Structured Prompts
Certain types of work demand extra rigor and consistency. Structured prompts provide a framework that ensures critical tasks receive the thorough, systematic treatment they deserve.
When to Use Structured Prompts
Not every task requires a formal, structured approach. Use structured prompts when:
1. Legal or Regulatory Content
Why Structure Matters:
- Compliance requirements are non-negotiable
- Missing elements can have legal consequences
- Consistency is critical across documents
- Audit trails may be required
Example Structured Prompt:
You are a Swiss legal compliance specialist.
Task: Review this data processing agreement for FADP compliance.
Systematic checklist:
□ Article 6 FADP: Legal basis for processing
- Is the legal basis clearly stated?
- Is consent obtained where required?
- Are legitimate interests properly balanced?
□ Article 14 FADP: Data subject rights
- Right to access addressed?
- Right to rectification included?
- Right to deletion specified?
- Right to data portability covered?
□ Article 19 FADP: Data security
- Security measures specified?
- Breach notification procedures defined?
- Technical safeguards described?
□ Cross-border transfers
- Adequacy decisions considered?
- Standard contractual clauses if needed?
- Swiss data localization preferences?
For each item:
✓ Compliant
⚠ Needs attention
✗ Non-compliant
? Unclear
Provide specific recommendations for items marked ⚠ or ✗.
2. Financial or Risk-Sensitive Analysis
Why Structure Matters:
- Numbers must be accurate
- Assumptions should be explicit
- Methodology needs to be transparent
- Decisions can have significant financial impact
Example Structured Prompt:
You are a financial risk analyst.
Task: Assess investment risk for this portfolio allocation.
Structured analysis framework:
STEP 1: Portfolio Composition
- List all holdings with allocation percentages
- Verify allocations sum to 100%
- Identify asset classes
STEP 2: Concentration Risk Analysis
- Calculate sector exposure (flag any >20%)
- Calculate geographic exposure (flag any >30%)
- Calculate single security exposure (flag any >10%)
- Identify correlated holdings
STEP 3: Risk Metrics
For each major holding, provide:
- Volatility (standard deviation)
- Beta (market correlation)
- Maximum drawdown (historical)
- Credit rating (if applicable)
STEP 4: Scenario Analysis
Model impact of:
- 10% market decline
- 2% interest rate increase
- CHF strengthening 5%
STEP 5: Risk Assessment
- Overall risk rating: Low / Moderate / High / Very High
- Top 3 specific risks identified
- Recommended risk mitigation actions
Show all calculations. State all assumptions explicitly.
Format: Structured report with numbered sections.
3. Board-Level Documents
Why Structure Matters:
- Senior stakeholders expect professional formatting
- Key information must be prominent
- Supporting detail should be accessible but not overwhelming
- Action items must be clear
Example Structured Prompt:
You are an executive communications specialist.
Task: Create a board presentation on Q3 performance.
Mandatory structure:
SLIDE 1: Executive Summary (one slide)
- 3 key achievements
- 2 major challenges
- 1 critical decision needed
[Each point: 1 sentence maximum]
SLIDE 2-3: Financial Performance (two slides)
Slide 2: Revenue & Profitability
- Revenue vs. budget (%)
- Operating margin trend
- Year-over-year comparison
[Table format with clear variance indicators]
Slide 3: Cash Flow & Balance Sheet
- Cash position
- Key working capital metrics
- Debt position
[Highlight any items requiring attention]
SLIDE 4: Operational Highlights (one slide)
- Customer acquisition
- Product/service delivery metrics
- Key operational initiatives
[Bullet points with quantified results]
SLIDE 5: Strategic Initiatives (one slide)
- Status of approved initiatives
- Milestones achieved
- Next steps
[Traffic light status: green/yellow/red]
SLIDE 6: Risks & Mitigations (one slide)
- Top 3 risks to achieving objectives
- Mitigation actions in place
- Board decisions needed
[Concise, action-oriented]
SLIDE 7: Q4 Outlook (one slide)
- Key focus areas
- Expected challenges
- Resource needs
- Success metrics
Tone: Confident, fact-based, balanced
Language: Professional but accessible
Format: Presentation-ready with clear headers
4. External Client Communication
Why Structure Matters:
- First impressions are critical
- Professionalism reflects on your organization
- Clarity prevents misunderstandings
- Consistency builds trust
Example Structured Prompt:
You are a client relationship manager for a Swiss professional services firm.
Task: Draft a project status update for [Client Name].
