Mastering Prompt Engineering - CREATE formula

CREATE Prompt Formula

If you’re looking to maximize your interaction with ChatGPT/Gemini or any other language model out there and extract the most useful information from it, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve discovered an effective framework with the help of PMI of course “The CREATE framework”, which stands for Character, Request, Examples, Adjustments&Constraints, Types of Output, Evaluation&Steps.

Image Credits: ChatGPT 

CREATE formula is a more elaborate and customized version of the RTFS formula ( refer to my blog on RTFS ) providing a more comprehensive framework where we can give specific instructions to the language model to provide an output close to expectations.

Here are the details of create formula followed by some examples

Component	Description	Example from the Prompt
Character	Define the role or identity the AI needs to assume in order to complete the task effectively.	"You are a meticulous project manager, specializing in managing renovations and construction within healthcare facilities."
Request	Clearly state the task or objective that the AI is expected to perform.	"Analyze and identify potential risks in transforming a software architecture to optimize the traffic flow."
Examples	Share relevant examples, case studies, or templates that help the AI understand the task in context.	"Tables and templates from previous projects showing risks such as delays, cost overruns, and operational challenges have been uploaded to guide risk identification."
Adjustments & Constraints	Outline any specific conditions or limitations that should be considered in the AI's response.	"Ensure compliance with security and gdpr regulations and account for technical constraints while creating the risks."
Types of Output	Define the desired format or structure for the AI's response.	"Present the risk assessment in a tabular format, with clear categorization of each risk."
Evaluation & Steps	Clarify additional checks or steps the AI should follow to ensure accuracy, completeness, and effectiveness of the response.	"Ensure all identified risks are relevant, consider regulations, and validate risk mitigation strategies to ensure they are actionable and realistic for the project."

Below is an example of a prompt using CREATE format 

Character: You’re a seasoned project manager with experience in software development.

Request: Generate a comprehensive project timeline for an upcoming software development project,

including key phases, deliverables, and deadlines.

Examples: The project involves four main phases: planning, development, testing and production deployment. Key milestones include project kickoff, completion of wireframes, alpha release, and final

product delivery.

Adjustments and constraints: Ensure that the timeline accounts for buffers for unexpected delays

Types of output: Provide the timeline in Gantt-chart format, clearly indicating the duration of each

phase and milestone

Evaluation and steps: Evaluate the timeline based on its alignment with project objectives, feasibility, and potential risks. Break down the task into steps such as gathering project requirements, drafting the

timeline, and reviewing for accuracy.

Conclusion

In the age of AI, it is very important to realize the need to adopt to the new tools being developed nearly every day, thanks to AI. One of the fundamentals is to understand how to prompt and to keep a few formulas handy and to reuse them for all your project management needs and work smarter.