4. Plan Before Producing
Step-by-Step Reasoning
For decisions or longer tasks, ask the AI to plan first, then produce. The plan lets you catch missing constraints before the output arrives.
Rough prompt
Plan my mom's 70th birthday weekend.
Strong prompt
Plan my mom's 70th birthday weekend. First list 4 questions you need answered (location, mobility, budget, who's invited). Then suggest 3 weekend formats (dinner-only, day-trip, overnight) with cost and effort. Then recommend one.
Coach note
Ask for the plan, then the output. The plan is where good prompts catch their own gaps.