Lesson 1 of 8
Transform, don’t just “ask AI”
Define how information should change before choosing a tool or writing a prompt.
Active reading
RAW INPUT→STRUCTURE→DRAFT→VERIFY→USE
Think in transformations
“Use AI on this” is not a workflow. Define how the information should change. Notes can become decisions, a document can become a comparison table, and a long thread can become open questions plus next actions.
Weak
Summarize these notes.
Better
Extract decisions, unresolved questions, owners and next actions. Keep uncertain items under “Needs confirmation.”
Try it
Choose an input and a target output.
Key takeaway
The most useful productivity prompts specify the transformation and the verification rule, not just the topic.