Designing better prompts: A simple framework to make AI useful

AI tools are now part of everyday work. They help us write, plan, design and deliver faster than before. But while the technology has evolved quickly, the way we use it has not always kept pace.

We often see the same pattern. People experiment with prompts, get mixed results, and are left wondering why one attempt works and the next does not. The model has not changed. The prompt has.

A prompt is not a command. It is a brief. It sets direction, tone and scope for what follows, just like any other design input. When the brief is clear, the result is clearer too.

AI prompts that work

This thinking sits at the heart of Designing Better Prompts: What I’ve Learned from Training AI to Understand Us, a new eBook written by Josh Healey, Principal Consultant at Hippo. It brings together what we have learned from testing and training AI systems, turning that experience into a simple framework anyone can use.

The eBook outlines six habits that make prompts clearer and more consistent. They come from the same mindset that drives good design: starting with intent, building context and refining through feedback.

It begins with clarity, one purpose, simply expressed. From there comes specificity, giving the model enough direction to respond accurately while leaving space for nuance. Context adds meaning by explaining who and what the work is for. Instruction guides the output, keeping it relevant and practical.

Structure matters too. Constraints such as length, tone or format keep the response focused, while audience framing ensures the result speaks to real people in the right way.

These habits work together. They turn prompting from trial and error into something intentional, a process that can be tested, repeated and improved over time. The eBook also explores the design loop, a method that helps teams compare and refine prompts so their results become more useful, more efficient and more aligned with their goals.

Building capability through design

Behind the framework is a simple idea. AI capability is not about the tools. It is about how we use them. Good prompts make outputs sharper, more ethical and more efficient. They save time, reduce waste and make AI more useful in real work.

That is what this eBook is designed to do: help people treat prompts as something to design, not something to guess. And to give teams the confidence to use AI in ways that are intentional, responsible and genuinely valuable.