Skip to main content
PROMPT-DEBUGGING5 MIN READ

Use the five-cause taxonomy

Classify weak AI outputs into five likely root-cause categories.

The move: translate "bad" into a cause bucket. Root-cause analysis asks you to find the factor that set the failure chain in motion. For prompt debugging, use five practical buckets. Instruction The model did not know the exact task, role, constraints, priority order, or output shape. Patch with clearer steps, schemas, examples, or non-negotiables. Context The model lacked the audience, business goal, definitions, trade-offs, or decision moment. Patch with the minimum context needed to choose the right judgment. Evidence The source was missing, stale, noisy, unsupported, or unbounded. Patch with source restriction, quotes, citations, retrieval checks, and uncertainty behavior. Evaluation…

Read the full lesson

Sign up free — one personalized lesson every day, matched to your role and goals.

Already have an account? Sign in

← Back to library
Contact us