Prompt Builder
By the Syncfusion DevTutorials team · Last updated
Build strong prompts with a CRAFT form, score any prompt on seven checks with the Prompt Checker, add a "don't guess" line, and ask the AI to improve your prompts.
A Newsletter Item, the Quick Way
You need a short item for the staff newsletter about next week's fire drill. You are busy, so you type the first thing that comes to mind.
The result is a general lecture about fire safety, with a blank where the date should be.
You already know how to improve it, but when you are busy, it is easy to forget part of the CRAFT checklist.
This lesson introduces two tools that help with that:
- The Prompt Builder
- The Prompt Checker
In simple words: The Builder helps you create a good prompt. The Checker helps you find what is missing.
TL;DR
- The Prompt Builder gives you one box for each CRAFT part, plus a "don't guess" instruction.
- The Prompt Checker checks a prompt against seven quality criteria.
- The Checker provides feedback, not a grade.
- A "don't guess" line reduces invented facts.
- You can also ask AI to improve a prompt for you.
A Real-World Example
Pilots use a checklist before every flight, even after thousands of successful flights. They do not use it because they forgot how to fly. They use it because busy situations are exactly when important steps get missed.
The Prompt Builder and Prompt Checker work the same way. They are checklists for prompt writing.
You probably do not need them for a quick question like:
"What does PO stand for?"
You use them when the quality of the answer matters.
What You Will Learn
In this lesson, you will learn:
- How to use the Prompt Builder.
- What the Prompt Checker looks for.
- Why the "don't guess" instruction matters.
- How to ask AI to improve a prompt.
The Prompt Builder
Fill the Boxes
The Prompt Builder contains one field for each CRAFT element.
Fill in:
- Context
- Role
- Ask
- Format
- Tone
Keep the "don't guess" option enabled.
The Builder combines everything into a complete prompt, and the Checker immediately scores it.
Use It for the Fire Drill
Now build a fire-drill prompt.
Open What You Know to find the facts.
Fill in the Prompt Builder, click Copy, paste the generated prompt into the box below, and then send it.
The task is exactly the same as it was at the start of the lesson. This time, every fact is included and the newsletter item is ready to use.
The Prompt Checker
Seven Things It Looks For
The Prompt Checker looks for seven elements commonly found in strong workplace prompts:
- A clear action verb such as write, summarise, compare, or list.
- Context describing the situation.
- The intended audience.
- A role.
- A format.
- A tone.
- A "don't guess" instruction.
The Checker does not use AI. It uses fixed rules, which means the same prompt always receives the same score.
Paste the simple prompt from the beginning of the lesson into the Checker.
Then try one of your own prompts.
A score of 7 out of 7 does not guarantee a perfect answer, and simple questions often do not need all seven parts. Treat the score as a reminder rather than a grade.
Get 7 Out of 7
Arun's one-line prompt appears below.
Improve it until every check turns green.
Each failed check explains what is missing.
The "Don't Guess" Line
What It Does
Earlier in the course, you learned that AI often tries to fill gaps when information is missing.
A "don't guess" instruction changes that behaviour by giving the AI permission to say that it does not know.
Examples include:
- "If you are not sure, say so instead of guessing."
- "Use only the information I provided."
- "If information is missing, tell me instead of inventing it."
- "Mark uncertain information with [CHECK]."
Ask the AI for a fact it cannot possibly know.
Then try the same question again in a new chat and add:
"If you are not sure, say so instead of guessing."
Without the instruction, the AI invented a phone number. With the instruction, it explained that it did not know and suggested where to find the information.
Easy way to remember: A "don't guess" line takes only a few words but can prevent the most dangerous mistake of all: a believable answer that is wrong.
Ask the AI to Improve Your Prompt
Let AI Help
AI can also help improve prompts.
Paste your original prompt between quotation marks and ask the AI to rewrite it using CRAFT.
Tell it to use placeholders for anything it cannot know.
The AI transformed a short, vague request into a full CRAFT template and highlighted the information that only you can provide.
Fill in those placeholders and you now have a much stronger prompt.
Before asking AI to improve a prompt, remove sensitive information. If a prompt contains names, personal details, or customer information, anonymise it first.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving out the "don't guess" instruction | AI invents information that looks real | Add a clear instruction not to guess |
| Treating 7/7 as the goal for every prompt | Simple tasks take longer than necessary | Use the full checklist only when the result matters |
| Not identifying the audience | The answer becomes too generic | Specify who will read it |
| Asking AI to improve prompts containing sensitive data | Private information is unnecessarily shared | Remove identifying information first |
| Forgetting to save successful prompts | You rebuild them later from scratch | Save them to your library |
Exercise
Complete each task below and then press Check.
Use the Prompt Builder and Prompt Checker whenever they help.
What to Remember
- The Prompt Builder guides you through CRAFT.
- The Prompt Checker reviews prompts against seven criteria.
- A "don't guess" instruction helps reduce invented facts.
- AI can help improve prompts when asked.
- Save successful prompts to your library for future use.
Key Takeaway
Good prompts are easier to build when you use a checklist.
The Prompt Builder helps you include the pieces that matter. The Prompt Checker helps you spot what is missing. Together, they make it easier to produce reliable prompts even when you are busy.
Next: Final Assessment