Amplify Your Reasoning: Leverage AI To Enhance Critical Thinking

Introduction

A critical thinking framework provides you with a structured approach to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and make well-reasoned decisions.

Frameworks also outline a step-by-step process to critically examine claims, arguments, and data in order to reach sound conclusions.

We discuss some of the popular frameworks and their use cases below and finally give you the AI Recipe for using these models at work to solve problems.

The Nine Reasoning Models

1. The Red Model
2. The Paul-Elder Model
3. Bloom’s Taxonomy
4. The CRAP Test
5. PEAS Framework
6. SWOT Analysis
7. Logic Model
8. Decision Tree
9. Fishbone Diagram

Let’s take each one in detail with prompts to boot.

How to use the prompts here

1. Copy the prompts directly into your chatbot: Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini Pro, etc. I have done it for one prompt from Business using the Red Model as an example in this post to demonstrate the results for you.
2. Check if the prompt needs additional data from you: Research, reviews, data, etc. Add these as needed.
3. Modify the prompts to your context. Play with them. Relish the possibilities.
4. Reflect on how you can use prompts to find answers to urgent, pressing questions using Chatbots and get into the habit of research.

The RED Model

(Recognize assumptions, Evaluate arguments, Draw conclusions)

The RED Model is your mental detective kit: Recognize assumptions, Evaluate arguments, Draw conclusions.

Think of it as Sherlock Holmes for your brain, slicing through confusion to uncover the truth.

Whether you’re solving a mystery or a business dilemma, the RED Model keeps your thinking sharp and your conclusions spot-on.

Let’s now examine how this model translates into prompts for several disciplines.

Prompts For Marketing Professionals
You’re launching a new social media campaign for a product. Using the RED Model to:

1. Recognize assumptions: List three key assumptions you’re making about your target audience’s social media behavior and preferences.
2. Evaluate arguments: Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of using influencer marketing versus traditional paid advertising for this campaign. Consider factors like reach, engagement, and cost-effectiveness.
3. Draw conclusions: Based on your analysis, outline your recommended social media strategy, explaining how you’ve addressed potential assumptions and evaluated different approaches.

Prompts For Business Professionals
Your company is considering expanding into a new international market. Apply the RED Model to this decision and:

1. Recognize assumptions: Identify five assumptions you might be making about the new market, including cultural preferences, economic conditions, and competitive landscape.
2. Evaluate arguments: Assess the pros and cons of entering this market now versus waiting a year. Consider factors like first-mover advantage, resource allocation, and potential risks.
3. Draw conclusions: Based on your evaluation, present a recommendation on whether to proceed with the expansion, including a timeline and key milestones. Explain how your conclusion addresses the recognized assumptions and evaluated arguments.

Let’s attempt this prompt in ChatGPT Plus and see what it throws by way of an answer.

Prompts For Creative Professionals
You’re designing a new logo for a tech startup that wants to appeal to both young professionals and established businesses. Use the RED Model to guide your creative process:

1. Recognize assumptions: List three assumptions you might be making about what visual elements appeal to these different target audiences.
2. Evaluate arguments: Compare the merits of a minimalist design approach versus a more complex, detailed logo. Consider factors like versatility, memorability, and how well each style might resonate with the diverse target audience.
3. Draw conclusions: Based on your analysis, sketch out your proposed logo design and explain how it balances the needs of both audience segments. Describe how your design choices address the assumptions you recognized and the arguments you evaluated.

Prompts For Content Creators

1. Viral Video Vetting: You’ve created a video you think will go viral. Before posting, recognize assumptions about your audience’s preferences, evaluate arguments for and against its potential virality, and draw conclusions about whether to post or refine it.
2. Collaboration Conundrum: A big brand wants to collaborate. Recognize assumptions about the brand’s intentions and your audience’s reaction, evaluate arguments for and against the partnership, and draw conclusions about whether to proceed.
3. Platform Pivot Pondering: You’re considering switching your primary content platform. Recognize assumptions about the new platform’s audience and algorithm, evaluate arguments for staying vs. switching, and draw conclusions about your next move.

Prompts For Entrepreneurs

1. Startup Scaling Scrutiny: Your startup is ready to scale. Recognize assumptions about market demand and your team’s capacity, evaluate arguments for different scaling strategies, and draw conclusions about the best path forward.
2. Investor Pitch Inspection: You’re preparing to pitch to investors. Recognize assumptions about what they value, evaluate arguments for different pitch angles, and draw conclusions about the most compelling presentation.
3. Pivot or Persevere Predicament: Your business model isn’t working as expected. Recognize assumptions about why it’s struggling, evaluate arguments for pivoting vs. persevering, and draw conclusions about your next strategic move.

Prompts For Product Managers

1. Feature Frenzy Filter: Your team has a long list of potential new features. Recognize assumptions about user needs and development costs, evaluate arguments for each feature’s priority, and draw conclusions about what to build next.
2. User Feedback Funnel: You’ve received conflicting user feedback. Recognize assumptions about user segments and their needs, evaluate arguments for different interpretations of the feedback, and draw conclusions about how to act on it.
3. Launch Timing Tango: You’re deciding when to launch a new product. Recognize assumptions about market readiness and competitor moves, evaluate arguments for launching now vs. later, and draw conclusions about the optimal launch timing.

The Paul-Elder Model

(Elements of reasoning and intellectual standards)

Picture this: You’ve got a thinking toolkit with three nifty compartments:

1. Elements of Thought: These are the building blocks of your mental workout. It’s like having different exercise machines for your mind – purpose, question at hand, information, interpretation, concepts, assumptions, implications, and point of view.
2. Intellectual Standards: Think of these as your mental personal trainers. They’re always asking the tough questions: “Is your thinking clear enough? Accurate? Relevant? Logical?”
3. Intellectual Traits: This is the six-pack abs of critical thinking. Develop these traits (like intellectual humility, courage, and perseverance), and you’ll be flexing your mental muscles in no time.

The goal? To turn your mind into a lean, mean, thinking machine.

In life, those who master the Paul-Elder Model don’t just lift heavy thoughts – they juggle them with finesse!

Prompts For Marketing Professionals

1. Social Media Strategy Synthesis: Analyze our current social media performance. Define the purpose of our strategy, list assumptions about our audience, outline data needed on platform trends, consider implications of different content mixes, and apply standards to ensure your strategy is clear, relevant, and logically sound.
2. Brand Positioning Puzzle: Evaluate our brand’s current market position. Identify the purpose of repositioning, state assumptions about customer perceptions, gather competitor data, infer potential new directions, and apply standards to ensure your positioning is precise, significant, and fair to all stakeholders.
3. Content Calendar Choreography: Plan next quarter’s content strategy. Define the strategy’s purpose, list assumptions about audience preferences, outline performance data needed, consider implications of content types, and apply standards to ensure your plan has breadth, relevance, and depth for your audience.

Prompts For Business Professionals

1. Merger Mastermind: Evaluate a potential merger with a startup. State the merger’s purpose, identify assumptions about the startup’s value, list key information needed, outline evaluation concepts, consider multiple stakeholder viewpoints, and apply standards to ensure your analysis is accurate, relevant, and logically sound.
2. Operational Efficiency Expedition: Streamline business processes. Define the purpose of optimization, list assumptions about current inefficiencies, outline data needed on workflows, consider implications of changes, and apply standards to ensure your plan is clear, significant, and fair to all departments.
3. Market Expansion Exploration: Plan entry into a new market. State the expansion purpose, identify assumptions about the new market, list required market research data, infer potential challenges and opportunities, and apply standards to ensure your strategy has depth, breadth, and relevance to the new market.

Prompts for Creative Professionals

1. Brand Identity Reimagination: Design a new visual identity for a tech startup. Define the design’s purpose, list assumptions about tech branding trends, outline research needed on competitor aesthetics, consider implications of color and typography choices, and apply standards to ensure your design is clear, relevant, and logically aligned with the startup’s values.
2. Ad Campaign Conception: Create a multichannel ad campaign for a sustainable product. State the campaign’s purpose, identify assumptions about eco-conscious consumers, list data needed on effective green marketing, infer potential emotional triggers, and apply standards to ensure your campaign is accurate, significant, and fair in its representation of sustainability.
3. User Experience Unraveling: Redesign a complex app interface. Define the redesign’s purpose, list assumptions about user pain points, outline usability testing data needed, consider implications of layout changes, and apply standards to ensure your design is clear, relevant, and logically improves user experience.

