Use effective prompts

  • 5 minutes

The key to using Copilot effectively is to create prompts that are likely to generate useful responses. As a general rule, you should use prompts that are detailed and structured for clarity. Generally, using positive instructions (telling copilot what to do rather than what not to do) works best.

Some key things to consider when submitting a prompt are:

  • State a specific goal for what you want the copilot to do.
  • Add context to maximize response appropriateness and relevance.
  • Set clear expectations for the format of the response.
  • If possible, provide a source of data with which to ground the response in a specific scope of information.
  • Iterate based on previous prompts and responses to refine the result.

For example, suppose a corporate legal executive you work with has created a proposal for a partnership between Contoso Corporation and Litware Inc. You could use the following prompt to summarize the information in the proposal:

Summarize the document at /Proposal.docx1 as a bulleted list of 3 to 5 key points2 to help me plan a project kickoff meeting3. Keep each bullet concise and simply worded4.

Observe the following elements of this prompt:

  1. A specific source of data is provided to ground the response so that it's based on the information in the specified document.
  2. The prompt specifies that the goal is to generate a bulleted list of 3 to 5 items.
  3. Additional context is provided so that the response is appropriate to help when planning a project kickoff meeting.
  4. Explicit expectations are set that the bulleted items should be concise and simply worded.

Copilot might respond to this prompt with something like this:

Here are the key points from Proposal.docx:

  • Market Leadership: The partnership between Litware and Contoso aims to take a leadership position in the consumer electronics market by leveraging their combined strengths.
  • Customer-Focused Approach: Contoso has a 30-year history of delivering innovative, high-quality products that meet customer needs and expectations.
  • Mutual Benefits: The partnership promises immediate and impactful growth, with Contoso partners often seeing increased revenue and sales within three months.
  • Aligned Priorities: Contoso's business priorities align with Litware's goals, focusing on quality, innovation, and community engagement.
  • Simplified Integration: The partnership process is straightforward, involving three phases: evaluate, plan, and execute & measure.

These points should help you plan your project kickoff meeting effectively. Is there anything else you need?

To get more information or generate additional useful content, you could follow up with a prompt such as:

Create a table of roles and responsibilities for the proposed project.

By continuing the conversation with Copilot and using an iterative approach to refine and expand its responses, you can increase their usefulness.

Tip

For more information about writing effective prompts and some example prompts you can use, see Copilot Lab.