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Data analysis workflows with prompt engineering
Read the guideExpert guide to Claude prompts with XML tags, artifacts, and complex reasoning
Read the guideAI prompts for legal research, contract drafting, case analysis, and client communication
Read the guideRole-playing prompts tell the AI to adopt a specific persona or expertise. This shifts the AI's response style, vocabulary, and depth to match the assigned role, producing more expert and contextually appropriate outputs.
Define the role: Specify the exact expert persona the AI should adopt
Set the context: Explain the situation, audience, and constraints
Give the task: Clearly state what this expert should produce
Optional, add constraints: Communication style, format, or limitations
Template
Example Output
Template
Example Output
Template
Example Output
Template
Example Output
The more specific the role, the better, 'Senior tax attorney at Big 4 firm' beats 'lawyer'
Include years of experience and context to calibrate the expertise level
Combine role-playing with other frameworks (e.g., 'As a McKinsey consultant, use the PAS framework')
Add communication style instructions: 'Explain like I'm a CEO' vs 'Explain like I'm a new hire'
Use role-playing for both generating content AND reviewing/critiquing content
When you assign a role, the AI activates knowledge patterns associated with that expertise. A 'senior tax attorney' prompt draws on legal reasoning patterns, while a 'creative director' prompt activates creative and brand-thinking patterns. It's like switching which expert is in the room.
The most effective roles are specific experts: 'CFO with M&A experience,' 'UX researcher from Google,' 'senior copywriter at an agency.' Avoid vague roles like 'smart person' or 'expert.' The AI performs best when the role has clear domain expertise.
Yes, you can ask AI to respond from multiple perspectives: 'First as a CFO, then as a CTO, evaluate this plan.' This gives you diverse viewpoints and richer analysis. You can also switch roles mid-conversation for different tasks.
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