AI workflows · 4 min read
Better AI work starts with a better brief
Give your AI assistant enough context to produce something you can actually use.
Describe the task before the output
‘Write me a sales page’ leaves a lot for an AI assistant to guess. It has to assume the audience, the product, the price, the tone, and even what is true. A better brief makes those decisions explicit before asking for a draft.
Begin with the task and the reader. Explain what you are making, where it will appear, and what a reader should understand or be able to do afterward.
For a product checklist, the goal might be helping a first-time freelancer prepare a client kickoff. That goal changes what belongs in the checklist and what can be left out.
Separate facts, references, and preferences
Give the assistant three short groups of information. Facts are the things it must preserve: the contents, price, access terms, and product details. References are examples or research it may use. Preferences describe the voice, length, and layout you want.
Tell it how to handle missing information. ‘Flag anything you need to know’ is safer than inviting it to fill gaps with a plausible claim.
Brief structure: Task → Audience → Verified facts → Source material → Style → Constraints → Output format.
Use only material you are entitled to share. Remove private customer details and confidential information that the task does not need.
Ask for one useful stage at a time
Start with an outline or a small sample so you can check the direction. For an article, review the main argument and section order before generating a long draft. For a template, test one completed example before asking for a pack.
Be specific with feedback: ‘Replace this general paragraph with three actions the reader can take’ is more useful than ‘make it better.’ Keep the changes tied to the original task.
When you approve a direction, carry forward the important facts and decisions. A saved brief makes later revisions easier and reduces accidental changes to the offer.
Review the work against the brief
Check the result for accuracy, completeness, and usability. Follow its instructions yourself. Open its links. Compare claims with the original sources and remove statements that have no support.
- Does the output solve the reader's actual task?
- Are product details and prices unchanged?
- Did it introduce unsupported claims, quotes, or numbers?
- Can the reader use it without guessing what comes next?
Save the brief alongside the finished work. Over time, your own examples and review notes become a practical starting point for the next task.
Keep exploring
The five parts of a useful sales page →