Define What Good Looks Like
Before asking AI to improve something, decide how you will judge the result.
“Make this better” sounds like a clear instruction. It leaves the most important word undefined.
Better could mean shorter, faster, cheaper, more persuasive, or easier to maintain. These goals can pull in different directions. A shorter explanation may omit something essential. A cheaper solution may require more work later. A more persuasive email may promise more than you can deliver.
When you ask AI to improve something without defining success, you leave it room to choose the priorities on your behalf.
Consider a customer email. You might want a quicker response, a warmer tone, and a clear next step—while preserving the facts and making no new commitments. Those criteria give the work a purpose. They also give you a way to review the result beyond whether it sounds polished.
Before delegating an important task, try this:
“Help me define what a successful result would look like. Identify the criteria, the tradeoffs, and what must be preserved. Ask me to resolve any conflicting priorities before proceeding. Then assess your proposal against the agreed criteria.”
A fluent answer can be easy to like. Explicit criteria make it easier to judge.
The machine can help you reach the target. Deciding what deserves to be the target is part of your work.
