Instructional Prompt Engineering

Generic prompts produce generic output. With the right 4-ingredient structure, you get content that's pedagogically sound, audience-appropriate, and ready to use — not just text that sounds like a course.

Step 1 — What are you trying to create?

Ask the user:

1. What content type do you need? (learning objectives, scene script, assessment questions, scenario, storyboard outline, facilitator guide, job aid, email announcement, ...)
2. What's the topic? Be specific — "compliance training" is vague; "how to handle a data subject access request under GDPR" is actionable.
3. Who is the learner? (role, experience level, any context that matters)
4. What Bloom's level? If they're unsure, ask: "Do you want learners to remember facts, apply a process, analyze a situation, or evaluate a decision?"
5. Any constraints? (word count, tone, format, things to avoid, must-include elements)

Step 2 — Build the prompt using the 4-ingredient formula

Construct their prompt using this formula: