Most people's first experience with AI tools is underwhelming — not because the technology failed, but because the request was vague. This hands-on session treats prompting as a professional communication skill rather than a technical one. We'll work through the anatomy of a strong prompt: supplying context, defining the audience, specifying format, giving examples, and setting constraints. Using clinical research scenarios — drafting a protocol deviation summary, reformatting a monitoring report, comparing two versions of an informed consent form — attendees will see the difference between a one-line ask and a well-structured one. We'll also cover iteration: how to correct, refine, and redirect output instead of abandoning it. Bring a laptop and a real task you've been putting off.

Takeaways

• Structure prompts using context, role, format, and constraint elements
• Recognize the task types where AI adds real value — and where it doesn't
• Apply iterative refinement techniques to improve weak first-draft output