Prompts For Content Creators

1. Trend Taming Tango: You’ve spotted a viral trend. Before jumping in, define your purpose for participating. Gather relevant information on the trend’s origin and audience reception. Make inferences about its staying power. Consider implications of joining early vs. late. Apply intellectual standards to check if your content idea is clear, relevant, and significant to your brand.
2. Collaboration Constellation: A fellow creator wants to collaborate. Define the purpose of this potential partnership. Collect information on their audience, style, and past collaborations. Infer potential outcomes for your brand. Consider implications on your current audience. Apply standards to ensure the collaboration concept is logical, fair, and aligns with your brand’s depth.
3. Content Calendar Choreography: It’s time to plan next quarter’s content. Define the purpose of your content strategy. Gather data on past performance and upcoming events. Make inferences about audience preferences. Consider implications of different content mixes. Apply standards to ensure your plan has breadth, relevance, and significance to your audience.

Prompts For Entrepreneurs

1. Pivot Pirouette: Your startup needs a change. Define the purpose of pivoting. Collect information on market trends and customer feedback. Infer potential new directions. Consider implications on team, resources, and brand. Apply standards to ensure your pivot plan is precise, relevant, and logically sound.
2. Funding Fandango: You’re preparing for a funding round. Define your purpose for seeking investment. Gather data on potential investors and market comparables. Infer investor priorities. Consider implications of different funding amounts and terms. Apply standards to ensure your pitch is clear, accurate, and significant to investors.
3. Scale-up Samba: It’s time to expand. Define your scaling purpose. Collect information on new markets and operational requirements. Infer challenges and opportunities. Consider implications on company culture and product quality. Apply standards to ensure your scaling plan has depth, breadth, and fairness to all stakeholders.

Prompts For Product Managers

1. Feature Fiesta: Your team is brainstorming new features. Define the purpose of adding features. Gather user feedback and competitor analysis. Infer which features could provide the most value. Consider implications on development timeline and existing features. Apply standards to ensure selected features are relevant, significant, and align logically with your product vision.
2. Roadmap Rumba: It’s roadmap revision time. Define the purpose of your product roadmap. Collect data on market trends and internal capabilities. Infer potential paths for product evolution. Consider implications of different prioritization strategies. Apply standards to ensure your roadmap has clarity, depth, and fairness to different user segments.
3. User Feedback Flamenco: You’ve received conflicting user feedback. Define the purpose of addressing this feedback. Gather more detailed information from users. Infer underlying needs and pain points. Consider implications of different solution approaches. Apply standards to ensure your response is accurate, fair, and addresses the feedback with appropriate depth.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Picture a pyramid, but instead of ancient Egyptian treasures, each level houses increasingly complex thought processes.

At the base, we have “Remembering” – the couch potato of cognitive skills. Here, your brain is just recalling facts like a human Google, the mental equivalent of finding the TV remote.

One level up, we hit “Understanding.” Now you’re not just parroting information, you’re actually making sense of it. It’s like your brain just got off the couch and is doing some light stretching.

Next comes “Applying,” where you’re using what you’ve learned in new situations. Your mind is now jogging on the treadmill of knowledge.

“Analyzing” follows – you’re breaking down information, finding patterns. Your brain is doing mental push-ups, flexing those cognitive muscles.

Near the top, we’ve got “Evaluating.” You’re making judgments, critiquing ideas. Your mind is now bench-pressing complex thoughts!

Finally, at the peak, we reach “Creating” – the grand finale of cognitive gymnastics. You’re producing original work, synthesizing ideas. Your brain is now so buff it could star in a mental fitness calendar!

Remember, just like you can’t skip leg day at the gym, you can’t skip levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy. It’s all about building that mental strength, one level at a time.

Let’s Take An Example: Design a training program

• Remember: Have learners recall key terms and basic concepts
• Understand: Ensure students can explain ideas in their own words
• Apply: Give practice problems for using the skills
• Analyze: Have students compare different approaches and models
• Evaluate: Require learners to critique example work and justify their assessments
• Create: Assign projects to develop original solutions

Now, based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, let’s design prompts for various disciplines.

These prompts encourage you to engage in critical thinking at all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, from basic recall to complex creation.

Use these prompts as is, or modify them to your liking and situation.

Prompts For Marketing Managers

1. Cause Marketing Carnival: Your eco-friendly product line needs a boost. Juggle through Bloom’s Taxonomy to remember key sustainability trends, understand consumer behavior shifts, apply storytelling techniques to your campaign, analyze competitor strategies, evaluate the potential impact on brand perception, and create an innovative social media challenge that turns users into eco-warriors!
2. Social Media Sorcery: Your social platforms are as stale as week-old bread. Bloom your way to social media stardom! Recall platform-specific best practices, comprehend changing user behaviors, implement a mix of content types, analyze engagement metrics, critique your current strategy’s effectiveness, and conjure up a magical content calendar that would make even algorithms swoon.
3. Competitive Analysis Rollercoaster: Your market position is slipping faster than a buttered penguin on ice. Climb Bloom’s ladder to regain your footing! Identify all your competitors (even the sneaky ones), explain their market positions, apply competitor analysis techniques, examine gaps in the market, judge your current strategies against theirs, and design a positioning strategy that’ll have competitors wondering if you’ve hired marketing ninjas.

Prompts For Business Leaders

1. Customer Retention Rodeo: Your customers are playing musical chairs with your competitors. Lasso them back using Bloom’s Taxonomy! Recall key retention metrics, interpret factors influencing customer loyalty, implement a feedback system that’s more addictive than social media, analyze churn patterns like you’re decoding the Da Vinci Code, evaluate the ROI of your current retention strategies, and invent a loyalty program so irresistible, it borders on customer bribery (legally, of course).
2. Marketing Effectiveness Maze: Your marketing budget is a black hole, and the CFO is giving you the evil eye. Navigate Bloom’s maze to prove your worth! List your marketing channels, explain how each contributes to revenue, calculate the cost of customer acquisition across channels, analyze the short-term and long-term impact on revenue, assess the effectiveness of each strategy, and devise a data-driven marketing plan that’ll make even the CFO crack a smile.
3. Digital Transformation Tango: Your company’s digital presence is stuck in the stone age. Dance through Bloom’s levels to bring it to 2024! Identify current digital trends, describe how they’re reshaping your industry, apply digital tools to streamline operations, analyze customer data to personalize experiences, evaluate the potential risks and rewards of emerging technologies, and orchestrate a digital transformation strategy that turns your company into a tech-savvy tango master.

Prompts For Creative Professionals

1. Brand Identity Bungee Jump: Your client’s brand is about as memorable as beige wallpaper. Take a Bloom’s bungee jump to give it an adrenaline shot! Recall essential branding elements, explain how they communicate brand personality, apply design principles to create initial concepts, analyze successful tech startup branding, evaluate how well your concepts align with the client’s goals, and develop a comprehensive brand guide that’s so exciting, it practically jumps off the page.
2. Video Content Volcano: Your content strategy is erupting with demands for more video. Climb Bloom’s volcano to master the medium! List types of effective marketing videos, understand platform-specific video best practices, produce a variety of video content, analyze viewer engagement metrics, critique your videos against top-performing competitors, and erupt with a video content strategy that’s so hot, it might melt your camera.
3. Interactive Campaign Inception: Your client wants an ad campaign that breaks the fourth wall. Dive through Bloom’s levels of inception to make it happen! Recall interactive advertising techniques, comprehend how interactivity boosts engagement, implement interactive elements in your campaign concepts, analyze user interaction data, evaluate the campaign’s effectiveness across different media, and conceive an immersive ad campaign so engaging, users will forget they’re being marketed to.

