The Act-Explain-Please Framework
Master the three-part structure that turns vague requests into precise, powerful prompts. Build your own AEP prompts and see before/after transformations.
AEP Prompt Builder
Fill in each section to assemble a well-structured prompt. Use the quick-fill examples below, or write your own.
Before/After Comparator
See how the AEP framework transforms vague, one-line prompts into structured requests that consistently produce better results.
Email Writing
Write me an email to my boss about the project
Act as a professional communications coach. I need to email my department head about a project that's 2 weeks behind schedule due to a vendor delay — the relationship is good but she values directness. Please draft a concise email that acknowledges the delay, explains the cause without blame-shifting, and proposes a revised timeline with mitigation steps.
Data Analysis
Analyse this sales data
Act as a senior business analyst with expertise in retail analytics. I have quarterly sales data for 12 product categories across 3 regions (CSV attached). Q3 showed a 15% decline in our top category. Please identify the top 3 contributing factors, compare performance against the same quarter last year, and present findings as bullet points with specific percentages.
Learning
Explain machine learning
Act as a patient computer science tutor who specialises in making complex topics accessible. I'm a business manager with no coding background but I need to evaluate ML vendors for our customer churn prediction project. Please explain the 3 main types of machine learning with one real-world business example each, avoiding jargon — if you must use a technical term, define it in parentheses.
Creative
Write a blog post about AI
Act as a tech journalist who writes for a non-technical audience, in the style of clear, engaging long-form articles. I run a small marketing agency and want to publish a thought leadership piece on our company blog. Our audience is SMB owners who are curious but cautious about AI. Please write a 1,200-word blog post titled '5 Ways AI Is Already Saving Small Businesses 10+ Hours Per Week' with specific, verifiable examples and a conversational tone.
The AEP framework is a starting point, not a rigid formula. As you develop your prompting skills, you'll learn when to emphasise certain components, when to add constraints, and when a simple prompt is all you need. The key insight is that AI performs dramatically better when it knows who to be, what it's working with, and exactly what you want.