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What you’ll learn

A prompt is the instruction you give to Claude. The clearer your direction, the better the response. This module shows you how to structure prompts that get useful results on the first try.

Structure prompts

Use frameworks to organise your requests

Apply patterns

Copy proven formats for common tasks

Enrich inputs

Add files, Projects, and context to your prompts

Extend outputs

Use Artifacts and extended thinking for complex work

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What is a prompt?

A prompt is the way you tell an AI what you want and how you want the result to look. A good prompt doesn’t just say what to do. It often includes context, tone, format, or constraints to guide the result. Think of it as having a conversation with a very knowledgeable assistant who needs clear directions to help you best. The more precise you frame your request and prompt, the more accurate your responses can be.

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Essential prompting frameworks

These three frameworks cover most workplace prompting scenarios. Pick the one that matches your task type.
Use CLEAR when you need Claude to produce something specific, like a report, email, or summary.
1

Context

What is the purpose or situation?
Example: “Our sales team is struggling with quarterly targets”
2

Length

How long should the response be?
Example: “I need a concise 2-page proposal for senior management”
3

Examples

What style or format should it follow?
Example: “Follow our standard business case format with executive summary”
4

Audience

Who will read this?
Example: “Sales director, regional managers, and C-suite executives”
5

Request

What exactly do you want as output?
Example: “Create a competitive analysis and action plan to improve Q3 performance”
Use PREP when you need Claude to write or create something from scratch.
1

Purpose

What is the goal of this content?
Example: “Train a new employee on workplace safety”
2

Role

Who should Claude act as?
Example: “Act as a workplace safety trainer”
3

Expectations

What format or style should it follow?
Example: “Create a checklist with explanations for each point”
4

Parameters

What constraints should it consider?
Example: “Maximum 15 items, use simple language, include emergency procedures”
Use STAR when you need Claude to help you work through a challenge or make a decision.
1

Situation

What is the current business challenge?
Example: “Our customer support team is overwhelmed with 40% more tickets since product launch”
2

Task

What needs to be accomplished?
Example: “Need to reduce response times to under 4 hours while maintaining quality scores above 85%”
3

Action

What options are you considering?
Example: “Consider automation, staffing options, or process improvements”
4

Result

What outcomes define success?
Example: “Want to achieve target response times within 8 weeks. Help me evaluate these options and create an implementation roadmap.”

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Common prompting patterns

These five patterns work across most business tasks. Copy the structure and swap in your own details.

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Enriching your prompts

Text is not your only input. Claude can work with files, Projects, and memory to give you faster, more accurate results.

File uploads

Claude file uploadUpload documents, spreadsheets, images, or PDFs directly into your conversation.Claude can read and interpret file content, saving you from manually copying or describing information.Try this:Upload a meeting transcript and ask Claude to extract action items with owners and deadlines.

Projects

Claude ProjectsUse Projects to group related conversations and add persistent context.Upload reference documents, style guides, or templates that Claude remembers across all chats within that Project.Try this:Create a Project for your team, add your brand guidelines, and start drafting content that stays on-brand.
Projects are ideal for recurring work. Add your company’s tone guide, product specs, or standard templates once, and Claude applies them automatically.

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Advanced techniques

Once you are comfortable with the basics, these techniques help you tackle more complex tasks.
Break complex tasks into smaller steps. Complete one step before moving to the next.
1

First prompt

“Help me brainstorm topics for a presentation about climate change”
2

Second prompt

“Now help me create an outline for a presentation about renewable energy solutions”
3

Third prompt

“Create detailed content for the first three slides of this outline”
Start broad, then narrow down based on the response you receive.
1

Initial

“Help me plan a team building event”
2

Refine

“Focus on indoor activities for 15 people with a budget of $500”
3

Finalise

“Create a detailed timeline for a cooking class team building event”
Add specific limitations to get focused results.
    Write a product description for wireless headphones with these constraints:
    - Maximum 100 words
    - Highlight 3 key features
    - Use conversational tone
    - Include a call-to-action
    - Target audience: fitness enthusiasts
Ask Claude to analyse from different viewpoints.
    Analyse the decision to work remotely from three perspectives:
    1. Employee benefits and challenges
    2. Employer costs and benefits
    3. Impact on team collaboration
    
    Provide balanced insights for each perspective.
For complex problems, ask Claude to think through the problem step by step before answering.
    I need to restructure our sales compensation plan. 
    
    Think through this carefully:
    - Current challenges with our commission structure
    - Industry benchmarks for SaaS sales compensation
    - Potential unintended consequences of changes
    
    Then recommend a new structure with rationale.
Extended thinking is built into Claude. For particularly complex reasoning tasks, Claude will automatically spend more time thinking before responding.

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Claude’s unique capabilities

Claude has features that extend beyond basic chat. These help you create polished outputs and maintain context across your work.

Artifacts

When you ask Claude to create documents, code, or structured content, it can generate Artifacts. These are standalone files you can view, edit, and download.
    Create a React component 
    for a pricing table 
    with three tiers: 
    Basic, Pro, and Enterprise.
Artifact types:Claude can create Markdown documents, HTML pages, React components, SVG graphics, Mermaid diagrams, and more.

Styles

Customise how Claude writes by selecting or creating a Style. Styles adjust tone, formality, and structure to match your preferences.
    Use a professional 
    but approachable tone. 
    Keep sentences short. 
    Avoid jargon.
Set your Style:Go to Settings, then Styles to choose from presets or create your own custom writing style.
Memory and context: Claude can remember details from your conversations. If you want Claude to recall specific information, tell it what to remember. You can also manage saved memories in your Settings under Personalisation.

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What file types can I upload?

VariableFile Upload Details
Supported File FormatsPDF, TXT, Word documents (.docx), Excel spreadsheets (CSV, XLSX), Data files (JSON, HTML), Images (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP), PowerPoint (.pptx), Code files
Not SupportedVideo files (MP4), Audio files (MP3), Google Doc links (download first)
File Size LimitsIndividual files up to 30 MB, Images up to 20 MB
Upload QuantityMultiple files per conversation supported
Image AnalysisClaude can read text in images, interpret charts and diagrams, and describe visual content
Please note limits and capabilities continuously change and may differ from those stated above.

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Quick checkpoint

Good prompting is like briefing a capable colleague. The clearer you are about what you need, the better Claude can help. Start with the frameworks, practise with different patterns, and refine your approach based on what works for your tasks. You are done with this module when you can do the following:

Structure prompts

You can apply at least one framework to a real task

Apply patterns

You have used a prompting pattern from this module

Enrich inputs

You have tried uploading files or using a Project

Refine outputs

You have used follow-up prompts to improve a response

Ready to practice?

Complete the challenge by building a prompt using what you have learned