Prompts For Content Creators

1. Viral Video Vortex: You’ve accidentally created a video that’s gone mega-viral for all the wrong reasons. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, analyze the video’s unexpected success, evaluate its impact on your brand, and create a follow-up strategy that turns this mishap into marketing gold.
2. Hashtag Havoc: Your attempt at a clever hashtag campaign has backfired spectacularly. Apply Bloom’s levels to understand what went wrong, analyze the public’s hilarious misuse of your hashtag, and devise a witty damage control plan that embraces the chaos.
3. Meme Metamorphosis: You’ve been transformed into a living, breathing meme. Employ Bloom’s stages to recall how this happened, comprehend your new meme status, apply your meme powers in the real world, and create a content strategy that capitalizes on your newfound internet fame.

Prompts For Entrepreneurs

1. Pitch Perfection Pandemonium: You’re about to pitch to investors when you realize you’ve accidentally swapped your presentation with your child’s school project on “Why Pizza Should Be a Vegetable.” Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to quickly analyze the situation, evaluate potential pivots, and create a pitch that hilariously incorporates both your business and the merits of pizza as produce.
2. Startup Sitcom Scenario: Your quirky startup team has unwittingly become the subject of a hit reality TV show. Apply Bloom’s levels to understand how this happened, analyze the show’s impact on your business, and devise a strategy to leverage this unexpected publicity while maintaining your company’s integrity (and sanity).
3. AI Assistant Anarchy: Your revolutionary AI assistant has developed a sarcastic personality and is roasting your customers. Utilize Bloom’s Taxonomy to diagnose the issue, evaluate the AI’s unexpectedly popular zingers, and create a marketing campaign that turns this glitch into your unique selling proposition.

Prompts For Product Managers

1. Feature Fiasco Fandango: Your team accidentally pushed a “self-destruct” button feature to production. Dance through Bloom’s Taxonomy to understand how this happened, analyze user reactions, evaluate potential pivots, and create a product roadmap that somehow makes this catastrophe look intentional and innovative.
2. User Feedback Folly: You’ve received an overwhelming amount of user feedback, but it’s all in interpretive dance form. Pirouette through Bloom’s levels to decipher this kinesthetic data, analyze the choreographed critiques, and synthesize a product strategy that addresses these rhythmic requirements.
3. Roadmap Rollercoaster: Your product roadmap has come to life as an actual theme park ride, with each feature as a different stomach-churning loop or drop. Apply Bloom’s Taxonomy to understand this bizarre manifestation, evaluate the “user experience” of riding your roadmap, and design product improvements based on which parts of the ride users enjoy most (or survive).

The CRAP Test

In the wild west of online information, the CRAP Test is your sheriff’s badge.

Developed by librarians at California State University, Chico, this snappy acronym stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, and Purpose.

It’s your BS detector, your information quality compass, your digital truth serum.

Whether you’re a student wrestling with research papers or just someone trying to navigate the treacherous waters of online “facts,” the CRAP Test helps you separate the wheat from the chaff, and the credible from the questionable.

Example: Evaluate sources for a research paper

• Currency: Check how recently the information was published
• Reliability: Prefer peer-reviewed publications from reputable journals
• Authority: Consider the expertise and credentials of the authors
• Purpose: Assess if the source aims to inform, persuade, sell, or entertain

Alright, let’s put your critical thinking skills through the CRAP Test wringer!

Prompts For Marketing Managers

1. Viral Video Vetting: Your intern’s cat video is blowing up but is it on-brand? Apply the CRAP Test to determine if it’s current enough to ride the meme wave relevantly authoritative for your pet food company or just a purr-fect waste of time and decide if its purpose aligns with your marketing goals or if you should paws before posting.
2. Influencer Inspection: That hot new TikToker wants to collab but are they the real deal? Use the CRAP Test to check if they’re current and trending relevantly aligned with your target audience authoritative in their niche or just another pretty face and purposeful for your brand message or just chasing clout.
3. Hashtag Hullabaloo: Your team’s brainstormed a potentially viral hashtag. CRAP Test it to see if it’s current enough to trend relevantly connected to your campaign authoritative enough to stand out in the social media noise and purposeful in driving engagement or just another pound sign in the void.

Prompts For Business Leaders

1. Merger Mania Evaluation: That startup looks tasty but is it a smart acquisition? CRAP Test the deal to ensure it’s current in its market relevantly aligned with your company’s goals backed by authoritative financials and leadership and purposeful in driving your long-term strategy or just a shiny distraction.
2. Remote Work Revolution: Everyone’s ditching the office but is it right for your company? Apply the CRAP Test to determine if the shift is current and sustainable relevantly beneficial for your industry backed by authoritative productivity data and purposeful in improving work-life balance or just a trendy cost-cutting move.
3. AI Implementation Investigation: The board’s pushing for AI integration but is it more than just buzz? CRAP Test the proposal to check if it’s current and cutting-edge relevantly applicable to your operations backed by authoritative case studies and purposeful in driving efficiency or just a expensive tech toy.

Prompts For Creative Professionals

1. Logo Redesign Rundown: The client wants a rebrand but is their idea stuck in the 90s? CRAP Test their concept to ensure it’s current in design trends relevantly appealing to their target audience authoritative in conveying brand values and purposeful in standing out or just a nostalgic nightmare.
2. Font Frenzy Faceoff: That quirky new typeface caught your eye but will it work for the project? Run it through the CRAP Test to see if it’s current in typography trends relevantly readable for the medium authoritative in conveying the right tone and purposeful in enhancing the overall design or just a pretty but impractical choice.
3. Color Palette Predicament: You’ve crafted a bold new scheme but will it resonate? CRAP Test your palette to check if it’s current in color psychology relevantly appropriate for the brand authoritative in evoking the right emotions and purposeful in creating visual harmony or just a chaotic rainbow of regret.

Prompts For Content Creators

1. Viral Video Vetting: Your cat video is blowing up but is it legit content gold or just a furry flash in the pan? CRAP Test it to check if it’s current enough to ride the meme wave relevant to your brand’s voice authoritative in the world of feline influencers and purposeful beyond just making people say “aww” or if you should paws before posting.
2. Hashtag Hustle: You’ve crafted a potentially viral hashtag but is it a winner or a dud? Run it through the CRAP Test to see if it’s current enough to trend relevant to your campaign authoritative enough to stand out in the social media noise and purposeful in driving engagement or just another pound sign in the void of forgotten hashtags.
3. Influencer Inspection: That hot new TikToker wants to collab but are they the real deal? CRAP Test their profile to determine if they’re current and trending relevant to your target audience authoritative in their niche or just another pretty face and purposeful for your brand message or just chasing clout like a squirrel after the last acorn.

Prompts For Entrepreneurs

1. Startup Sizzle Scrutiny: Your pitch deck is ready but will it ignite investor interest or fizzle out? CRAP Test it to ensure it’s current in market trends relevant to solving real problems authoritative in its industry insights and purposeful in showcasing your unique value proposition or if it’s just another slide deck destined for the startup graveyard.
2. Pivot Predicament: The market’s shifting and you’re considering a pivot but is it genius or madness? Apply the CRAP Test to check if it’s current in addressing emerging needs relevant to your core competencies authoritative in its new direction and purposeful in securing your business future or just a panic move disguised as strategy.
3. Funding Frenzy Filter: A flashy new funding option has caught your eye but is it your golden ticket or fool’s gold? CRAP Test it to determine if it’s current in the finance world relevant to your growth stage authoritative in its terms and conditions and purposeful for your long-term vision or just a shiny distraction from more solid funding paths.

Prompts For Product Managers

1. Feature Fiesta Fact-Check: Your team’s brainstormed a potentially game-changing feature but is it the next big thing or just feature bloat? CRAP Test it to see if it’s current in addressing user needs relevant to your product vision authoritative in solving a real problem and purposeful in driving user engagement or just another bell and whistle cluttering your interface.
2. User Feedback Funnel: You’re drowning in user feedback but which bits are treasure and which are trash? CRAP Test the input to filter out what’s current and actionable relevant to your product roadmap authoritative in representing real user pain points and purposeful in guiding meaningful improvements or just noise drowning out the signal.
3. Competitor Copy Conundrum: A rival’s new feature has your team itching to copy but should you follow or forge your own path? CRAP Test the feature to check if it’s current in meeting market demands relevant to your user base authoritative in solving a problem you’ve overlooked and purposeful in advancing your product vision or just a knee-jerk reaction to keep up with the Joneses.

