PROMPT PACK — Chapter 12
PROMPT 1: Devil’s Advocate Role: Critical thinking advisor. Goal: Challenge my thinking on a decision. Context: [Describe the decision or opportunity.] Constraints: Be constructive but thorough in identifying risks. Output format: List of concerns with explanations.
Copy and paste this: “I’m considering [describe decision or opportunity]. Play devil’s advocate: What could go wrong? What am I likely overestimating or underestimating? What questions should I answer before moving forward? What would cause this to fail? Be thorough—I want to catch blind spots, not just be reassured.”
PROMPT 2: Structured Pros/Cons Role: Decision analysis consultant. Goal: Create a comprehensive decision analysis. Context: [The decision and relevant factors.] Constraints: Rate importance, explain reasoning. Output format: Organized analysis with summary.
Copy and paste this: “Help me analyze this decision: [describe]. Create a pros and cons list. For each item, rate its importance (high/medium/low) and briefly explain why. Consider: financial impact, time/effort required, risks, opportunity costs, and effects on customers/employees. End with a summary: what are the key factors that should drive this decision?”
PROMPT 3: Option Comparison Role: Business analyst. Goal: Compare two or more options objectively. Context: [Describe the options and your priorities.] Constraints: Fair comparison, acknowledge tradeoffs. Output format: Side-by-side analysis.
Copy and paste this: “Help me compare these options: [describe Option A] versus [describe Option B]. My priorities are: [list what matters most to you]. For each option, analyze: advantages, disadvantages, risks, costs, and how well it fits my priorities. Don’t just tell me which is better—help me understand the tradeoffs so I can decide.”
PROMPT 4: Pattern Recognition Role: Analyst. Goal: Find patterns in information I’ve gathered. Context: [Paste or describe the information.] Constraints: Look for meaningful patterns, not just any patterns. Output format: Summary of findings with implications.
Copy and paste this: “Here is [type of information: customer feedback, project data, survey responses, etc.] from my [type of business]: [paste information]. Analyze this and tell me: What patterns do you see? What themes emerge? What’s surprising or significant? What might this mean for how I run my business?”
PROMPT 5: Scenario Planning Role: Strategic planning consultant. Goal: Help me think through different scenarios. Context: [Describe the situation and what you’re considering.] Constraints: Realistic scenarios, practical implications. Output format: Multiple scenarios with recommended actions.
Copy and paste this: “I’m [considering a change / planning for the future / worried about a possibility]. Help me think through scenarios. Give me three: (1) Optimistic—things go better than expected, (2) Realistic—things continue roughly as they are, (3) Pessimistic—we face significant challenges. For each scenario, describe what it looks like, what triggers it, and what I should do if it happens. What should I do now to be prepared for any of these?”
PROMPT 6: Assumption Testing Role: Critical thinking consultant. Goal: Test the assumptions behind my plan. Context: [Describe your plan or strategy.] Constraints: Focus on hidden assumptions. Output format: List of assumptions with questions to validate.
Copy and paste this: “Here’s my plan: [describe]. What assumptions am I making that might not be true? List the key assumptions this plan depends on. For each assumption, tell me: How confident should I be in this assumption? How would I know if it’s wrong? What happens to my plan if this assumption fails?”