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Keep tweaking the prompt or not?

Situation

  • You think the task should be doable, but the output is inconsistent and not getting better
  • Small prompt tweaks seem to matter, but not reliably
  • You are unsure whether to keep refining instructions
  • Starting over feels unnecessary, but continuing feels uncertain
  • You suspect the prompt is close, but not quite right

This situation appears when effort has accumulated without convergence.

Verdict

VERDICT: SWITCH

Do not keep tweaking the prompt endlessly. Do not abandon the task entirely either.

A change of approach is required.

Why this verdict

  • Prompt refinement has diminishing returns without a fixed goal
  • The task may be valid, but the framing is unstable
  • Continuing assumes the current framing is salvageable, which is unclear

The issue is not effort, but alignment.

What happens if you continue

  • You will keep making marginal adjustments with unclear impact
  • Prompt complexity will increase without improving results
  • You will hesitate longer with each iteration

This often leads to over-engineered prompts that still miss the mark.

A safer next step

Switch how you frame the task.

Instead of refining instructions: - Redefine the task in plain language - Decide what the output will be used for - Simplify the prompt to reflect that purpose

A clearer frame is more effective than a more detailed prompt.