Break a complex problem into actionable steps
A ready-to-use “Work & Business” AI prompt template, designed and tested with Claude. Replace the (bracketed) parts below with your own needs.
Prompt template
I'm facing a tricky problem — break it down in a structured way: 1) define the real problem in one sentence (not the surface symptom); 2) list possible causes; 3) give a workable first step for each cause; 4) suggest which step to start with and why. Pragmatic, no empty theorizing. Problem: "describe your problem and situation"
How to use this prompt
- Copy the whole prompt above and paste it into Claude or ChatGPT / Claude / Gemini.
- Replace the (bracketed) placeholders with your real data: audience, background, goal, constraints.
- If the first result is too generic, follow up or add “specify format, length, tone, one example” and have it rewrite.
Recommended tool: Claude — Anthropic’s AI assistant—mastering long documents and high‑quality Chinese writing