What makes a prompt 'good' or 'bad'?

Question

A good prompt feels like asking the right question at the right time – clear, simple, and straight to the point. What do you think makes a prompt hit or miss?

Timothy Bramlett · Accepted Answer

I mean, this is a bit of a silly question because what makes a prompt good or bad is how well it ultimately achieves the desired output.

Yolanda Zul Imatufarikh · Answer

A good prompt is clear, specific, and open-ended, encouraging detailed responses while providing enough context for understanding. It inspires creativity and critical thinking.

In contrast, a bad prompt is vague, overly broad, or confusing, leading to unclear or irrelevant responses. It may also be too restrictive, limiting the potential for exploration and discussion. Overall, the quality of a prompt significantly influences the depth and relevance of the answers it generates.

Blake Martin · Answer

I think what makes a good prompt really depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Over time, the criteria have shifted, but at the end of the day, a good prompt delivers the right kind of output. For instance, if I’m working on a highly specific task like a RAG application, a good prompt would need to be tightly controlled to get the right results. But for something more creative, like writing, a good prompt allows for more freedom and flexibility.

So, I’d say the key to a great prompt is how well it sets clear expectations for what you want and how closely the output matches those expectations.

What makes a prompt 'good' or 'bad'?

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