Sort solutions into quick wins and long-term fixes
Finds the simplest fix that could work now, separates quick wins from long-term solutions, and sequences both into a plan.
The prompt
Help me separate quick wins from long-term fixes for a problem.
The problem: [WHAT IS WRONG AND WHO IT AFFECTS]
Likely causes: [WHAT WE KNOW OR SUSPECT]
Possible solutions on the table: [LIST - rough is fine, or "suggest some"]
Resources and constraints: [PEOPLE, BUDGET, TOOLS, APPROVALS, DEADLINE]
Steps:
1. If I haven't listed many solutions, add some, including the simplest one that could possibly work.
2. Rate each solution on impact (how much of the problem it solves), effort (time, cost, people), time to results, and risk.
3. Sort them into: Quick wins (low effort, results within weeks), Long-term fixes (address the root cause, take longer), Big bets (high effort, uncertain), and Not worth it.
4. Name the simplest solution that could work, and explain what we'd learn by trying it first.
5. Check that the quick wins don't make the long-term fix harder, and that they aren't just hiding the symptom.
Return:
1. A table: Solution | Impact | Effort | Time to results | Risk | Group.
2. The simplest thing to try first and why.
3. A sequenced plan: what to do in the next 2 weeks, the next 3 months, and later.
4. One sentence I can use to explain the plan to my manager.
Rules: be honest when a quick win is only a patch. Base ratings on what I've shared and mark guesses as [ESTIMATE].
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Thinking & Decisions prompts
What to fill in
- WHAT IS WRONG AND WHO IT AFFECTS
- WHAT WE KNOW OR SUSPECT
- LIST - rough is fine, or "suggest some"
- PEOPLE, BUDGET, TOOLS, APPROVALS, DEADLINE
- ESTIMATE
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
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