Introduction to prompting

Learning Pathway:

AI 101 Aware

30 June 2026

The one skill that makes every other guide in this series work better.

What is a Prompt?

A prompt is simply an instruction or question you give an AI. Good prompting isn't a technical skill, it's a communication skill. The clearer you are, the better the answer.

Think of it like briefing a colleague :

Why it matters

You can get wildly different answers from the same AI, depending on how you ask! Most disappointing results come from a vague prompt, not a weak tool.

Comparison Table between weak and strong prompts

The 5 building blocks of a good prompt

Here is a five-part recipe that could serve as a guide. You don't need all five every time — but the more you include, the better the result.

C	📂 Context	The background it needs. "This is for a member of the public who was frustrated by a delay."
R	🎭Role	Who the AI should act as. "You are an experienced policy writer."
A	⚡Action	What to do, as one clear instruction. "Draft a reply to this feedback email."
F	📋Format	How to structure the output. "Give it as 3 short paragraphs."
T	🔊Tone	The voice. "Polite, empathetic, professional."

🔁 Putting it together:

You are a customer service officer (Role). Draft a reply to this complaint email (Task). The resident waited 3 weeks for a permit and is upset (Context). Keep it to 3 short paragraphs (Format), warm and apologetic but factual (Tone).

Don't stop at the first answer

Your best results often come after a few back-and-forth exchanges. Try these simple ways to refine the output:

Make it shorter/more concise
Explain it more simply
Make the tone more formal/simpler
Add more detail on 'X'
Give me 3 alternate versions

Make it repeatable. Save your own starter tool.

Once a phrasing works well for a task you do often, save it as a reusable Skill or Custom GPT, so you never start from a blank box.

Now it's your turn to try!

Try your hand at using the C.R.A.F.T. spine for your next prompt and compare your results!

Remember: the goal isn't to get what you want with one single prompt, but further iteration and refinement to sharpen your output, before you convert it into a reusable skill.

[Additional Resource] Watch this 8min video on Prompting

📅Following the 12-Week Learning Plan?

Congratulations on reaching Week 3! This guide is part of a 12-week learning plan designed to help you build practical AI skills. You're well on your way to becoming AI fluent.

Preview the 12-Week Learning Plan

12 Week Learning Plan

Week 1	CSDPAI Literacy Module (opens in new tab) OpenAI Academy: AI Foundations Course (opens in new tab)
Week 2	Webinar: Introduction to AI-First Webinar: ChatGPT for CIO teams
Week 3 📍	Webinar: Open AI ChatGPT Foundations What is AI and why does it matter? How do we use AI at work? Introduction to Prompting 📍
Week 4	Webinar: Introduction to AI-First Webinar: OpenAI ChatGPT Applied
Week 5	Using AI responsibly Webinar: OpenAI ChatGPT Today
Week 6	Meeting Minutes with AI Build PowerPoint Decks with AI Build a Policy Q&A Bot for Your Team Choosing the Right AI Model for Your Task OpenAI: CustomGPTs (opens in new tab)
Week 7	Generate a Daily Morning Brief Search SharePoint with AI Summarise Microsoft Teams Conversations Reviewing Submissions (with first-cut feedback) OpenAI: Skills (opens in new tab)
Week 8	AI Apply 201: Domain Specific Tasks OpenAI: ChatGPT for any role (opens in new tab)
Week 9	Workflow Mapping & Peer Sharing
Week 10	OpenAI: Applied AI Foundations (opens in new tab)
Week 11	Your AI Playbook
Week 12	AI Tech Festival: AIgniting Action (opens in new tab)
Week 13	CAT Brownbag at Lorong

⏭️Next Guide: Using AI responsibly

↩️Return to: AI 101 Aware Learning Pathway