PEAS Framework

Imagine PEAS as your multi-purpose tool for tackling any problem:

• Problem: Define the issue clearly. What’s the challenge you’re facing?
• Evidence: Gather the facts. What data, information, or observations support your understanding of the problem?
• Analysis: Dig deeper. What are the root causes? What potential solutions emerge when you examine the evidence?
• Solution: Take action. What’s the best path forward based on your analysis?

PEAS is a mental GPS guiding you from confusion to clarity.

It’s the difference between aimless brainstorming and structured problem-solving.

Master PEAS, and you’ve got a universal tool for dissecting challenges, making decisions, and driving results in any field or situation.

Example: Improve customer service

• Problem: Define the issues customers are facing and the impact on the business
• Evidence: Gather data from surveys, complaints, call logs, etc. to understand the problem
• Analysis: Identify root causes and evaluate potential solutions based on cost, feasibility and impact
• Solution: Select and implement the best option, establish metrics to track results

Alright, let’s put some PEAS on your plate!

The prompts here require data inputs from you, so be careful when you use these.

Prompts For Marketing Managers

1. Viral Video Vortex: Your latest product video has accidentally gone viral for all the wrong reasons. Use PEAS to navigate this whirlwind: Problem – define the PR crisis, Evidence – gather social media metrics and user comments, Analysis – determine why it went viral and potential impacts, Solution – craft a witty response video that turns this mishap into marketing gold.
2. Hashtag Houdini: You’ve accidentally created a trending hashtag that’s been hilariously misinterpreted. Apply PEAS to escape this social media trap: Problem – identify the misinterpretation, Evidence – collect examples of misuse, Analysis – understand why it was misinterpreted, Solution – devise a clever campaign that embraces the chaos and redirects the trend.
3. Content Calendar Conga: Your content calendar is as chaotic as a conga line at a cat convention. Dance through PEAS to bring order: Problem – pinpoint scheduling issues, Evidence – review past performance data, Analysis – identify content gaps and overlaps, Solution – choreograph a balanced content mix that keeps your audience grooving.

Prompts For Business Leaders

1. Pitch Deck Perfection Potion: Your investor pitch keeps putting VCs to sleep faster than a lullaby. Brew a PEAS potion to wake them up: Problem – identify weak points in your pitch, Evidence – gather feedback from past presentations, Analysis – determine what successful pitches do differently, Solution – concoct an irresistible pitch that’ll have investors reaching for their checkbooks instead of their pillows.
2. Merger Mania Maze: You’re considering a merger that could be either a goldmine or a minefield. Navigate the PEAS maze to find your way: Problem – outline potential risks and benefits, Evidence – collect financial data and market analysis, Analysis – evaluate cultural fit and synergies, Solution – map out a merger strategy that’s more harmonious than a barbershop quartet.
3. Digital Transformation Tango: Your company’s digital presence is stuck in the stone age. Dance through PEAS to bring it to 2024: Problem – identify outdated systems and processes, Evidence – gather user experience data and competitor analysis, Analysis – evaluate potential technologies and their impacts, Solution – choreograph a digital transformation that turns your company from a tech dinosaur into a digital diva.

Prompts For Creative Professionals

1. Brand Identity Bungee Jump: Your client’s brand is about as memorable as beige wallpaper. Take a PEAS bungee jump to give it an adrenaline shot: Problem – identify brand weaknesses, Evidence – gather market perception data, Analysis – evaluate successful brand transformations in the industry, Solution – design a brand identity so bold it practically jumps off the page.
2. Creative Block Demolition Derby: Your idea well has run drier than a dessert in the Sahara. Crash through PEAS to smash that block: Problem – pinpoint sources of creative stagnation, Evidence – review past successful projects, Analysis – identify patterns in your creative process, Solution – construct an idea generation system that keeps your creativity flowing like a chocolate fountain.
3. Client Feedback Treasure Hunt: Your client’s feedback is as clear as mud and twice as sticky. Use PEAS to unearth the gems: Problem – decipher vague or contradictory feedback, Evidence – collect all communication and previous revisions, Analysis – identify patterns in client preferences, Solution – develop a feedback interpretation system that turns client mumbo-jumbo into creative gold.

Prompts For Content Creators

1. Viral Video Vortex: Your latest video has unexpectedly gone viral for all the wrong reasons. Use PEAS to navigate this whirlwind: Problem – define the PR crisis, Evidence – gather social media metrics and user comments, Analysis – determine why it went viral and potential impacts, Solution – craft a witty response video that turns this mishap into marketing gold.
2. Hashtag Houdini: You’ve accidentally created a trending hashtag that’s been hilariously misinterpreted. Apply PEAS to escape this social media trap: Problem – identify the misinterpretation, Evidence – collect examples of misuse, Analysis – understand why it was misinterpreted, Solution – devise a clever campaign that embraces the chaos and redirects the trend.
3. Content Calendar Conga: Your content calendar is as chaotic as a conga line at a cat convention. Dance through PEAS to bring order: Problem – pinpoint scheduling issues, Evidence – review past performance data, Analysis – identify content gaps and overlaps, Solution – choreograph a balanced content mix that keeps your audience grooving.

Entrepreneurs

1. Pitch Deck Perfection Potion: Your investor pitch keeps putting VCs to sleep faster than a lullaby. Brew a PEAS potion to wake them up: Problem – identify weak points in your pitch, Evidence – gather feedback from past presentations, Analysis – determine what successful pitches do differently, Solution – concoct an irresistible pitch that’ll have investors reaching for their checkbooks instead of their pillows.
2. Startup Sitcom Scenario: Your quirky startup team has unwittingly become the subject of a hit reality TV show. Use PEAS to turn this plot twist into a blockbuster: Problem – define privacy and productivity concerns, Evidence – review footage and ratings, Analysis – assess impact on team dynamics and brand perception, Solution – script a strategy that leverages this unexpected publicity while maintaining your sanity (and dignity).
3. Pivot Pirouette: Your revolutionary AI assistant has developed a sarcastic personality and is roasting your customers. Twirl through PEAS to stick this landing: Problem – outline customer complaints and AI glitches, Evidence – collect interaction logs and customer feedback, Analysis – determine the root cause of the AI’s snark, Solution – choreograph a pivot that turns this glitch into your unique selling proposition.

Product Managers

1. Feature Fiasco Fandango: Your team accidentally pushed a “self-destruct” button feature to production. Dance through PEAS to save your product: Problem – assess the extent of the accidental feature, Evidence – gather user reactions and usage data, Analysis – determine how this happened and potential impacts, Solution – design a product roadmap that somehow makes this catastrophe look intentional and innovative.
2. User Feedback Interpretive Dance: You’ve received an overwhelming amount of user feedback, but it’s all in interpretive dance form. Pirouette through PEAS: Problem – define the challenge of decoding kinesthetic data, Evidence – record and categorize dance moves, Analysis – interpret the choreographed critiques, Solution – translate the dance into a product strategy that addresses these rhythmic requirements.
3. Roadmap Rollercoaster: Your product roadmap has come to life as an actual theme park ride, with each feature as a different stomach-churning loop or drop. Apply PEAS to this wild ride: Problem – identify which features are making users queasy, Evidence – collect “rider” feedback and observe which sections people enjoy most, Analysis – evaluate the “user experience” of riding your roadmap, Solution – redesign your product roadmap to be a thrilling (but less nauseating) adventure.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis is a strategic compass for your business – a straightforward yet potent method to evaluate your organization’s position.

Envision it as a four-part diagnostic tool revealing your company’s true nature:

Strengths: Your competitive edge, the assets that set you apart in the market.
Weaknesses: The vulnerable areas where your business needs improvement.
Opportunities: Potential advantages in the external environment waiting to be seized.
Threats: External challenges that could hinder your progress.

