PRODUCTION SCENARIO
A prompt asks a model to help staff prepare for site visits. Staff want a three-item checklist; the model returns four-paragraph essays.
What should the team change first?
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Show answer and explanation
Answer: Ask for the output as a checklist of exactly three short items
Response format is a named component of a Google prompt: state the structure you want, and state it as an objective constraint such as exactly three items rather than a vague 'be brief'. Capping output tokens truncates text mid-sentence instead of shaping it, a persona changes voice rather than structure, and more background addresses knowledge the prompt was never missing.