A good design prompt isn't a magic trick. It's a checklist you don't have to remember, run by something that never gets bored.
Generate options, not answers
Lock the parts that never change and leave one slot for the variable. Now every run shares a family resemblance instead of starting from scratch.
Cut before you polish
Ask for the reasoning, then the result. When the model shows its steps you can see exactly where to push back.
Name the failure modes
Lock the parts that never change and leave one slot for the variable. Now every run shares a family resemblance instead of starting from scratch.
Treat the first output as a draft, not a verdict. The prompt does the typing; you keep the judgment about what ships.