Prompting
Prompting Claude with Context, Constraints, and Care
The best prompts are not clever tricks. They are clear working agreements. They tell Claude what role to play, what job to do, what context matters, what constraints apply, and how the output will be judged.
The Six-Part Prompt
A reliable Claude prompt usually includes six parts: role, task, context, examples, constraints, and output format. When the work is important, add review criteria and ask Claude to identify uncertainty.
Role
Give Claude a role that matches the task, such as research analyst, editorial strategist, product operator, policy reviewer, or workshop facilitator. Avoid vague roles when a specific frame would help.
Task
State the job in one sentence. "Summarize this" is weaker than "Turn these interview notes into five product insights, with supporting quotes and unanswered questions."
Context
Context can include audience, company stage, geography, constraints, tone, existing strategy, source notes, and what has already been tried. Context makes the difference between generic and usable.
Constraints
Constraints help Claude stay inside the real world: word count, reading level, approved claims, banned topics, source limits, format, and deadline. Good constraints make review faster.
Care
Care means considering the people affected by the output. Ask whether the work could mislead, expose private information, flatten lived experience, or overstate certainty. AI fluency includes knowing when to slow down.
A Template
"Act as [role]. Your task is [task]. The audience is [audience]. Use only the source material below. Follow these constraints: [constraints]. Return [format]. Before the final answer, list any assumptions or missing information."