Prompt

The instruction you give an AI. The clearer and more specific it is, the better the result. A system prompt sets the standing rules for the whole session.

All Dictionary

What it is

A prompt is what you tell the AI to do. It can be a single line (“make this heading bigger”) or a detailed brief with examples, constraints, and references. The quality of the prompt drives the quality of the output more than almost anything else.

System prompt vs your prompt

Your prompt is the request you type. A system prompt is a standing instruction that applies to the whole session, setting the role, rules, and tone before you say anything. In Claude Code, a CLAUDE.md file acts like a project system prompt: rules the model reads every time, so you do not repeat them.

Why this matters for designers

“Make it look better” gives the model nothing. “Increase padding to 24px, set the heading to 32px semibold, use the existing tokens” gives it everything. The same instinct that makes a good design brief makes a good prompt: be specific, show references, state what you do not want.

How to write a stronger prompt

  1. Say the goal and the context, not just the task.
  2. Be specific with numbers, tokens, and named references.
  3. Show an example or a screenshot when you can.
  4. State the constraints and the anti-patterns to avoid.