Required structure:
SECTION 1: Opening
- Personalized greeting
- Reference to last interaction
- Purpose of this communication
[Tone: warm but professional, 2-3 sentences]
SECTION 2: Project Status Summary
For each workstream:
- Status: On Track / Slight Delay / Attention Needed
- Key accomplishments this period
- Current activities
- Upcoming milestones
[Table or bullet format, clear and factual]
SECTION 3: Issues and Resolutions
If applicable:
- Challenge description
- Impact on timeline/scope/budget
- Proposed resolution
- Client decision needed (if any)
[Transparent but solution-focused]
SECTION 4: Next Steps
- Our commitments for next period
- Client actions needed (with deadlines)
- Scheduled meetings/checkpoints
[Numbered list, specific and actionable]
SECTION 5: Closing
- Offer to discuss any questions
- Appreciation for partnership
- Appropriate sign-off
[Professional and courteous]
Constraints:
- Length: Maximum 1 page
- Attachments: Reference any supporting documents
- Tone: Professional, confident, client-centric
- No jargon without explanation
- Proactive on issues, solutions-oriented
Format for email delivery with clear subject line.
Benefits of Structured Approaches
Consistency
Every time you address similar tasks, you follow the same comprehensive process.
Completeness
Structured prompts include checklists and frameworks that prevent overlooking important elements.
Auditability
Clear structure makes it easy to review what was analyzed and how conclusions were reached.
Quality Control
Systematic approaches are easier to validate and verify than ad-hoc methods.
Efficiency
Once you create a good structured prompt, you can reuse it repeatedly with minimal modification.
Building Your Structured Prompt Library
1. Identify High-Stakes Tasks
Make a list of tasks where errors are costly or consequences significant.
2. Document Your Process
For each task, write down the steps an expert would take.
3. Convert to Checklist Format
Turn the expert process into a structured checklist or framework.
4. Create the Prompt
Wrap the checklist in clear instructions for the AI.
5. Test and Refine
Use the prompt several times, noting what works and what needs adjustment.
6. Version Control
Keep dated versions as you improve the prompts.
Combining Structure with Flexibility
Structured prompts don't have to be rigid. You can build in flexibility:
Use this framework as your foundation, but:
- Skip sections not applicable to this specific case
- Add additional analysis if you identify relevant issues not covered
- Adjust depth based on complexity (note if you're going deeper or staying high-level)
- Highlight any framework limitations for this particular situation
Example: Structured Due Diligence Prompt
You are a business analyst conducting commercial due diligence.
Task: Analyze this company for potential acquisition.
Structured framework (complete all sections):
1. BUSINESS MODEL ANALYSIS
□ Revenue streams identified and quantified
□ Cost structure analyzed
□ Margin profile assessed
□ Scalability evaluated
2. MARKET POSITION
□ Market size and growth estimated
□ Competitive landscape mapped
□ Market share calculated
□ Differentiation factors identified
3. CUSTOMER ANALYSIS
□ Customer concentration risk assessed
□ Customer acquisition costs calculated
□ Retention rates analyzed
□ Growth trends identified
4. OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT
□ Key processes documented
□ Operational risks identified
□ Scalability constraints noted
□ Technology stack evaluated
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
□ Revenue quality assessed
□ Profitability sustainability evaluated
□ Working capital requirements calculated
□ Cash flow generation analyzed
6. RISK ASSESSMENT
□ Commercial risks identified
□ Operational risks noted
□ Financial risks highlighted
□ Regulatory/compliance risks flagged
7. SYNERGY OPPORTUNITIES
□ Revenue synergies identified
□ Cost synergies quantified
□ Integration complexity assessed
□ Timeline estimated
For each section:
- Mark items as Complete ✓ or Data Insufficient ⚠
- Provide 2-3 sentence summary
- Flag critical issues in RED
- Note opportunities in GREEN
Final output:
- Executive summary (1 page)
- Detailed analysis (by section)
- Risk matrix (high/medium/low)
- Go/No-Go recommendation with rationale
When Structure Is Overkill
Not every task needs this level of rigor. Simpler prompts work fine for:
- Quick drafts and brainstorming
- Informal internal communications
- Exploratory analysis
- Low-stakes decisions
- Time-sensitive requests where speed matters more than perfection
Use your judgment: structure adds value when errors are costly, when consistency matters, or when the work will be scrutinized by senior stakeholders or external parties.
Best Practices for Structured Prompts
- Start with templates - Don't reinvent the wheel; adapt existing frameworks
- Make them reusable - Invest time once, benefit repeatedly
- Include quality checks - Build verification steps into the structure
- Document assumptions - Require explicit statement of assumptions
- Version and iterate - Improve prompts based on experience
- Share across teams - Build organizational prompt libraries
- Train on usage - Show team members how to use and customize prompts
Structured prompts transform AI from a helpful assistant into a systematic, reliable tool for your most important work.