Prompt
A prompt is the instruction or question you give an AI model: the user message, template, or form that tells it what to do.
In product design, prompts are both user-authored text and hidden product copy (system prompts, tool descriptions, empty-state examples) that shape every interaction.
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What it means
Prompts set role, task, constraints, format, and context; the model’s reply is a direct response to that combined instruction stack.
Why designers should care
Great AI UX reduces prompt anxiety with templates, examples, and progressive fields so users get useful output without learning prompt engineering.
Example
A design critique flow offers “Quick pass” vs “Accessibility deep dive” starters. Each inserts a structured prompt users can edit before sending, raising quality on the first try.
Common mistakes
- • Blank chat as the only entry point for complex tasks.
- • No preview of what will be sent to the model (hidden prepended text).
- • One-size prompts across roles (PM vs engineer vs support) with different needs.