, and what's working
- Ask for models from adjacent spaces, not just your own industry
- Include your values and constraints - some models that work financially might not fit how you want to operate
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Jumping to the most obvious model for your category. Not every community needs a subscription, not every product needs venture funding, not every service needs to charge by the hour. Explore widely before you commit to a model that shapes everything else.
Where your judgement matters
You know what you're willing to trade for money, what your users would accept, and what kind of organisation you want to run. The right model isn't just the most profitable one - it's the one that aligns with how you want this to work.
Suggested tools
Tags
business, revenue, strategy, sustainability, options
Pressure-testing a pricing or commercial decision
When to use
You've landed on a number - a price, a fee, a rate - and it feels about right, but you're not confident. You want to stress-test the logic before you commit or before the client comes back to negotiate.
Principles
- Share your reasoning, not just the number - how you got there matters
- Ask for what you might be underweighting: market rate, perceived value, negotiation dynamics
- Request the other side's perspective - what does this price signal to them?
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Only asking 'is this the right price?' without sharing how you got there. The reasoning behind a price is often where the weakness is - not the number itself. Share your logic so it can be properly challenged.
Where your judgement matters
You know the relationship, the client's budget signals, and what this work is actually worth to them. A price that's 'correct' by market standards might still be wrong for this specific deal, this specific client, and this specific moment in the relationship.
Tags
pricing, commercial, negotiation, freelance, business
Evaluating whether to take on a new commitment
When to use
An opportunity has landed that sounds good on paper, but you're not sure it's right for you right now. You want to think it through properly before the flattery of being asked wears off and reality sets in.
Principles
- Be honest about why you're tempted - is it the opportunity or the validation?
- Ask for the second-order consequences: what you'd have to say no to if you say yes
- Request the 'six months from now' view - will you still be glad you said yes?
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Evaluating the opportunity in isolation. Every yes is also a no to something else. The real question isn't 'is this good?' but 'is this the best use of my limited time and energy right now?'
Where your judgement matters
You know your energy levels, your current load, and your tendency to overcommit (or undercommit). You also know whether this is a once-in-a-career opportunity or a nice-to-have. That context is what turns analysis into a decision.
Tags
decisions, commitments, personal, priorities, time
Preparing to deliver bad news or disappointing results
When to use
You have bad news to deliver and you're rehearsing it in your head. You want to think through how to frame it, what reactions to expect, and what your plan is for what comes after the conversation.
Principles
- Be specific about the news, the audience, and the relationship
- Ask for likely reactions and how to handle each one
- Request what to avoid saying - the well-intentioned phrases that make things worse
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Over-rehearsing the exact words and under-preparing for the response. The hardest part of delivering bad news isn't the first sentence - it's the next five minutes. Prepare for the conversation, not just the announcement.
Where your judgement matters
You know this person and how they process difficult information. Some people want directness, others need a moment. The right approach depends on the human in front of you, not just the message.
Tags
communication, difficult, leadership, stakeholders, preparation
Checking whether your strategy actually holds together
When to use
You've got a strategy document or plan that you've been living in for weeks. You've lost the ability to see it with fresh eyes and you want to pressure-test whether it actually hangs together.
Principles
- Share the full strategy, not just the summary - the gaps are usually in the detail
- Ask for internal contradictions and unstated dependencies
- Request the questions a smart, sceptical board member would ask
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Sharing the executive summary and asking if it makes sense. Strategies fall apart in the detail - the implementation plan, the resource assumptions, the dependencies between workstreams. Share the full document and ask for the weak joints.
Where your judgement matters
You know the organisational realities that no strategy document captures: the politics, the capabilities, the appetite for change, and which parts of the plan will actually get executed vs. quietly shelved. A strategy that's logically perfect but politically impossible is still a bad strategy.
Tags
strategy, planning, challenge, documents, leadership
Getting perspective on a workplace disagreement or conflict
When to use
Something has happened at work that's bothering you. You've been going over it in your head and you're not sure whether you're right to be frustrated or whether you're overreacting. You need to think it through before you act.
