Four parts that turn a lazy prompt into a brief an AI can actually deliver against.
Most people type a question and hope. Professionals write a spec. Brief the AI the way you would brief a capable new coworker, with four parts, and the quality of what comes back changes immediately.
The four parts
Role. Tell the AI who it is, so it picks the right depth and tone.
Task. One clear verb. Say exactly what you want done.
Context. Give it what it cannot see: audience, goal, background, constraints.
Output constraints. Define the shape of a good answer: length, format, what to leave out.
Then verify
A clean spec gets you a better first draft, not a finished one. Check the load-bearing claims before the work leaves your hands. Pair this with the AI Landscape Map and the So What? Upgrade Pack.