This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Jaideep Parashar
Don’t forget to get your Prompt Expertise Template Free Inside!
Let’s move to the topic
If you’ve ever used ChatGPT and felt like the answers were… underwhelming, you’re not alone.
The problem isn’t the AI — it’s the prompt.
This post is your crash course in Prompt Engineering, the single skill that will separate AI dabblers from AI power users.
Read this once. Save it. And you’ll instantly get better results from ChatGPT (and any other AI tool).
What Is Prompt Engineering, Really?
Prompt engineering is simply:
Asking the AI the right question, in the right way, to get the result you want.
Think of ChatGPT as a smart intern.
If you say: “Write a blog post” → You’ll get something generic.
If you say: “Write a 700-word blog post for busy entrepreneurs. Use a conversational tone, 3 examples, and end with a clear call-to-action” → You’ll get gold.
The 4 Building Blocks of a Great Prompt
1. Role – Who should the AI be?
“You are a productivity coach.”
“You are a Python developer.”
2. Context – What’s the situation?
“You’re helping me automate a 200-row Excel report every week.”
3. Task – What exactly do you need?
“Write a step-by-step process with code snippets.”
4. Constraints – Any rules, style, or limits?
“Keep it under 300 words. Use simple English. Include a bulleted list.”
Combine all four, and you’ll go from average to amazing results.
Example: Bad vs. Good Prompt
Bad:
“Write a marketing email.”
Good:
“You are an experienced copywriter. Write a 150-word email promoting a free AI workshop for small business owners. Use a friendly tone, include 3 bullet points about benefits, and end with a strong call-to-action.”
The second prompt is specific, clear, and structured — and the result will be 5x better.
3 Pro Tips to Level Up
- Stack prompts: Ask, refine, and iterate. One great prompt is often a chain of smaller prompts.
- Feed examples: Show the AI what you want by giving it reference text.
- Talk like a teacher: Break down instructions step by step — don’t assume it know your context.
Your 10-Minute Practice Exercise
Here’s your challenge:
- Take something you need help with right now.
- Write a quick prompt.
- Rewrite it using the 4 Building Blocks.
- Compare the results.
Comment your before & after below — I’ll help tweak them!
What’s Next?
Tomorrow’s post: 7 Underrated Productivity Prompts I Use Daily with ChatGPT (don’t miss this one if you’re always “busy”).
Get the Copy of Prompt Expertise Template!
Follow me here on dev.to so you don’t miss the daily AI playbooks from the ReThynk AI Lab.
Resources:
Website | Twitter | Books on Prompt Engineering | Learn AI
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Jaideep Parashar