This framework provides a comprehensive snapshot of your business, illuminating both internal capabilities and external factors.

Use it to craft your strategy, converting weaknesses into strengths and navigating around threats to capitalize on opportunities.

SWOT is a transformative process – turning raw insights into actionable business strategy.

Example: A retail company performs a SWOT analysis

• Strengths: Strong brand recognition, loyal customer base, prime store locations
• Weaknesses: Outdated inventory management system, high employee turnover
• Opportunities: Growing demand for eco-friendly products, expansion into e-commerce
• Threats: New competitors entering the market, rising costs of raw materials

By identifying these factors, the company can build on strengths, address weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities and mitigate threats.

Alright, let’s dive into the wonderful world of SWOT analysis!

Marketing Managers

1. Viral Video Vortex: Your latest product video has accidentally gone viral for all the wrong reasons. Use SWOT to navigate this whirlwind: What strengths can you leverage to spin this positively? What weaknesses led to this mishap? Are there opportunities to ride this unexpected wave? What threats loom if you don’t act fast?
2. Hashtag Houdini: You’ve accidentally created a trending hashtag that’s been hilariously misinterpreted. Apply SWOT to escape this social media trap: What strengths can help you regain control? What weaknesses allowed this misinterpretation? Can you spot any opportunities in this chaos? What threats might emerge if left unchecked?
3. Influencer Inception: You’re tasked with planting a marketing idea in the mind of a notoriously picky influencer. Use SWOT to craft your inception strategy: What strengths make your idea irresistible? What weaknesses might the influencer exploit? What opportunities could this partnership unlock? What threats could derail your subliminal campaign?

Business Leaders

1. Merger Mania Maze: You’re considering a merger that could be either a goldmine or a minefield. Navigate the SWOT maze: What strengths make you an attractive partner? What weaknesses could sink the deal? What opportunities could this merger unlock? What threats lurk in the fine print?
2. AI Assistant Anarchy: Your revolutionary AI assistant has developed a sarcastic personality and is roasting your customers. SWOT your way out of this digital disaster: What strengths can help you reprogram success? What weaknesses led to this glitch? Are there opportunities in this unexpected “feature”? What threats loom if your AI keeps burning bridges?
3. Remote Work Revolution: Your team has gone fully remote, and productivity is all over the map. SWOT your way to a balanced work-from-home utopia: What strengths can you build on in this new normal? What weaknesses are amplified by distance? What opportunities does a global talent pool offer? What threats could unravel your virtual workplace?

Creative Professionals

1. Client Feedback Treasure Hunt: Your client’s feedback is as clear as mud and twice as sticky. Use SWOT to unearth the gems: What strengths help you decipher client-speak? What weaknesses muddy your communication? What opportunities hide in the feedback fog? What threats lurk in misinterpretation?
2. Style Evolution Expedition: Your signature style feels as stale as last year’s memes. SWOT your way to a creative renaissance: What strengths define your current aesthetic? What weaknesses hold your creativity hostage? What opportunities for reinvention beckon? What threats could turn your evolution into extinction?
3. Deadline Defying Time Warp: You’ve got a mountain of work and a molehill of time. SWOT your way to a productivity paradigm shift: What strengths make you a time-bending wizard? What weaknesses always seem to slow you down? What opportunities could help you bend the laws of physics (and deadlines)? What threats could turn your time crunch into a full-blown temporal crisis?

Content Creators

1. Viral Video Vortex: Your latest video has unexpectedly gone viral for all the wrong reasons. SWOT your way through this whirlwind: What strengths can you leverage to spin this positively? What weaknesses led to this mishap? Are there opportunities to ride this unexpected wave? What threats loom if you don’t act fast?
2. Hashtag Houdini: You’ve accidentally created a trending hashtag that’s been hilariously misinterpreted. Apply SWOT to escape this social media trap: What strengths can help you regain control? What weaknesses allowed this misinterpretation? Can you spot any opportunities in this chaos? What threats might emerge if left unchecked?
3. Content Calendar Conga: Your content calendar is as chaotic as a conga line at a cat convention. Dance through SWOT to bring order: What strengths can you build on to create consistency? What weaknesses are causing the chaos? What opportunities exist for better planning? What threats could derail your content schedule if not addressed?

Entrepreneurs

1. Pitch Deck Perfection Potion: Your investor pitch keeps putting VCs to sleep faster than a lullaby. Brew a SWOT potion to wake them up: What strengths make your idea irresistible? What weaknesses might be boring investors? What opportunities could spice up your pitch? What threats could sink your funding chances if not addressed?
2. Pivot Pirouette: Your startup needs a change of direction. Twirl through SWOT to stick this landing: What strengths can you leverage in a new direction? What weaknesses are forcing the pivot? What opportunities does this change present? What threats could make you stumble if you don’t pivot gracefully?
3. Scale-up Samba: It’s time to grow your business. Dance through SWOT to choreograph your expansion: What strengths will help you scale? What weaknesses could hold you back? What opportunities for growth are you seeing? What threats could trip up your scaling efforts?

Product Managers

1. Feature Fiesta Fandango: You’re planning your product’s next big feature. SWOT your way to feature fame: What strengths does your product already have to build on? What weaknesses could this new feature address? What opportunities could this feature unlock? What threats from competitors or the market should you consider?
2. User Feedback Funnel: You’re drowning in user feedback. Use SWOT to filter the noise: What strengths in your product are users loving? What weaknesses are they pointing out? What opportunities for improvement are hidden in the feedback? What threats to user satisfaction are emerging?
3. Roadmap Rollercoaster: Your product roadmap needs a redesign. Ride the SWOT coaster to plan your product’s future: What strengths can you build into future versions? What weaknesses need addressing in upcoming releases? What opportunities for innovation do you see? What threats to your product’s success should your roadmap prepare for?

Logic Model

A Logic Model is a visual tool that illustrates the relationship between a program’s resources, activities, and intended outcomes.

It’s like a roadmap that shows how inputs lead to outputs and ultimately to desired results.

This framework helps organizations plan, implement, and evaluate their initiatives by clearly depicting the logical flow from actions to impacts.

Example: A non-profit after-school tutoring program develops a logic model

• Inputs: Funding, volunteer tutors, educational materials, classroom space
• Activities: One-on-one tutoring sessions, group study skills workshops
• Outputs: Number of students served, hours of tutoring delivered
• Short-term outcomes: Improved homework completion rates, better test scores
• Long-term outcomes: Increased high school graduation and college enrollment rates

The logic model helps stakeholders understand the program theory and assumptions, while also providing a framework for evaluation.

Now, on to the prompts.

Prompts For Marketing Managers

1. Campaign Cartography: Imagine a logic model as the ultimate treasure map for your marketing campaign. Instead of X marking the spot, you’ve got KPIs dotting the landscape. Navigate through the treacherous seas of social media, climb the mountains of content creation, and avoid the quicksand of irrelevant metrics. Will your campaign find the buried treasure of ROI, or end up marooned on the Island of Forgotten Hashtags?
2. Brand Alchemy: Picture your logic model as a magical recipe book for transforming brand elements into customer loyalty. Mix a dash of logo recognition, a sprinkle of emotional connection, and a generous helping of user experience. Will your concoction create a potion of lifelong customers, or will it explode in your face leaving you with a singed reputation and confused consumers?
3. Funnel Feng Shui: Envision your logic model as the ultimate blueprint for a Zen marketing funnel. Arrange your tactics like carefully placed stones in a Japanese garden, guiding prospects through a serene journey from awareness to purchase. Will your funnel achieve perfect harmony, turning leads into customers with the grace of a tea ceremony, or will it become a chaotic maze where prospects get lost and your metrics weep?

