Turn a messy process into a clear step-by-step guide

Steps

1. Explain the process out loud as if to a new colleague, and record it or dictate it. Rambling is fine.
2. Paste the transcript or your rough notes into the prompt.
3. Ask the checking prompt to find the gaps.
4. Give the draft to someone who has never done the process and watch where they get stuck.
5. Fix those steps. That test is what makes a guide actually usable.

The prompts

Copy it, then replace the [highlighted parts] with your own details.

Here is a rough explanation of how we [NAME OF THE PROCESS]:
[PASTE YOUR NOTES OR TRANSCRIPT]

Turn it into a step-by-step guide:
- Start with one line on what the process achieves and when to use it
- List what you need before starting
- Number every step, with exactly one action per step, starting with a verb
- Where a step has a decision, write it as "If X, do Y. Otherwise, go to step N."
- End with how to know it worked

Use plain language. Do not add steps that are not in my explanation.

Read the guide as someone who has never done this before.
Which steps would you get stuck on, and what information is missing?
List each gap as a question I should answer.

What a good result looks like

An illustrative example. The company and figures are made up.

Make it better

• Ask it to add a short "common mistakes" section at the end from what you described.
• Ask for a one-paragraph summary to put at the top for people who only need the gist.
• Date the guide and name an owner, so people know whether it is still current.

Faster with

Before you paste anything, remove details you would not share outside your company, such as customer names, contract terms or personal information. How to use AI at work safely