Principles
- Describe what happened as factually as possible, including what the other person might say
- Be honest about your emotional reaction and why this hit a nerve
- Ask for the most charitable interpretation of the other person's behaviour
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Only sharing your side and asking 'am I right to be annoyed?' You'll get validation, not perspective. Force yourself to include what the other person might say. That's where the useful reflection happens.
Where your judgement matters
You know the full history, the power dynamics, and whether this is a pattern or a one-off. You also know your own tendencies - whether you typically overreact or under-react. That self-awareness is what turns reflection into good judgement.
Tags
workplace, conflict, relationships, perspective, emotional
Reflecting on whether you're solving the right problem
When to use
You're deep in execution and a nagging feeling is growing that you might be solving the wrong problem. You want to step back and check before you invest more time going in the wrong direction.
Principles
- Describe the problem as you originally understood it and how your understanding has shifted
- Ask for alternative problem framings, not just alternative solutions
- Request the 'why' chain - keep asking why until you hit something more fundamental
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Ignoring the nagging feeling and pushing through. If something feels off, it usually is. The cost of pausing to reframe is almost always less than the cost of delivering an elegant solution to the wrong problem.
Where your judgement matters
You know what triggered the unease - whether it was a conversation, a data point, or just accumulated friction. That instinct is valuable. The reflection is about giving it the space to be examined properly before you dismiss it or act on it.
Tags
problem-framing, strategy, project, reflection, direction
Testing your plan before asking for budget or resources
When to use
You've got a plan that needs approval and resources. You're preparing the business case and you want to make sure your logic is tight, your numbers are defensible, and you've thought about the objections.
Principles
- Share the full case, including the numbers and assumptions behind them
- Ask for the questions a CFO or budget holder would ask
- Request the weakest part of your case - the thing you'd attack if you were on the other side
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Polishing the presentation without stress-testing the substance. A beautiful deck with fragile assumptions will collapse under a single sharp question. Test the logic before you test the layout.
Where your judgement matters
You know the organisation's appetite for risk, the competing priorities for budget, and which decision-makers need to be convinced. A case that's financially sound might still fail if it doesn't account for the political landscape.
Tags
business-case, budget, preparation, stakeholders, decisions
Checking your own bias in a selection or evaluation process
When to use
You've got a shortlist and you're leaning toward one option, but you want to check whether that preference is based on substance or on bias - familiarity, pattern-matching, affinity, or the halo effect.
Principles
- Share your evaluation criteria and how each option stacks up
- Be honest about which option you're drawn to and why
- Ask for the biases that commonly affect this type of decision
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Evaluating options sequentially and letting the first strong candidate set the bar. Score each option against your criteria independently before comparing them. And write the criteria down before you evaluate - not after.
Where your judgement matters
You know things that don't appear in the evaluation matrix - gut instinct, cultural fit, past experience with similar choices. The goal isn't to eliminate judgement, it's to make sure your judgement is informed, not just reflexive.
Tags
decisions, bias, evaluation, fairness, hiring
Evaluating whether a career move is right for you
When to use
You're weighing a career decision - a new job, a promotion, a change of direction, going independent - and you need to think it through beyond the obvious pros and cons.
Principles
- Be honest about what's pulling you toward the move and what's pulling you away
- Ask for the questions you're avoiding, not just the ones you've already considered
- Request the 'two years from now' perspective - not just the immediate impact
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Making a pro-con list and counting the columns. Not all factors are equal. One dealbreaker outweighs ten nice-to-haves. Figure out what actually matters most, then evaluate against that.
Where your judgement matters
You know your own patterns - whether you tend to jump too fast or deliberate too long. You know what you'll regret more: the risk you took or the one you didn't. That self-knowledge matters more than any analysis.
Tags
career, decisions, personal, reflection, transition
Pressure-testing a go-to-market or launch plan
When to use
Launch is approaching and the plan looks solid. But you've been inside it for too long to see the gaps. You want someone to poke holes before the market does.
Principles
- Share the full plan including timeline, channels, dependencies, and success metrics
- Ask for the single points of failure - what breaks the whole thing if it goes wrong
- Request the 'first week after launch' view: what will you wish you'd prepared for?
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Only stress-testing the launch day. Most launches don't fail on day one - they fail in the follow-up. What happens when the initial buzz dies down? What's the plan for week two, month two? Test the sustained plan, not just the moment.
