Symptom to Cause to First Fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Generic output | Missing context, audience, or purpose | Add specific context and constraints |
| Wrong format | Format not stated | State the format, give a small example |
| Wrong or outdated facts | Missing or stale source material | Provide or update the source |
| Inconsistent between runs | Ambiguous instruction | Tighten the instruction and add criteria |
| Used to be good, now weak | Something changed | Find what changed before rewriting |
| Forgets earlier details | Context too long | Summarize and restart, or persist in a Project |
Decision Table
| If the question says... | The answer is likely... |
|---|---|
| Results are weak and you have several ideas | Change one variable at a time and retest on the same input |
| Reader feedback says "too technical" | Turn it into one specific change and test it |
| Workflow is slow and repetitive | Shared Project and removal of unused steps |
| Cost is high on simple steps | Try a smaller sufficient model and check quality |
| Optimization saved time | Confirm quality still meets the rubric |
Traps
| Trap | Correct Answer |
|---|---|
| Rewrite the whole prompt immediately | Diagnose what changed first |
| Change several things at once | One variable at a time |
| Use the strongest model to fix every problem | Fix the cause; the model is rarely the first lever |
| Optimize for speed alone | Equal quality is the condition |
If You Remember Nothing Else
- Diagnose what changed before rewriting.
- One variable at a time, same input each time.
- Smaller sufficient model, shared Projects, fewer wasted steps.
- Check quality before and after any optimization.