Unit ID: PAW-M02-U03 Estimated active time: 20-25 minutes

Decide what good means first

A common mistake is to ask the AI tool for output first and judge it later by feeling.

That can work for small creative tasks.

But for useful work, it is better to define success before generation.

Ask:

> What must this output do to be useful?

What are success criteria?

Success criteria are simple checks for a good output.

They describe what the answer must include, avoid, and support.

Examples:

• The answer uses simple English.
• The answer is under 150 words.
• The answer does not invent dates, numbers, or promises.
• The answer is suitable for beginners.
• The answer separates facts from assumptions.
• The answer gives three options with pros, cons, and risks.
• The answer ends with questions I should verify.

Success criteria help both the AI tool and the human reviewer.

Why success criteria help

Success criteria help because they:

• reduce guessing;
• make the prompt clearer;
• make review easier;
• reduce false confidence;
• help you reject weak output;
• support consistent repeated work.

They do not guarantee correctness. You still need review.

Example

Task:

> Draft a fictional workshop reminder email.

Success criteria:

• 100 to 140 words.
• Friendly and clear.
• Includes date placeholder, location placeholder, and preparation reminder.
• Does not invent real names, times, prices, or policies.
• Ends with one sentence inviting questions.

Prompt:

> Draft a fictional workshop reminder email for beginner learners. Use 100 to 140 words. Use a friendly and clear tone. Include placeholders for date and location. Remind learners to bring a notebook. Do not invent real names, times, prices, or policies. End with one sentence inviting questions.

Now the prompt has a built-in standard.

Write criteria that can be checked

Weak success criterion:

> Make it excellent.

Better:

> The output should be under 150 words, use simple English, include three action items, and list assumptions separately.

Checkable criteria are better than vague praise words.

Use three to six criteria

You do not need twenty criteria for every task.

For most everyday tasks, three to six clear criteria are enough.

Too few criteria may be vague.

Too many criteria may overload the prompt.

Mini practice

Choose one safe task.

Write five success criteria.

Use this format:

• The output must...
• The output should...
• The output must not...
• The output should include...
• The output should help the reader...

Then check: can each criterion be reviewed by a human?

Mark complete