Where your judgement matters
You know the team's capacity, the market's mood, and which risks are acceptable vs. which are existential. A plan that survives stress-testing still needs someone who knows the terrain to decide what's worth worrying about and what isn't.
Tags
launch, planning, go-to-market, product, challenge
Reviewing a process you've designed before rolling it out
When to use
You've designed a process - for your team, your organisation, your clients - and you want to catch the friction points, edge cases, and unintended consequences before people start using it.
Principles
- Describe the process step by step, including who does what and when
- Ask what happens when things go wrong, not just when they go right
- Request the perspective of the least enthusiastic user - the person most likely to resist or work around it
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Designing for the ideal scenario and assuming people will follow it. Real processes need to account for the messy cases: incomplete information, people skipping steps, handoffs that fall between the cracks. Stress-test the process against reality, not against your flow chart.
Where your judgement matters
You know the team, their workload, and their tolerance for new processes. A process that's theoretically better but requires behaviour change from people who are already stretched will fail quietly. Factor in the human side, not just the logic.
Tags
process, operations, team, workflow, design
Sense-checking your response to critical feedback
When to use
You've received feedback that stung - from a manager, a client, a peer, a review - and you've written a response. Before you send it, you want to make sure you're being constructive, not reactive.
Principles
- Share both the original feedback and your draft response
- Be honest about which parts of the feedback hit a nerve and why
- Ask how your response reads to someone who doesn't know your internal state
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Sending the first draft. Responses to critical feedback almost always benefit from a cooling-off period and a second opinion. If you're writing the response the same day you received the feedback, you're probably still reacting, not responding.
Where your judgement matters
You know whether this feedback has merit, even if the delivery was poor. You also know the relationship well enough to judge what kind of response strengthens it vs. creates distance. Sometimes the best response is 'thank you, let me sit with this' - and sometimes it's a firm, respectful pushback.
Tags
feedback, communication, emotional, writing, relationships
Writing a sponsorship or partnership proposal
When to use
You've identified a partnership or sponsorship opportunity and you need to put together a proposal that's professional, persuasive, and makes it easy for the other side to say yes.
Principles
- Lead with what's in it for them, not what you want
- Be specific about what you're proposing: scope, deliverables, timeline, cost
- Include proof of value - numbers, examples, or credentials that build credibility
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing a proposal that's all about you. Partnership proposals succeed when the recipient can immediately see what they get. Lead with their benefit, support it with your credibility, and make the ask specific.
Where your judgement matters
You know the relationship, the context, and what this particular partner would actually value. A generic 'let's collaborate' proposal goes in the bin. The specific details of why this works for them right now are what make it compelling, and only you have that context.
Tags
business, partnerships, writing, proposals, persuasion
Drafting a policy or process document
When to use
A decision has been made about how something should work - a policy, a process, a set of rules - and it needs to be written down in a way that's unambiguous, practical, and complete.
Principles
- Specify who this document is for and what they need to be able to do after reading it
- Include the edge cases and exceptions, not just the happy path
- Ask for a structure that someone can navigate quickly - they'll skim, not read
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing a policy that covers the obvious cases perfectly but falls apart at the edges. The value of a process document is in how it handles the exceptions, the grey areas, and the situations where two rules seem to conflict. Build those in from the start.
Where your judgement matters
You know the organisational culture, the enforcement reality, and which rules people will follow vs. work around. A policy that's technically comprehensive but practically ignored is just paperwork. Write for how people actually behave.
Suggested tools
Tags
policy, process, documentation, operations, writing
Creating talking points for a media appearance or podcast
When to use
You've got a media appearance, podcast recording, or public interview coming up. You know your topic, but you need your key messages crystallised and your responses to likely questions rehearsed.
Principles
- Specify the format, the audience, and the interviewer's likely angle
- Ask for 3-4 key messages with supporting stories or data points
- Include the questions you're hoping they don't ask - those need the most preparation
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Over-preparing answers to easy questions and under-preparing for the hard ones. The softballs will take care of themselves. Spend your preparation time on the moments where the conversation could go sideways.
