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When Structure Helps

While conversational prompts work most of the time, structured approaches can be helpful, especially when you're learning to work with AI or tackling complex tasks.

Structured Prompts are useful when:

  • You're new to AI and want a checklist to ensure you've covered everything
  • The task has multiple steps or requirements
  • You're working with colleagues and need a consistent approach
  • Previous attempts haven't worked and you need to be more systematic

Four Simple Questions. Instead of memorising acronyms, just ask yourself:

  1. Who should the AI be? (patient tutor, experienced teacher, curriculum expert)
  2. What do I need? (the specific task, format, and constraints)
  3. Who is this for? (student year level and needs, parents, colleagues)
  4. Why does context matter? (upcoming assessment, struggling learners, etc.)

Example: "You're an experienced primary teacher (who). Create 5 word problems about measurement for Year 3 students who find maths challenging (what/who). We're preparing for next week's assessment and they need extra practice with real-world scenarios (why)."

info

Conversational
"I need to explain quadratic equations to Year 10 students who struggle with algebra. Break it down into simple steps they can follow, with one worked example."
vs
Structured
"You're a maths teacher skilled at breaking down complex concepts (who). Explain quadratic equations to Year 10 students who struggle with algebra (what/who). They need to build confidence before their upcoming assessment (why). Include one worked example with clear steps."