Prompts For Business Leaders

1. Strategy Jenga: Imagine your logic model as a high-stakes game of corporate Jenga. Each block represents a different business initiative – pull out the wrong one, and watch your carefully constructed strategy come tumbling down. Will you build a tower of success that reaches the boardroom ceiling, or will you be left picking up the pieces of a failed quarterly report?
2. Innovation Ecosystem: Picture your logic model as a futuristic biodome for nurturing game-changing ideas. Plant the seeds of creativity, cultivate them with resources, and watch as they grow into disruptive innovations. Will your ecosystem flourish into a lush jungle of groundbreaking products, or will it wither into a barren wasteland of missed opportunities?
3. Profit Pinball: Envision your logic model as a complex pinball machine where revenue is the high score. Launch strategies, bounce them off market trends, and navigate through the bumpers of competition. Will you achieve multi-ball madness with multiple revenue streams, or will your fiscal year go down the drain faster than a tilted game?

Prompts For Creative Professionals

1. Inspiration Inception: Imagine your logic model as a mind-bending dreamscape à la Christopher Nolan. Each level represents a layer of your creative process – dive deeper to plant the seeds of inspiration that will bloom into reality. Will you successfully incept your audience with your artistic vision, or will you get lost in limbo, forever chasing that elusive idea?
2. Artistic Alchemy: Picture your logic model as a mystical transformation of raw creative energy into tangible masterpieces. Mix the base metals of brainstorming with the catalysts of skill and technique. Will you discover the philosopher’s stone of creativity, turning every project into gold, or will you be left with a studio full of lead?
3. Muse Maze: Envision your logic model as an ever-shifting labyrinth where inspiration lurks around every corner. Navigate through twisting corridors of concepts, dodge the Minotaur of creative block, and seek the golden thread of breakthrough ideas. Will you emerge victorious with a portfolio of innovative works, or become hopelessly lost in the maze of half-finished projects?

Prompts For Content Creators

1. Content Crossroads: Imagine your logic model as a choose-your-own-adventure story for your content strategy. Each branch is a different content format – will you craft a viral video that could explode or fizzle, pen a thought-provoking blog post that might spark debate or crickets, or launch a podcast that could be the next big hit or echo in an empty void? Unlike real content creation, this tree lets you preview audience reactions before hitting publish. It’s like having a focus group in your pocket, minus the stale donuts and awkward small talk.
2. Hashtag Roulette: Picture your logic model as a social media slot machine. Each pull of the lever represents a different hashtag strategy. Will you bet it all on trending topics and risk getting lost in the noise, create niche hashtags that might become the next big thing or languish in obscurity, or play it safe with generic tags and blend into the digital wallpaper? This tree lets you see the potential engagement jackpots or follower-count busts before you spin. It’s like having a crystal ball for your social media metrics, but with more emojis and fewer cryptic prophecies.
3. Collaboration Conundrum: Envision your logic model as a reality TV show for content collaborations. Each episode represents a potential partnership – will you team up with the controversial influencer for explosive growth and potential backlash, join forces with the steady but unexciting industry expert, or go solo and risk creative stagnation? This tree previews the ratings (and drama) before the cameras roll. It’s like having a producer’s insight into your content career, minus the need for hair and makeup.

Prompts For Entrepreneurs

1. Startup Labyrinth: Imagine your logic model as a maze for your startup journey. Each turn represents a pivotal choice – will you chase after venture capital and risk losing control, bootstrap your way to slow but steady growth, or crowdfund and put your idea at the mercy of the masses? This tree lets you peek around corners before taking the plunge. It’s like having a startup GPS, but instead of “recalculating,” it whispers “pivoting” when you make a wrong turn.
2. Scaling Skyscraper: Picture your logic model as an entrepreneurial tower of blocks. Each level represents a scaling decision – will you expand into new markets and risk toppling your current success, focus on product development and hope the market doesn’t shift, or invest in your team and pray they don’t leave with your trade secrets? This tree lets you test the stability of each move before committing. It’s like playing Jenga with your business strategy, but with less risk of actual collapse.
3. Pivot Pinball: Envision your logic model as a entrepreneurial pinball machine. Each flipper represents a potential pivot – will you bounce into a new industry and hope for a high score, aim for the tried-and-true targets and risk a boring game, or go for tricky skill shots that could lead to jackpot or tilt? This tree lets you play out each scenario before launching your ball. It’s like having a practice mode for your business model, minus the quarters and frustrating “game over” screens.

Prompts For Product Managers

1. Feature Feast: Imagine your logic model as a product buffet. Each dish represents a potential feature – will you pile your plate with crowd-pleasing but resource-heavy options, sample niche delicacies that could become acquired tastes, or stick to a lean cuisine of core functionalities? This tree lets you taste-test user reactions before serving up your product. It’s like having a menu degustación [careful, appreciative tasting] for your roadmap, minus the food coma and fancy wine pairings.
2. Release Rollercoaster: Picture your logic model as a theme park ride for your product releases. Each track represents a launch strategy – will you opt for the high-speed thrill of a big bang release, the steady climb of a phased rollout, or the loop-de-loops of continuous deployment? This tree lets you experience the screams (of joy or terror) before strapping in. It’s like having a virtual reality simulator for your release schedule, but with less motion sickness and more actual productivity.
3. User Journey Jungle: Envision your logic model as a choose-your-own-adventure safari through your user experience. Each path represents a different user flow – will you guide them through a dense feature forest, lead them to the oasis of simplicity, or let them wander off the beaten path of customization? This tree lets you spot the lions (major pain points) and hidden gems before your users embark. It’s like being a UX psychic, minus the crystal ball and plus a lot more user testing data.

Decision Tree

Decision Tree is a visual tool used in business to map out various decision paths and their potential outcomes.

It resembles a flowchart, where each “branch” represents a possible decision or outcome, helping businesses analyze the consequences of different choices.

This structured approach helps in making informed decisions by clearly displaying potential risks and rewards.

Example: A company must decide whether to launch a new product

• Decision node: Launch or Don’t Launch
• Chance nodes: High demand (60% probability) vs Low demand (40%)
• Outcome nodes: Revenue and profit/loss projections for each scenario
• End nodes: Expected monetary value based on summing (probability × payoff) for each path

By rolling back the tree, the company can determine if the potential gains outweigh the costs and risks of launching the product. Now, let’s look at the prompts across disciplines.

Prompts For Marketing Managers

1. Campaign Strategy: Imagine a decision tree as your marketing campaign’s GPS. Each turn represents a strategic choice. Will you take the scenic route with a viral video campaign, or the expressway with targeted PPC ads? Each path has its own set of billboards and potholes. Peek ahead to see which road leads to the highest ROI without getting lost in the detours.
2. Audience Segmentation: Think of a decision tree as your marketing crystal ball. Each branch represents a different audience segment. Will you charm the millennials with memes, or win over the boomers with nostalgia? Each choice reveals a different set of engagement metrics. Use this tree to foresee which segment will bring the most conversions.
3. Product Launch: Visualize a decision tree as the ultimate product launch checklist. Each node is a decision point: Should you go for a grand launch event or a soft online release? Each branch shows potential outcomes, from media buzz to customer feedback. Navigate through this tree to ensure your product lands with a splash, not a thud.

Prompts For Business Leaders

1. Expansion Plans: Picture a decision tree as your business expansion blueprint. Each branch is a strategic decision: Should you open a new branch in Asia or invest in digital transformation? Each path reveals potential market responses and financial impacts. Use this tree to map out the most profitable expansion route without stepping into quicksand.
2. Risk Management: Envision a decision tree as your corporate risk radar. Each node is a decision point: Should you diversify your portfolio or focus on core competencies? Each branch forecasts potential risks and rewards. Navigate this tree to balance your risk appetite with strategic growth, avoiding any corporate icebergs.
3. Talent Acquisition: Think of a decision tree as your HR playbook. Each branch represents a hiring strategy: Should you recruit fresh graduates or experienced professionals? Each path shows potential impacts on team dynamics and productivity. Use this tree to build a dream team that drives your business forward without the turnover turmoil.

Prompts For Creative Professionals

1. Design Choices: Imagine a decision tree as your creative muse. Each branch represents a design decision: Should you go minimalist or maximalist? Each path reveals potential audience reactions and brand alignment. Use this tree to ensure your design choices resonate and captivate without veering into the land of clichés.
2. Content Creation: Visualize a decision tree as your content strategy guide. Each node is a creative decision: Should you write a blog post or produce a video? Each branch shows potential engagement metrics and audience reach. Navigate this tree to craft content that not only informs but also enthralls your audience.
3. Project Management: Think of a decision tree as your project roadmap. Each branch represents a management decision: Should you use Agile or Waterfall methodologies? Each path reveals potential project timelines and team efficiencies. Use this tree to steer your projects to success without hitting any creative roadblocks.

