Prompt writing is the skill of crafting clear, thoughtful instructions for an AI tool — such as an ArcGIS AI assistant. These instructions, known as prompts, tell the AI exactly what you want it to do: answer a question, write a summary, generate text, or complete a specific task.
The way you write your prompt directly affects the quality of the results you receive. In other words, better prompts mean better outcomes. Whether you’re asking for a quick summary or building an automated workflow, learning how to write strong prompts will make your interaction with AI tools more efficient and rewarding.
This article offers practical guidelines and examples to help you get started with prompt writing, specifically for ArcGIS AI assistants.
Why Prompt Writing Matters
When you communicate with an AI, your words are the only bridge between your idea and the system’s output. A well-written prompt gives the assistant all the context it needs to understand your goal and present information in the way you want. If your prompt is vague or incomplete, the AI might misunderstand your intent — leading to inaccurate or overly generic responses.
To get the most out of your AI assistant, keep these simple but powerful guidelines in mind.
Prompt Writing Guidelines
1. Use Clear and Simple Language
Always express your goal in plain, unambiguous terms. The AI doesn’t infer meaning like humans do — it relies on the words you choose.
Take a look at this example from the Arcade assistant (beta):
❌ Summarize marital status in some type of table or graph that looks organized.
This prompt leaves too much room for interpretation. What kind of table? What kind of graph? The AI might choose a format that doesn’t match your needs.
Here’s how you can improve it:
✅ Create an HTML table listing marital status. Have the first column show marital status and the second show the number of people in each category. Format numbers with commas and highlight the row with the highest value in orange.
Notice how the revised prompt clearly defines the output format, the data layout, and even the styling. That’s exactly the kind of clarity that gets you precise, useful results.
2. Be Specific
The more details you provide, the better your results will be. Specific prompts eliminate guesswork and help the assistant produce tailored outputs.
For example, consider this vague prompt from the Survey123 assistant (preview):
❌ Create a survey to provide feedback about an event.
This doesn’t say what kind of event — concert, conference, or sports race? Without that context, the survey will only contain generic questions.
Now see how a detailed prompt transforms the result:
✅ Create a survey for participants to provide feedback about the Boston Marathon. Include questions about pre-race communication, race safety, clarity of route markings, water station locations, post-race snacks, parking, and overall satisfaction.
By adding context and key topics, you ensure the assistant generates meaningful questions relevant to your exact scenario.
3. Specify the Presentation Format
Always tell the AI how you want the information presented. Do you prefer bullet points, paragraphs, a table, or a chart? Should the answer be brief or detailed? Adding these constraints helps shape the final response.
For example, this prompt lacks presentation direction:
❌ Compare partnered collaboration to distributed collaboration.
Here’s a clearer, improved version:
✅ Compare partnered collaboration to distributed collaboration using a maximum of 50 words. Present the results as bullet points.
This version tells the AI both the length and format, resulting in a concise, organized response.
4. Specify the Audience
A prompt should also reflect who the information is for. Different audiences require different tones, levels of detail, and complexity.
For instance:
❌ What is ArcGIS Instant Apps?
This prompt doesn’t tell the assistant who the audience is. If the reader is new to GIS, the AI might generate a response that’s too technical.
Instead, write:
✅ Explain what ArcGIS Instant Apps is to someone with minimal GIS knowledge. Use simple language and limit the answer to 100 words.
By defining the audience, you help the AI adjust its tone and level of explanation to fit your reader perfectly.
5. Iterate to Refine Your Prompts
Prompt writing is not always a one-and-done task. It often requires a bit of trial and error. You might need to rewrite or adjust your prompt based on the results you receive.
Consider this example:
Original prompt: Create a map of the number of preschool-aged children in California.
First iteration: Create a map of the number of children under the age of 4 in California.
Second iteration: Create a map with a green color ramp showing the number of children under the age of 4 in California.
The original prompt used the vague term preschool-aged, which could confuse the assistant. The first iteration clarified the age group, and the second added a color ramp for better visualization. Each revision improved the output.
Some AI tools, like the Business Analyst assistant (preview), even remember the context from earlier prompts in the same session. This means you don’t have to repeat everything — you can simply say something like:
“Switch the color ramp to green.”
and the assistant will understand it in context.
The Takeaway
Effective prompt writing is part art, part strategy. It’s about being clear, specific, and intentional in how you communicate with an AI assistant. The more context, direction, and structure you provide, the better the AI can meet your expectations.
Start by applying these simple principles:
- Use straightforward language.
- Be specific about what you want.
- Define your presentation format.
- Identify your audience.
- Iterate and refine your prompts.
By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to craft prompts that unlock the full potential of ArcGIS AI assistants — helping you save time, improve accuracy, and streamline your workflows.
So go ahead — experiment, refine, and discover how well-written prompts can transform the way you work with AI.