Where your judgement matters
You know the interviewer's style, the audience's expectations, and where the line is between provocative and reckless. Talking points get you 80% of the way there - the other 20% is reading the room and knowing when to go off-script.
Tags
media, speaking, preparation, communication, content
Writing a termination, cancellation, or end-of-contract notice
When to use
You need to formally end an arrangement and the communication needs to be clear, professional, and properly documented. You want to do it right so there's no ambiguity about what's happening and when.
Principles
- Reference the specific agreement, dates, and terms that govern the termination
- Be clear about the effective date and any notice period requirements
- Keep the tone professional regardless of the reason for ending
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Being vague about dates and terms. A termination notice that says 'I'd like to end our arrangement soon' is practically useless. Specify the agreement, the clause, the date, and the process. Precision protects you.
Where your judgement matters
Check the actual contract for termination clauses, notice periods, and required formats before sending anything. Verify dates, reference numbers, and any conditions that need to be met. If significant money or legal exposure is involved, have a solicitor review it.
Tags
legal, documents, formal, contracts, writing
Producing a project retrospective or post-mortem
When to use
A project, campaign, or initiative has wrapped up and you need to document the lessons while they're still fresh. You want something useful for future teams, not a political document that says everything went fine.
Principles
- Include what actually happened, not the sanitised version
- Structure it around decisions and turning points, not just a timeline
- Make the recommendations specific and actionable, not generic platitudes
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing a retrospective that's either a celebration document or a blame document. The useful ones are honest about what went wrong without pointing fingers, and specific about recommendations without being obvious. 'Communicate better' is not a lesson. 'Hold a 15-minute alignment check every Monday' is.
Where your judgement matters
You know what really happened vs. the official narrative. You also know which lessons will actually be acted on and which will be filed and forgotten. The most valuable retrospective is one that tells the truth the team needs to hear, not the truth that's comfortable to write.
Suggested tools
Tags
project, retrospective, documentation, team, learning
Drafting a newsletter or internal comms update
When to use
You have news, updates, or information that needs to go out to a group. You want it to be read, not just sent. The content exists in your head or in scattered notes - it needs shaping.
Principles
- Start with who's reading this and what they need to take away
- Lead with what matters most - don't bury the important stuff
- Specify the tone: are you informing, rallying, updating, or asking for something?
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing everything with equal emphasis. If everything's important, nothing is. Decide what the one thing people need to take away is, lead with that, and let the rest be supporting detail.
Where your judgement matters
You know the mood of the room, what people are worried about, and what they've stopped reading. A technically well-written update that ignores the elephant in the room is worse than no update at all. Address what people actually care about.
Suggested tools
Tags
communication, team, writing, updates, internal
Writing a recommendation or reference for someone
When to use
A colleague, employee, student, or friend has asked for a reference or recommendation and you've agreed. You want it to be specific and meaningful, not a generic endorsement.
Principles
- Include specific examples and stories, not just adjectives
- Tailor it to what they're applying for - a recommendation for a job is different from one for a course
- Be honest about their strengths and, where appropriate, their growth
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing in generalities. 'She's a hard worker and great team player' could be about anyone. Specific stories and concrete examples are what make a recommendation memorable and credible.
Where your judgement matters
Only you know whether you can genuinely recommend this person for this specific opportunity. A lukewarm reference is worse than none. Be honest with yourself first, then be honest on paper.
Tags
writing, professional, recommendations, relationships, formal
Creating a lesson plan or training session outline
When to use
You've got a teaching session, workshop, or training coming up. You know the content, but you need to organise it into a structure that works for the time, the audience, and the learning objectives.
Principles
- Start with what participants should be able to do after the session, not just what you want to cover
- Build in interaction - a lesson plan that's all lecture is a presentation, not a session
- Specify the time constraints and be realistic about what fits
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Planning too much content for the time available. Every session runs over if you don't leave buffer. Plan for 80% of your time slot and you'll use 100%. Plan for 100% and you'll rush the ending.
Where your judgement matters
You know the room, the energy levels, and what this group actually needs. A session plan that looks great on paper might need to change on the fly when you read the audience. Build in flexibility, not just structure.