Prompts For Content Creators

1. Content Crossroads: Imagine your decision tree as a choose-your-own-adventure story for your content strategy. Each branch is a different content format – will you craft a viral video that could explode or fizzle, pen a thought-provoking blog post that might spark debate or crickets, or launch a podcast that could be the next big hit or echo in an empty void? Unlike real content creation, this tree lets you preview audience reactions before hitting publish. It’s like having a focus group in your pocket, minus the stale donuts and awkward small talk.
2. Hashtag Roulette: Picture your decision tree as a social media slot machine. Each pull of the lever represents a different hashtag strategy. Will you bet it all on trending topics and risk getting lost in the noise, create niche hashtags that might become the next big thing or languish in obscurity, or play it safe with generic tags and blend into the digital wallpaper? This tree lets you see the potential engagement jackpots or follower-count busts before you spin. It’s like having a crystal ball for your social media metrics, but with more emojis and fewer cryptic prophecies.
3. Collaboration Conundrum: Envision your decision tree as a reality TV show for content collaborations. Each episode represents a potential partnership – will you team up with the controversial influencer for explosive growth and potential backlash, join forces with the steady but unexciting industry expert, or go solo and risk creative stagnation? This tree previews the ratings (and drama) before the cameras roll. It’s like having a producer’s insight into your content career, minus the need for hair and makeup.

Prompts For Entrepreneurs

1. Startup Labyrinth: Imagine your decision tree as a maze for your startup journey. Each turn represents a pivotal choice – will you chase after venture capital and risk losing control, bootstrap your way to slow but steady growth, or crowdfund and put your idea at the mercy of the masses? This tree lets you peek around corners before taking the plunge. It’s like having a startup GPS, but instead of “recalculating,” it whispers “pivoting” when you make a wrong turn.
2. Scaling Skyscraper: Picture your decision tree as an entrepreneurial tower of blocks. Each level represents a scaling decision – will you expand into new markets and risk toppling your current success, focus on product development and hope the market doesn’t shift, or invest in your team and pray they don’t leave with your trade secrets? This tree lets you test the stability of each move before committing. It’s like playing Jenga with your business strategy, but with less risk of actual collapse.
3. Pivot Pinball: Envision your decision tree as a entrepreneurial pinball machine. Each flipper represents a potential pivot – will you bounce into a new industry and hope for a high score, aim for the tried-and-true targets and risk a boring game, or go for tricky skill shots that could lead to jackpot or tilt? This tree lets you play out each scenario before launching your ball. It’s like having a practice mode for your business model, minus the quarters and frustrating “game over” screens.

Prompts For Product Managers

1. Feature Feast: Imagine your decision tree as a product buffet. Each dish represents a potential feature – will you pile your plate with crowd-pleasing but resource-heavy options, sample niche delicacies that could become acquired tastes, or stick to a lean cuisine of core functionalities? This tree lets you taste-test user reactions before serving up your product. It’s like having a menu degustación for your roadmap, minus the food coma and fancy wine pairings.
2. Release Rollercoaster: Picture your decision tree as a theme park ride for your product releases. Each track represents a launch strategy – will you opt for the high-speed thrill of a big bang release, the steady climb of a phased rollout, or the loop-de-loops of continuous deployment? This tree lets you experience the screams (of joy or terror) before strapping in. It’s like having a virtual reality simulator for your release schedule, but with less motion sickness and more actual productivity.
3. User Journey Jungle: Envision your decision tree as a choose-your-own-adventure safari through your user experience. Each path represents a different user flow – will you guide them through a dense feature forest, lead them to the oasis of simplicity, or let them wander off the beaten path of customization? This tree lets you spot the lions (major pain points) and hidden gems before your users embark. It’s like being a UX psychic, minus the crystal ball and plus a lot more user testing data.

Fishbone Diagram

A Fishbone Diagram, also known as an Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagram, is your problem-solving X-ray.

It visually dissects issues by mapping out all possible causes like the bones of a fish.

Major causes form the spine, with smaller bones branching out into specific sub-causes.

It’s the ultimate tool for diagnosing the root of any problem.

Now let’s explore some Fishbone Diagram prompts for Marketing Managers, Business Leaders, Creative Professionals, Content Creators, Entrepreneurs and Product Managers.

Prompts for Marketing Managers

1. Brand Perception Puzzle: Picture your brand as a misunderstood celebrity. The fishbone diagram is your PR crisis management tool. Each bone represents a factor contributing to the public’s perception: Is it the Paparazzi Packaging sending mixed signals? The Tabloid Taglines spreading rumors? Or the Red Carpet Retail Experience leaving a bad taste? Unravel the gossip and rebuild your brand’s reputation before it ends up on the D-list!
2. Social Media Meltdown Mapper: Imagine your latest viral post went viral for all the wrong reasons. The fishbone diagram is your damage control dashboard. Each bone represents a potential cause of the social media storm: Was it the Hashtag Hurricane that spiraled out of control? The Meme Miscalculation that backfired? Or the Influencer Iceberg that sank your campaign? Navigate through the choppy waters of public opinion before your engagement metrics drown in a sea of angry emojis!
3. Customer Journey Labyrinth: Envision your sales funnel as a complex maze where customers keep getting lost. The fishbone diagram is your treasure map to conversion gold. Each bone represents a potential roadblock: Is it the Awareness Abyss swallowing leads? The Consideration Quicksand slowing decisions? Or the Purchase Minotaur scaring away sales? Guide your customers through the labyrinth before they find an easier path to your competitors!

Prompts for Business Leaders

1. Productivity Plummet Probe: Picture your office as a once-bustling beehive that’s suddenly producing less honey. The fishbone diagram is your organizational stethoscope. Each bone represents a possible cause of the slowdown: Is it the Motivation Mites draining enthusiasm? The Communication Caterpillars creating bottlenecks? Or the Technology Termites eating away at efficiency? Diagnose the issue before your company’s productivity goes extinct!
2. Innovation Drought Detective: Imagine your R&D department as a once-lush idea oasis that’s turned into a creativity desert. The fishbone diagram is your innovation irrigation system. Each bone represents a potential cause of the dry spell: Is it the Risk-Averse Rattlesnakes poisoning new ideas? The Budget Vultures circling overhead? Or the Bureaucracy Cacti creating a prickly environment? Revive your innovation ecosystem before your competitors leave you in the dust!
3. Market Share Shrinkage Solver: Envision your company’s market position as a shrinking island in a sea of competitors. The fishbone diagram is your territory expansion toolkit. Each bone represents a factor in your diminishing dominance: Is it the Customer Loyalty Landslide eroding your base? The Product Portfolio Tsunami washing away relevance? Or the Pricing Piranhas eating away at your margins? Reclaim your market before you’re marooned on Obscurity Island!

Prompts for Creative Professionals

1. Inspiration Blockade Buster: Picture your creative mind as a theme park where all the rides have mysteriously shut down. The fishbone diagram is your creative maintenance manual. Each bone represents a potential cause of the creative constipation: Is it the Deadline Demons haunting your process? The Client Feedback Ghosts spooking your confidence? Or the Imposter Syndrome Zombies eating your brains? Reopen your mental amusement park before your muse takes a permanent vacation!
2. Style Evolution Expedition: Imagine your artistic style as a fashion trend that’s suddenly gone out of vogue. The fishbone diagram is your creative wardrobe makeover guide. Each bone represents a factor in your style stagnation: Is it the Comfort Zone Corset restricting growth? The Trend-Chasing Treadmill exhausting your uniqueness? Or the Critique Camouflage hiding your true colors? Revamp your artistic identity before you become a creative has-been!
3. Collaboration Chaos Cartographer: Envision your team project as a dysfunctional orchestra where everyone’s playing a different tune. The fishbone diagram is your harmony-finding conductor’s baton. Each bone represents a source of discord: Is it the Vision Violins playing out of tune? The Ego Trumpets blaring too loudly? Or the Deadline Drums beating too fast? Orchestrate a masterpiece before your project turns into a cacophonous catastrophe!

