Skip to main content
1.2

The Context Ladder

Estimated time: 25 minEstimated cost: ~$0.02Tool: Claude Haiku
After this drill, you can:

After this drill, you understand how each layer of context you add to a prompt measurably improves the output.

Why this matters

Context is the most underused lever in prompting. Most people give the task. A few give the role. Almost nobody gives the full situation: what's at stake, who the audience is, what has already been tried, what success looks like. This drill builds the habit of context-layering by showing the output improvement at each rung of the ladder.

How to do it

  1. 1

    Pick a task — ideally the same one from Drill 1.1

    Using a familiar task makes it easier to see how context changes the output.

  2. 2

    Send the task with zero context (Level 0)

    Just the task. No role, no context, no format. Record the response.

  3. 3

    Add one layer: the role (Level 1)

    Add "You are a [relevant expert]." to the front. Record the response.

  4. 4

    Add the situation (Level 2)

    Add 2–3 sentences about your specific situation: who it's for, what's at stake, what you already tried.

  5. 5

    Add format and constraints (Level 3 — the full prompt)

    Now specify the output format and at least one constraint. This is your Level 3 prompt. Compare all four responses.

The prompt

PROMPT — Level 0 (task only)Model: Claude HaikuEst. cost: ~$0.005
[YOUR TASK — just the task, nothing else]
PROMPT — Level 1 (+ role)Model: Claude HaikuEst. cost: ~$0.005
You are a [RELEVANT EXPERT].

[YOUR TASK]
PROMPT — Level 2 (+ situation)Model: Claude HaikuEst. cost: ~$0.005
You are a [RELEVANT EXPERT].

Situation: [2-3 sentences: who is this for, what's at stake, what have you already tried]

[YOUR TASK]
PROMPT — Level 3 (full prompt — save this one)Model: Claude HaikuEst. cost: ~$0.005
You are a [RELEVANT EXPERT].

Situation: [2-3 sentences: who is this for, what's at stake, what have you already tried]

[YOUR TASK]

Format: [specify structure — e.g. "3 bullet points with one sentence explanation each"]
Constraint: [e.g. "no jargon", "under 200 words", "written for a 16-year-old"]

Success criteria

  • ✓You have 4 responses from the same task at 4 context levels
  • ✓You can describe what changed at each level
  • ✓You identified which level produced the most useful output
  • ✓Level 3 prompt saved to your Prompt Portfolio

Common mistakes

Treating context as "more words = better"

→ Relevant context beats more context. A sentence about why this matters is worth more than three sentences of background noise.

Using the same generic situation description for every task

→ The situation must be specific to this task. What matters most for THIS task? Who is the audience for THIS output?

Forgetting to save Level 3

→ Level 3 is your Prompt Portfolio entry for this drill. Save it before closing the tab.