Hit Me With Your Best Prompt

I saw an interesting recommendation the other day for getting the most out of AI prompts, and after a bit of testing, I’ll endorse the practice enthusiastically.

The Pareto Principle or Pareto Rule is the concept that 80% of result comes from 20% of cause or effort. For instance, 80% of your sales revenue comes from 20% of your customer base. Or, 80% of your professional success is based on 20% of your education.

This isn’t a universal truth, of course, but it’s a great framework for examining and refining your approach to many processes.

I’m finding it to be a very effective modifier to ChatGPT prompts. One potential issue with AI queries is that the models behind ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Copilot have access to a universe of data. So, when you ask for a rundown on the Meiji Restoration for that two-page essay you need to turn in tomorrow, ChatGPT could err in two ways: it could give you too much information, and it could give you the least valuable information.

Use the 80/20 rule for a query like this:

Can you give me an 80/20 rundown of the Meiji Restoration? If this were a category on Jeopardy, what would I need to know for the best chance of sweeping the category?

Bingo. Ken Jennings, prepare for some competition. (Or at least, get me a try-out, will you?)

To test this practice more thoroughly, I asked ChatGPT for 80/20 introductions to a number of subjects that I know well. I’m particularly impressed with the bot’s guidance for a new geocacher. Check out the full conversation here.

Give it a try yourself; try asking your favorite AI for an 80/20 overview of one of your favorite subjects, and if you’re impressed with the outcome, make this condition a frequent part of your AI usage.