Tags
teaching, training, planning, education, facilitation
Drafting a scope of work or terms of engagement
When to use
You've agreed to do a piece of work - as a freelancer, consultant, contractor, or collaborator - and you need a clear scope document that protects both parties and prevents scope creep.
Principles
- Be specific about what's included and what isn't
- Define deliverables in terms the client can verify, not just activities you'll do
- Include what happens when things change - because they will
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Leaving the boundaries vague because it feels awkward to set limits at the start of a relationship. A clear scope isn't adversarial - it's what keeps the relationship healthy. The time to define 'out of scope' is before someone asks for it, not after.
Where your judgement matters
You know this client, this project, and where scope creep is most likely to happen. The document is the baseline - but your ability to hold the boundary depends on the relationship, your leverage, and your willingness to have the awkward conversation when things drift.
Tags
freelance, contracts, business, documents, writing
Writing a speech, toast, or tribute
When to use
You've agreed to speak at a personal or professional event and you need something that's warm, appropriate, and sounds like you. You know what you want to say but need help getting it on paper.
Principles
- Share specific stories and details about the person or occasion - specificity is what makes it personal
- Specify the tone and the room: formal dinner, casual party, emotional gathering
- Include what you definitely want to say and any topics to steer clear of
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Trying to cover everything. The best speeches have one or two stories and one clear message, not a comprehensive biography. Pick the moments that say the most, not the most moments.
Where your judgement matters
You know this person, this room, and what will land. The specific stories, the tone, and the line between funny and too far - those all depend on knowledge that only someone who was there can have. Use the draft as a starting point, then make it yours.
Tags
personal, speaking, writing, celebration, events
Producing a how-to guide or standard operating procedure
When to use
There's a task, process, or piece of knowledge that currently depends on specific people. It needs to be documented so anyone can follow it, whether for onboarding, scaling, or just reducing bus-factor risk.
Principles
- Write for someone who's doing this for the first time, not someone who already knows the basics
- Include the why behind key steps, not just the what
- Add the troubleshooting section - what to do when it goes wrong, not just when it goes right
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Documenting the process as you do it, skipping the steps that feel obvious to you. What's obvious to an expert is invisible to a beginner. Ask someone unfamiliar to test the guide and watch where they get stuck.
Where your judgement matters
You know the shortcuts, the exceptions, and the things that the written process can't fully capture. The guide should handle 90% of cases. For the other 10%, make sure people know who to ask and when to escalate.
Suggested tools
Tags
documentation, process, knowledge, onboarding, operations
Drafting a grant or funding application
When to use
You've identified a funding opportunity and need to write a compelling application. The criteria are clear, you know what you want to do, and now you need to put it on paper in a way that stands out.
Principles
- Study the funder's priorities and language - mirror their framing, not just your own
- Lead with the problem and impact, not with your organisation
- Be specific about outcomes and how you'll measure success
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Writing about your project without connecting it to the funder's priorities. Every paragraph should make the reviewer think 'this is exactly what we fund'. Study their language, their past awards, and their theory of change, and reflect it in your application.
Where your judgement matters
You know your project better than anyone, and you know the local context that makes it necessary. You also know what's realistic - the timeline, the budget, the team capacity. A compelling application is an honest one that's been ruthlessly focused on what the funder wants to hear.
Tags
funding, grants, writing, nonprofit, applications
Writing a board paper or committee report
When to use
You need to present information, a recommendation, or a decision to a governance body. The document needs to be structured for senior decision-makers who will skim it, challenge it, and need to act on it.
Principles
- Lead with the recommendation or decision required, not the background
- Structure it for people who'll read the first page and skim the rest
- Include the risks and trade-offs alongside the recommendation - boards distrust papers that only present upsides
Fill in the prompt
Common mistake
Building up to the recommendation instead of leading with it. Board members want to know what you're asking for on page one, then decide whether to read the supporting detail. Bury the ask on page five and you'll lose them before they get there.
Where your judgement matters
You know this board - their priorities, their level of detail tolerance, their pet concerns, and the political dynamics in the room. A technically sound paper that doesn't account for who's reading it and what they care about won't get the outcome you need.
Suggested tools
Tags
governance, leadership, documents, formal, decisions