Importance of Prompts

Welcome to the SoterAI onboarding module on prompting best practices and how to get better insights from SoterAI. In this video, we'll explain why good prompts matter and how to structure them effectively.

A simple way to think about SoterAI is to treat it like a highly capable intern. It's fast, knowledgeable, and eager to help — but it relies on clear instructions to deliver its best work.

If you give vague or incomplete instructions, you'll get a generic response. But when you provide clear direction, context, and expectations, SoterAI can deliver far more accurate, relevant, and actionable insights.

The Three Elements of a Strong Prompt

A strong prompt usually includes three key elements.

• Context. This tells SoterAI what you're working on, such as the site, activity, or type of risk you're managing.
• The task. Be explicit about what you want SoterAI to do, whether that's identifying hazards, summarising information, or generating recommendations.
• The output. Let SoterAI know how detailed the response should be and how you plan to use it.

For example, instead of asking a broad question, you might ask SoterAI to review a specific activity, identify the top risks, and present the results in a clear, structured format. This level of clarity helps SoterAI focus on what matters most.

SoterAI Prompt Library

To make this easier for our users, we have created a SoterAI prompt library within the Help Centre. This library contains ready-made prompts designed for common EHS and risk workflows, so you don't have to start from scratch.

You can use these prompts as-is or adapt them to suit your organisation, role, or specific scenario. They're a great way to learn how effective prompts are structured and to quickly get high-quality outputs.

By thinking carefully about how you prompt SoterAI, you can turn it from a general assistant into a powerful extension of your safety and risk expertise.