# The CRAFT Method

Course: [Prompting at Work](https://www.devtutorials.ai/learn/prompting-at-work) · Section: Foundations
Source: https://www.devtutorials.ai/learn/prompting-at-work/foundations/the-craft-method

> Learn CRAFT, a five-part checklist for a good prompt: Context, Role, Ask, Format and Tone. Add each part to Priya's reminder, tag the parts of a strong prompt and spot what is missing.

## Priya's Document Reminder

Priya runs the office at Kestrel Office Co. in Pune. Some new joiners have not handed in their paperwork, so she needs to send them a reminder.

She types a one-line prompt into an AI chat tool.

Count the blanks in the answer: a name, a list of documents, a place, and a sender. It also takes more than 100 words to say very little.

The AI was not being lazy. It simply did not have enough information to work with.

In this lesson, you will learn a simple five-part checklist called **CRAFT** that helps you provide the information the AI needs.

**In simple words:** a good prompt is a good briefing. CRAFT is the checklist for that briefing.

## TL;DR

- **CRAFT** stands for **Context, Role, Ask, Format, Tone**.
- **Context:** the facts and situation. Who, what, when, where, and why.
- **Role:** whose voice and expertise the answer should use, and who it is for.
- **Ask:** the job you want done, starting with a clear action such as *write*, *summarise*, or *list*.
- **Format:** the shape and length of the answer.
- **Tone:** how the answer should sound.
- You do not always need all five parts, but when an answer disappoints you, the missing piece is usually one of them.

## A Real-World Example

Imagine you ask a temporary assistant to book a meeting room. If you simply say, "Book a room," you will probably get a room, but not necessarily the right one.

Now imagine you say:

*"We have six visitors from a supplier on Thursday (**Context**). You are helping me as my assistant (**Role**). Book a room for them (**Ask**) from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. with a screen (**Format**). Keep it informal because this is a casual catch-up (**Tone**)."*

Same person. Same task. Completely different result.

AI works the same way. The more complete your briefing is, the easier it is for the AI to give you the result you want.

## What You Will Learn

In this lesson, you will learn:

1. The five parts of CRAFT.
2. What happens when each part is missing.
3. How to identify the missing part in a weak prompt.
4. How to build a complete CRAFT prompt.
5. How CRAFT relates to guidance from tools such as Copilot and Gemini.

## The Five Parts of CRAFT

| Part | Question It Answers | What Happens Without It |
|---|---|---|
| **Context** | What is happening? Who is involved? What is the goal? | The AI creates a generic response full of blanks or assumptions |
| **Role** | Whose voice should be used? Who is the audience? | The facts may be correct, but the wording may be wrong |
| **Ask** | What should the AI actually do? | The AI may do the wrong job |
| **Format** | How should the answer look? | You get the wrong length or structure |
| **Tone** | How should it sound? | The message may sound inappropriate for the situation |

The coloured labels under the practice boxes represent the five CRAFT parts. As you add each element to your prompt, the labels light up.

### Context: The Facts

**Context** is everything the AI cannot know unless you tell it.

This includes:

- Names
- Dates
- Locations
- Deadlines
- Numbers
- Background information
- Business purpose

Here is Priya's reminder again, this time with the key facts included.

The facts improve the answer, but the message is still long, stiff, and signed **[Your Name]**.

Context fixes the information. It does not control the style, structure, or voice.

### Role: Whose Voice?

**Role** tells the AI who it should sound like and who the audience is.

Examples:

- "You are a friendly office administrator."
- "You are an HR coordinator."
- "Explain this to a new joiner."
- "Write for senior managers."

Both the writer and the reader influence the final result.

Try it yourself.

Send the message as it is. Then start a new chat and add a role and audience, such as:

*"You are a friendly office manager. Explain what a purchase order is to a new joiner using simple language."*

The facts stayed the same. The role changed the language.

A technical explanation might work for an accountant but confuse a new employee.

### Ask: The Job

The **Ask** is the specific job you want the AI to do.

Start with a clear action word:

- **Write** or **draft** something new.
- **Rewrite** or **shorten** something that already exists.
- **Summarise** information.
- **List** key points.
- **Compare** options.
- **Suggest** ideas.

A vague request such as:

*"Something about the missing documents."*

forces the AI to guess what you want.

Clear asks produce clearer answers.

### Format and Tone: Shape and Sound

**Format** controls the shape and length of the answer.

Examples:

- Under 80 words
- Three bullet points
- A table with three columns
- Include a subject line
- One paragraph

**Tone** controls how the answer sounds.

Examples:

- Friendly
- Formal
- Professional
- Calm and apologetic
- Firm but polite

Send the context message below first.

Then add the missing parts with a follow-up such as:

*"Write it as Priya, the office administrator. Keep it under 80 words. Use a bulleted list and a friendly tone."*

The facts stayed exactly the same.

Role decided who was speaking.

Format controlled the length and structure.

Tone changed how the message felt to the reader.

**Easy way to remember:** CRAFT is a briefing: **C**ontext is the situation, **R**ole is the voice, **A**sk is the job, **F**ormat is the shape, and **T**one is the sound.

## Tag the Parts

Here is a strong prompt for Priya's reminder.

Each sentence represents one part of CRAFT.

Tag each sentence and then press **Check**.

Once you learn to recognise CRAFT in someone else's prompt, it becomes much easier to spot what is missing in your own.

## Spot What's Missing

Each prompt below is missing the part that matters most.

Can you identify it?

## Put It All Together

Now create Priya's reminder using all five parts of CRAFT.

Watch the coloured labels under the message box as you type.

This version includes the correct facts, uses the right voice, stays concise, and is ready to send.

Role does not make the AI an expert. Asking it to act as a lawyer, accountant, or HR specialist changes the style of the answer, not the accuracy of the information. Important legal, financial, or HR decisions should still be checked by a qualified person.

### Do You Always Need All Five?

No.

For simple questions, a clear ask and a little context may be enough.

For example:

*"What does PO stand for?"*

does not require a special tone or format.

However, if the answer will be sent to other people, or if the first result is disappointing, use the full CRAFT checklist.

When something feels wrong, ask yourself:

**Which part of CRAFT is missing?**

CRAFT is this course's framework. Other AI guides use different names for very similar ideas. Google's Gemini guidance uses terms such as Persona, Task, Context, and Format. Microsoft's Copilot guidance uses concepts such as Goal, Context, Expectations, and Source. Different names, same core idea.

## Common mistakes

| Mistake | What Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Missing Context | Generic templates and missing details | Add who, what, when, where, and why |
| Missing Role | The wording is wrong for the audience | Specify the writer and reader |
| A vague Ask | The AI solves the wrong problem | Use a clear action verb |
| Missing Format | The answer is too long or the wrong shape | Specify structure and length |
| Missing Tone | The message sounds cold, defensive, or inappropriate | Define the tone clearly |

## Exercise

Complete each task below and then press **Check**.

## What to Remember

- **Context:** the facts and the situation.
- **Role:** whose voice to use and who the audience is.
- **Ask:** the job you want done.
- **Format:** the structure and length.
- **Tone:** how it should sound.
- When an answer disappoints you, look for the missing part of CRAFT.

### Key Takeaway

**CRAFT helps you give AI a complete briefing.**

The more complete your briefing is, the less the AI has to guess and the more likely you are to get a useful answer the first time.

Next: Giving Context