Unit ID: PAW-M02-U00 Estimated active time: 15-20 minutes
The common mistake
Many people start with the tool.
They ask:
> What can this AI tool do?
That question is not wrong. But it is not the best first question.
The better first question is:
> What job am I trying to get done?
If the job is unclear, the prompt will be unclear.
Why the job comes first
AI tools can produce many kinds of output:
- emails;
- outlines;
- lists;
- tables;
- summaries;
- plans;
- explanations;
- comparisons;
- questions;
- critiques.
But the output only helps if it supports the real work.
For example, imagine you say:
> Make a plan.
The AI tool may create a plan. But what kind of plan?
- A study plan?
- A meeting plan?
- A project plan?
- A travel plan?
- A workshop plan?
- A launch plan?
Each one needs different information.
So before prompting, name the job.
A job statement
A job statement is a short sentence that explains the work.
Use this pattern:
> I need to [do something] so that [someone can use it for something].
Examples:
- I need to create a meeting agenda so that a small team can discuss priorities in 30 minutes.
- I need to draft a study checklist so that a beginner learner can prepare for a quiz.
- I need to compare three safe fictional workshop ideas so that I can choose one to develop.
- I need to explain a topic simply so that a first-time learner can understand the basics.
These statements are not prompts yet.
They are the starting point.
Tool choice comes later
After the job is clear, you can ask whether AI is useful.
Ask:
- Is this task safe for AI help?
- Can I review the output?
- Do I have enough context?
- Is the result low risk?
- Do I need a human expert instead?
Sometimes the answer is: use AI.
Sometimes the answer is: do not use AI.
Sometimes the answer is: use AI only for a small part.
Example
Weak start:
> I want to use AI for my presentation.
Better job statement:
> I need to create a five-slide outline so that a beginner audience can understand the main points of a safe fictional topic in 10 minutes.
Now the work is clearer.
The AI tool does not need to guess whether you want design ideas, speaker notes, research, slide titles, or a full script.
Mini practice
Write three job statements using this pattern:
> I need to [do something] so that [someone can use it for something].
Use safe fictional or nonsensitive tasks.
For each one, answer:
- Is AI useful for this job?
- Which part could AI help with?
- Which part must a human review?