# Brief Claude like a colleague

> Write prompts that get a usable first draft by giving Claude the same context, goal and constraints you would give a smart new colleague.

Source: https://viralistic.nl/help/claude/write-better-prompts

Most disappointing answers from Claude come from thin briefs, not from a weak model. This article shows a simple way to brief Claude the way you would brief a capable new colleague who knows nothing about your company yet. You do not need special tricks or magic words.

## The colleague test

Before you send a prompt, ask yourself: if I sent this message to a smart freelancer who started today, could they do a good job? If they would need to come back with five questions, Claude needs those answers too.

Compare these two briefs.

```text
Write a LinkedIn post about our new website.
```

```text
We are a four-person bakery in Utrecht. We just launched a new website
where people can pre-order bread for Saturday pickup. Write a LinkedIn
post for our company page announcing it.

Audience: local customers and neighbouring businesses, not other bakers.
Tone: warm and plain, no hype, no emojis.
Length: under 120 words.
Must include: pre-order closes Thursday 20:00, link at the end.
Avoid: the words "excited" and "thrilled".
```

The second one takes a minute longer to write and saves you three rounds of edits.

## The five parts of a good brief

You do not need all five every time, but check them for anything that matters.

1. **Context:** who you are, what the situation is, what has already happened.
2. **Goal:** what the result is for and what a good outcome looks like.
3. **Audience:** who will read or use it, and what they already know.
4. **Constraints:** length, tone, format, words or claims to avoid, deadlines.
5. **Examples:** a sample of what good looks like, such as a previous email you liked.

> **Tip:** Explain why, not just what. "Keep it short because it will be read on a phone" works better than "keep it short", because Claude can then make sensible choices you did not spell out.

## Give Claude the material

Claude can only use what it can see. Paste or attach the source material instead of describing it.

- Attach the PDF, spreadsheet or screenshot.
- Paste the email thread you are replying to.
- Share last year's version of the document you want updated.

When a prompt mixes instructions and material, separate them clearly so Claude knows which is which:

```text
Summarise the meeting notes below for the client. Use three headings:
Decisions, Open questions, Next steps.

<notes>
[paste the notes here]
</notes>
```

The tags are not special code. They are simply a clear way to say "this part is the material".

## Let Claude ask first

For bigger tasks, start with a short brief and ask Claude to interview you:

```text
I need a one-page proposal for a website redesign for a client.
Before you write anything, ask me the questions you need answered.
Ask them all at once, numbered.
```

Answer the questions in one reply, then ask for the draft. This is often faster than writing the perfect brief yourself.

## Iterate like you would with a person

The first answer is a draft. Give feedback that is specific and actionable.

| Instead of       | Try                                                                            |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| "Make it better" | "The second paragraph repeats the first. Cut it and add one concrete example." |
| "Too formal"     | "Write it the way you would say it to a client you have known for years."      |
| "Wrong"          | "The deadline is the 14th, not the 12th. Fix that and keep the rest."          |

If a chat goes in circles, start a new chat with an improved brief that includes what you learned. A fresh start is often better than ten corrections.

## Common mistakes

- **Asking for everything at once.** Split a big job into steps: outline first, then sections, then a final edit.
- **Hiding the real goal.** If the email is meant to get a late invoice paid, say so.
- **No format.** If you want a table, bullet list or a specific heading structure, say it.
- **Trusting facts blindly.** Ask Claude to mark anything it is unsure about, and check names, numbers and dates yourself.

## Make good briefs reusable

When you notice you are typing the same background into every chat, stop repeating yourself:

- Put background and standing instructions in a [Project](https://viralistic.nl/help/claude/projects).
- Turn a repeatable way of working (house style, report format, checklist) into a [skill](https://viralistic.nl/help/claude/what-is-a-skill).

## Next steps

- [Give Claude lasting context with Projects](https://viralistic.nl/help/claude/projects)
- [What a skill is and when to make one](https://viralistic.nl/help/claude/what-is-a-skill)
- [Connect Claude to your tools](https://viralistic.nl/help/claude/connectors)