Lesson 2 · 11 min
The prompt-design exercise
A classic live exercise: "Write a prompt that extracts {field} from {input} and outputs JSON." The pattern that consistently scores well.
A typical brief
"Here's an input: a free-form support ticket. Write a prompt that extracts: customer email, urgency (low/medium/high), and a one-line summary. Output strict JSON. You have 25 minutes."
Weak candidates start typing immediately. Strong candidates spend 3 minutes asking questions and writing a one-line spec before any prompt text.