Prompting 101: How to Ask AI for What You Actually Want
“Prompt engineering” sounds technical, but it simply means giving AI clear instructions. If you’ve ever written a work order or explained a task, you already know the basics.
Ask AI to “write a letter about an upcoming inspection” and you’ll get something generic. It does not know which inspection, resident, deadline, or tone you need unless you tell it.
The CRAFT Structure: Context, Role, Action, Format, Target Audience
Context — what the AI cannot know on its own.
“Our housing authority has thin walls, and sound travels easily between units.”
Role — who the AI should act as.
“You are helping draft a notice of policy change for a public housing authority front office.”
Action — exactly what you want done, stated specifically.
“Write a notice of policy change in which residents are no longer allowed to vacuum after 10pm”
Format — how the answer should be structured.
“Use a professional tone and keep the notice short and easy to read.”
Target Audience — who will read or use it.
“The audience is housing authority residents, so the language should be plain and respectful.”
Put together: “Our housing authority has thin walls and sound travels easily between units. You are helping draft a notice of policy change for a public housing authority. Explain that residents may no longer use loud electronics, including vacuums, after 10 p.m. Use a professional tone and plain, respectful language.”
That is much more useful than “Tell residents not to vacuum after 10 p.m.” because it gives the AI the missing pieces.
Two Habits That Make a Good Prompt Even Better
Show an example. If you have a notice that got the tone right, paste it in and ask the AI to match that style. A real example beats a description.
Revise instead of restarting. Treat the first draft as a starting point: “Cut this in half,” “Make it less formal,” or “Add a sentence about the deadline.” Each revision builds on the last.
Ready-to-Use Templates
- Resident notice: “Write this in plain, respectful language. Include [specific details]. Keep it to one page.”
- HUD memo summary: “Summarize what changed, why it matters, and what staff needs to do differently.”
- Plain-language rewrite: “Rewrite this for a resident with no housing-program background. Keep all dates, deadlines, and requirements accurate.”
A Few Reminders
- Never include sensitive resident information (PII) unless your housing authority has approved that tool for that purpose.
- Say what to avoid, not just what to include. For example, “don’t use technical HUD terminology.”
- Always review before it goes out. Good prompting helps, but it does not make every answer automatically correct or compliant.
With a little structure, AI becomes easier to use. The goal is not to become a tech expert; it is to spend less time rewriting and more time on work that needs a human.