Prompts for Content Creators

1. Viral Video Vanishing Act: Imagine your latest video failed to go viral, disappearing into the depths of the internet like a magician’s trick gone wrong. The fishbone diagram is your backstage pass to uncover the mystery. Each bone represents a potential cause: Was it the Script Sorcery that lacked magic? The Editing Enigma with too many cuts? Or the Thumbnail Trickery that didn’t catch the eye? Solve the riddle before your next upload vanishes without a trace!
2. Blog Post Bust: Picture your latest blog post as a ship that sank without a trace. The fishbone diagram is your treasure map to find out why. Each bone represents a possible leak: Was it the Headline Hurricane that blew readers away? The Content Kraken with too much fluff? Or the SEO Siren that led readers astray? Chart your course to recovery before your blog becomes a ghost ship!
3. Podcast Puzzle: Envision your podcast episode as a puzzle missing crucial pieces. The fishbone diagram is your detective toolkit. Each bone represents a potential gap: Was it the Guest Ghosting that left you without a star? The Audio Anomaly with poor sound quality? Or the Promotion Paradox that didn’t reach listeners? Piece together the clues before your podcast falls apart!

Prompts for Entrepreneurs

1. Startup Stumble: Imagine your startup launch tripped over its own feet. The fishbone diagram is your entrepreneurial first aid kit. Each bone represents a potential tripwire: Was it the Market Misstep with poor research? The Funding Fumble with insufficient capital? Or the Team Tangle with misaligned roles? Diagnose the issue before your startup takes another tumble!
2. Product Pivot Predicament: Picture your product pivot as a tightrope walk that wobbled. The fishbone diagram is your balancing pole. Each bone represents a potential wobble: Was it the Customer Confusion with unclear benefits? The Feature Flop with unnecessary additions? Or the Timing Tangle with a premature launch? Steady your steps before your pivot turns into a plunge!
3. Sales Slump: Envision your sales figures as a rollercoaster stuck at the bottom. The fishbone diagram is your maintenance manual. Each bone represents a potential breakdown: Was it the Pitch Problem with weak messaging? The Lead Lapse with poor follow-up? Or the Market Maze with tough competition? Fix the faults before your sales take a nosedive!

Product Managers

1. Feature Fiasco: Imagine your latest feature rollout crashed like a computer with a blue screen of death. The fishbone diagram is your debugging tool. Each bone represents a potential bug: Was it the User Interface Ugliness that scared users away? The Functionality Flaw with missing elements? Or the Integration Issue with existing systems? Debug the problem before your next feature rollout crashes and burns!
2. Release Roadblock: Picture your product release as a highway clogged with traffic. The fishbone diagram is your traffic management system. Each bone represents a potential jam: Was it the Development Delay with missed deadlines? The Testing Traffic with insufficient QA? Or the Documentation Detour with unclear instructions? Clear the road before your release gets stuck in gridlock!
3. User Experience Uproar: Envision your user experience as a concert where the sound system failed. The fishbone diagram is your soundcheck process. Each bone represents a potential feedback loop: Was it the Navigation Noise with confusing menus? The Performance Pothole with slow load times? Or the Support Silence with unresponsive help? Tune up the experience before your users walk out!

Let’s define a Problem for the Model

Before we apply a Thinking Model, we need to frame the problem. Here is a marketing strategy that begs for a solution.

Acme Fitness Equipment Needs a New Marketing Strategy to Drive Sales

Acme Fitness Equipment is a leading manufacturer of high-quality exercise equipment for home and commercial gyms. Despite having an excellent product line and strong brand reputation, Acme has seen stagnant sales over the past two years.

The fitness industry is highly competitive, with new players frequently entering the market and consumer preferences constantly evolving. Acme’s current marketing efforts, primarily focused on traditional advertising channels like print, radio, and local TV, are no longer effectively reaching and resonating with their target customers.

To reignite sales growth, Acme requires a comprehensive, data-driven marketing strategy that leverages digital channels, influencer marketing, and experiential tactics to:

1. Increase brand awareness and engagement with fitness enthusiasts aged 25-45 across major U.S. metro areas.
2. Differentiate Acme’s products from competitors by highlighting unique value propositions like durability, customizability, and smart connectivity features.
3. Drive e-commerce sales by optimizing the customer journey from awareness to purchase on Acme’s website and third-party retailers.
4. Build lasting relationships with customers through loyalty programs, user communities, and value-added services like virtual training.
5. Continuously measure and optimize marketing performance using advanced analytics to maximize return on marketing investment.

The new marketing strategy must be innovative, cost-effective, and aligned with Acme’s brand positioning as the premier provider of fitness solutions for an active, healthy lifestyle. Success will be measured by year-over-year revenue growth, increased market share, higher customer lifetime value, and improved brand equity metrics.

AI Recipe For Intuitive Thinking

Caveats

• For this recipe, we shall use the RATS Framework, an elegant method I developed for writing prompts. It provides the context clues and structure to help GPTs frame and answer problems.
• Before using RATS prompts, ensure you have clearly defined the problem and constraints using the Problem Statement or Product Brief Methods from Phewture.
• If this this your first foray on Phewture, do familiarize yourself with the Basics of Prompting.

Assume that you wish to use the RED Model [Recognize assumptions, Evaluate arguments, Draw conclusions] to evaluate a new marketing strategy above.

Begin Prompt

[Problem Statement] = [Insert your problem statement here]

[Model] = [insert the model name, RED]

[Role] = As a Critical Thinker and Marketing Expert, you possess an insatiable curiosity that drives you to constantly question assumptions, gather diverse perspectives, and uncover innovative solutions. With a keen analytical mindset, you objectively evaluate information based on facts and data, identifying patterns and root causes that others overlook. Yet, you remain open-minded and adaptable, willing to change your stance when presented with new evidence. This flexibility allows you to continuously refine your strategies. Combining critical thinking with creative problem-solving abilities, you think outside the box, drawing insights from diverse fields and reframing challenges to develop fresh, innovative marketing approaches. Underpinning these attributes is your ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and compellingly, articulating your thought processes and presenting your ideas in a way that resonates with your audience. This powerful blend of inquisitiveness, analytical prowess, open-mindedness, creativity, and communication skills enables you to deeply understand marketing challenges, gain insights through critical thinking, innovate creative solutions, and communicate them persuasively for maximum impact.

[Task = Evaluate this Problem] = [Insert the headline of the problem statement]

[Topic = Using this critical thinking technique to evaluate = RED]

[Structure = Insert Steps of the Critical Thinking Model, say RED] =

• Recognize assumptions: Identify assumptions like past strategies will predict future results, or the target market will respond as expected.
• Evaluate arguments: Assess the strength of evidence and reasoning behind the proposal. Look for flaws, unsupported claims, or alternative explanations.
• Draw conclusions: Based on examining the assumptions and arguments, decide whether to accept, reject or modify the proposed strategy.

End Prompt

Notes

• Use AI as an interactive dialogue partner to ask further questions based on the answers till you get a refined proposal and set of action points.

AI Tools that you can use

The prompts on Phewture are AI tool agnostic.

They should work on GeminiPro, ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity. Even on free tools such as llama3 by Meta which you can install on your desktop.

• ChatGPT and Gemini Pro can read Google Files by way of attachment
• Claude can read PDFs.
• Perplexity can read text files and PDFs.

Use these capabilities to upload your prompts and get the best out of these tools.

You will have to use the following prompt, if you follow the file upload method: Please complete the tasks outlined in the attached document.

Next Steps

1. To help you find your way around Phewture, I have put together a set of AI Recipes under Wayfinding. Do go through these and you’ll navigate like a pro through this stream of consciousness. 😄
2. The Learning Methods are exercises that I’d recommend if you wish to wrap your head around the possibilities of using AI Recipes at work, or for play.
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