Insight 2 of 10
Goal, sources, constraints, output
A useful request makes four parts visible. The goal says what the result is for: helping Dana understand whether Thursday's launch is on track. The sources supply the facts: this week's attached project notes, and nothing invented.
The constraints are the rules the result must obey: confirmed facts only, visible gaps, no more than 120 words. The output names the finished form: a subject line plus an email body.
Together the four make the request checkable. A reviewer can hold the result against each part and say exactly which one failed.
Practice
Question stem
The weekly update says testing is complete, but your notes never say that. Which addition addresses the failure most directly?
Answer
Ask where the false claim could have come from.