Ready to become a ChatGPT expert?  Let me show you how the 4P Method—Prepare, Prime, Prompt, and Polish—can help you get smarter, faster results. It’s simple, actionable, and (if I may say so myself) quite fun to use.

In Today’s Email:

• The 4P Method: A Guide to AI Success: Prepare, Prime, Prompt and Polish

• ICYMI:

  • Read last week’s newsletter: The 10/80/10 Principle for Maximising ChatGPT

  • Read: Reality Check: Your Employees Are Already Using AI, But Are They Being Responsible?

  • Check out all our AI articles HERE.

Let’s dive in!

The 4P Method: A Guide to AI Success

Prepare, Prime, Prompt and Polish to Rule Them All (and in the Clarity Bind Them)

Last week, I introduced the 10/80/10 Principle for working with AI. This week, we’ll dive deeper with the 4Ps, which complement that framework beautifully. Think of the 10/80/10 Principle as your big-picture approach and the 4Ps as your daily guide to executing it.

At a basic level, the 4P Method naturally complement the 10/80/10 Principle:

Ready to dive in? Grab a task you’ve been struggling with and see how the 4P Method transforms the way you collaborate with AI.

Breaking Down the 4Ps

1. Prepare: Gather Your Thoughts

Preparation is the foundation of any successful collaboration—whether with AI or another human. Before you dive into prompting ChatGPT, take time to clarify what you want to achieve. Think of this as laying out your tools before starting a project.

Why It Matters

Starting with preparation prevents you from wandering aimlessly or chasing vague ideas. It sharpens your focus, helping you identify the key goal and approach before involving AI. A little prep time saves hours later.

How to Apply It:

• Brainstorm Key Ideas: Write down your thoughts and goals. Pen and paper often work best because they remove digital distractions.

• Reverse Engineer Your Outcome: Imagine the result you want and break it into actionable steps. What does “success” look like?

• Break Down the Problem: Divide the task into manageable chunks instead of tackling it all at once.

• Example: If you’re planning a blog post, list key points, decide on tone, and identify your audience upfront.

Personal Tip: My mantra is: “Paper first, AI second.” Jotting down my thoughts helps me process them better. It’s a ritual that clears my mind and primes me for effective collaboration.

2. Prime: Invest in Context

Once you’re clear on your goals, it’s time to set the stage for AI by “priming” the LLM with context. 

Think of the LLM as a bright graduate. They’re smart but need clear instructions to succeed. The better the guidance, the better the results.

Why It Matters

Context is king. Without it, AI might deliver generic or irrelevant results, wasting your time. By clarifying the task, audience, tone, and format, you set AI up for success.

How to Apply It

Cover these essentials when priming AI:

• Role: Specify the role AI should play. (“Act like a branding consultant.”)

• Audience: Identify who the output is for. (“This is for eco-conscious millennials.”)

• Tone: Define the style or voice you want. (“Keep it professional but approachable.”)

• Task and Output: Clearly explain the task and describe the desired result.

• Additional Info: Provide supporting resources, like documents, URLs, or frameworks.

Principles for Effective Priming

• Be explicit: AI doesn’t read minds; assume nothing is obvious.

• Think like a teacher: Provide examples or frameworks that make the task easier to follow.

• Offer extra resources: Share documents, URLs, or keywords that give AI a deeper understanding.

3. Prompt: Craft Clear and Actionable Instructions

Your prompt is the bridge between preparation and output. It’s where all the information from the “Prime” step comes together to give AI clear, actionable instructions.

Principles I follow when Prompting:

• Copy-and-paste prompts hardly ever work, because they weren’t designed for your environment and situation, and it quickly shows that you haven’t put your critical thinking and creativity cap on.

• Prompting is a skill you learn through practice. 

• Clarity and specificity are key.  ‘Help me write something good’ is not exactly a good prompt

Why It Matters

Specific, detailed prompts ensure AI delivers results aligned with your goals. A vague prompt like “Help me write something good” won’t cut it—it leaves too much room for interpretation. Think of prompting as crafting a blueprint for your ideal outcome.

How to Apply It

Use the ROIPE Framework to structure your prompts for success:

1. (R)ole: Define the perspective AI should adopt.

   Example:

   “Think like Seth Godin crafting a bold campaign.”

2. (O)bjective: Clarify what you want to achieve.

   Example:

   “Generate three creative campaign ideas for launching a sustainable clothing line to eco-conscious millennials.”

3. (I)nstructions: Break down the task into clear steps.

   Example:

   “Step 1: Review the attached document, XYZ_Clothing_Range.docx, to understand the product.”

   “Step 2: Brainstorm 10 campaign concepts that emphasize eco-friendliness and uniqueness.”

4. (P)arameters: Set specific requirements for the output.

   Example:

   “Each idea should have a heading, 2-3 sentence descriptions, and be written in a professional tone.”

5. (E)xample Output: Show AI what a “good” result looks like.

The next time you’re stuck, try applying the ROIPE framework to your task. It’s not just about giving instructions—it’s about setting the stage for collaboration with AI. Start small, refine your approach, and soon you’ll be crafting prompts like a pro.

Key Principles for Prompting

• Customize Your Prompts: Avoid generic copy-paste prompts. Tailor them to your unique context and needs.

• Iterate and Test: Treat prompting as an evolving conversation. Test the response, refine your prompt, and repeat until you’re satisfied.

• Collaborate, Don’t Command: Think of it as a dialogue, not a one-way instruction. Guide AI with follow-up prompts for better results.

4. Polish: Refine the Output

Even with the best prompts, AI’s work is rarely perfect out of the gate. This is where you step in. Polishing transforms raw AI output into a result that’s uniquely yours—adding the human touch and ensuring it aligns with your standards.

Even the best AI responses need a human touch. Polishing is where you take the AI’s draft and elevate it to meet your exact standards.

You are the expert: You know what “great” looks like.

AI gives you the cake. Polishing turns it from a supermarket cheapie into a Charlie’s Bakery masterpiece. This is where the magic of YOU—your voice, humor, and expertise—comes through.

Why It Matters

AI often delivers about 80% of the solution, but the final 20% is where the magic happens. Editing, fact-checking, and injecting your voice elevate the result from good to great.

How to Apply It

1. Fact-Check: Ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date. AI sometimes “hallucinates” and invents details.

2. Refine Tone and Structure: Adjust the language to fit your voice or brand. Rearrange sections for clarity and impact.

3. Add Personal Insights: Inject your expertise, humor, or anecdotes to make the output feel more human.

   Example: If AI drafts a blog post, reorganise the sections, tighten the flow, and sprinkle in some humor or storytelling.

4. Step Away: Take a break before reviewing. Fresh eyes help spot issues and inspire better edits.

Personal Note: Polishing is where I have the most fun. I turn AI’s draft into something I’m proud of—where my personality shines through. It’s like transforming a supermarket cake into a bakery masterpiece.

The 4P framework—Prepare, Prime, Prompt, and Polish—is at the heart of my newsletter process. It’s a methodical yet creative journey that starts with connecting ideas (Prepare), setting the stage for AI with detailed context (Prime), collaborating through an interactive dialogue (Prompt), and finally, refining everything to make it uniquely mine (Polish).

AI is a powerful tool that helps me work smarter and faster, but the final touches—the humor, the quirks, the voice—are all me. By following the 4Ps, I can turn a spark of an idea into something meaningful, personal, and ready to share with you.

You’re the strategist. AI’s the workhorse. Together, you’re unstoppable.