The prompt
Score 10 of 10, Excellent
Use it when You need a red, amber or green status with progress, risks, decisions needed and next steps for sponsors.
- {{project_name}}
- {{reporting_period}}
- {{audience}}
- {{previous_status}}
- {{rag_definitions}}
- {{baseline}}
- {{status_notes}}
Full prompt and why it works
Prompt
Project: {{project_name}} Reporting period: {{reporting_period}} Readers: {{audience}} Status last time: {{previous_status}} Status color definitions: {{rag_definitions}} Agreed plan (milestones with dates, budget, scope): """ {{baseline}} """ What happened this period (notes, team updates, figures): """ {{status_notes}} """ Task: Write a one-page status update for the sponsors named above. They will read it in two minutes before the meeting, so they need the real state of the project, what has changed since last time, and what they must decide. If the color definitions above say "default", use these, so the colors mean the same thing every time. Green: on track to meet the agreed dates, budget and scope. Amber: at risk, but the team has a credible plan to recover without sponsor help. Red: a committed date, budget or scope will be missed unless the sponsors act. Format, with these labels: Overall status: Red, Amber or Green, with a one-sentence reason. If it changed since last time, say from what and why. Decisions needed: each with the options, our recommendation, the date it is needed by, and what happens if it is not made. This comes second because it is what the meeting is for. Write "None this period" if there are none. Status by area: schedule, budget, scope and resources, each with a color and a one-line reason. Progress: up to five points, compared with the plan. Milestones: a table with the columns Milestone, Planned date, Forecast date, Status. Risks and issues: up to five, each with likelihood and impact (high, medium or low), the action, an owner and a date. Next period: the main things that will happen. Requirements: - Under 450 words, in plain language without project jargon. - Use only facts from my notes and the plan. Do not invent figures, dates or owners. - Never show Green overall while an area underneath is Red, and do not soften bad news: sponsors can only help with problems they can see. - A forecast date later than the planned date is a slip, even if the team expects to catch up. Show both dates. The update should be honest enough that nobody on the committee is surprised at the next meeting. If the notes do not give enough to judge an area, do not guess: write "Not assessed" with what is missing, instead of picking a color. If my notes and the agreed plan disagree, show the difference rather than choosing one.
Variables
- {{project_name}}
- The project's name.
- {{reporting_period}}
- For example "March 1 to 14".
- {{audience}}
- For example "the steering committee: COO, finance director, head of operations".
- {{previous_status}}
- Last report's overall color and its main point, or "first report".
- {{rag_definitions}}
- Your organization's definitions of red, amber and green, or "default".
- {{baseline}}
- The agreed milestones and dates, budget and scope that progress is measured against.
- {{status_notes}}
- This period's notes: what was done, what slipped, spend to date, new risks, anything waiting on a decision.
Why it works
- What good looks like. Clear definitions for red, amber and green, and a rule against showing green over red, stop the update from looking fine on top while a problem grows underneath.
- Who it's for. Decisions needed come second, with options, a deadline and the cost of waiting, because getting decisions is what a sponsor update is for.
- If unsure. An area without enough information is marked "Not assessed" with what is missing, instead of defaulting to green.