When I was a Sales Manager at AWS, one of the most effective tools I used to better understand my customers’ pain points was the 5 Whys Method. It’s a simple but powerful framework Amazon uses to drill down to the root cause of a problem. By repeatedly asking “Why?”, I was able to uncover deeper challenges my customers faced and figure out which of our products and services—if any—could truly help.
Now, I’ve adapted that same method to help you craft smarter AI prompts. Whether you’re analyzing RFPs, aligning solutions with agency priorities, or solving complex sales challenges, the 5 Whys can help you refine your questions and get sharper, more actionable insights from AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.
In this post, I’ll show you how to apply the 5 Whys to develop better prompts that lead to better answers. Let’s dive in.
What is the 5 Whys Method?
Amazon’s 5 Whys Method is straightforward and highly effective:
- Start with the Problem: Clearly define what you’re trying to solve or understand.
- Ask “Why?” For each answer, ask “Why?” again to dig deeper.
- Stop at the Root Cause: Once you identify the core issue, focus on addressing it instead of treating symptoms.
Here’s a quick example:
Problem: A federal sales team struggles to win contracts.
- Why? Their proposals aren’t resonating with agency priorities.
- Why? They don’t fully understand what the agency values.
- Why? They haven’t analyzed the agency’s mission documents.
- Why? They lack a clear process to extract insights from these documents.
- Why? They don’t know how to create prompts for AI tools to analyze them.
Root Cause: They need effective AI prompts to extract actionable insights from agency mission documents.
How the 5 Whys Improves Your AI Prompts
Using the 5 Whys forces you to look beyond surface-level questions and focus on the deeper issues that truly matter. This approach ensures your prompts are relevant, targeted, and actionable, resulting in better AI outputs.
Step-by-Step: Using the 5 Whys to Build a Better Prompt
Step 1: Identify the Problem
Start with a broad challenge.
Example: I need insights from an RFP.
Step 2: Ask “Why?” to Drill Deeper
- Why? To understand the agency’s priorities.
→ Prompt: “What are the key priorities in this RFP?” - Why? To tailor my solution to their needs.
→ Refined Prompt: “How does this RFP’s priorities align with the agency’s mission?” - Why? To make my proposal stand out in a competitive environment.
→ Refined Prompt: “What specific pain points can my solution address based on this RFP?” - Why? To increase the likelihood of winning the contract.
→ Refined Prompt: “What unique value can my solution deliver compared to competitors?”
Step 3: Create a Root-Cause-Focused Prompt
Combine insights from the 5 Whys into a clear, actionable prompt:
“Analyze the following RFP to identify the agency’s top priorities, pain points, and opportunities where my solution could provide unique value. Highlight any specific gaps or challenges that need addressing.”
Tips for Applying the 5 Whys to Your Prompts
- Start Broad, Then Narrow: Begin with general questions and refine them as you identify deeper needs.
- Be Specific: Include enough context in your prompt (e.g., RFP excerpts, mission statements) to guide the AI toward relevant answers.
- Test and Iterate: Run the prompt, review the output, and ask “Why didn’t this answer meet my needs?” to refine it further.
Example: Refining a Prompt with the 5 Whys
Scenario: You’re preparing for an industry day and want to understand an agency’s tech priorities.
Initial Prompt:
“What are this agency’s technology priorities?”
Using the 5 Whys:
- Why? To focus my presentation on areas that matter most to the agency.
→ Refined Prompt: “What technology priorities are most critical to this agency’s mission success?” - Why? To connect my solution to their pain points.
→ Refined Prompt: “What challenges are this agency facing that my technology can address?” - Why? To differentiate myself from competitors.
→ Refined Prompt: “What unique opportunities exist in this agency’s strategy that competitors might overlook?”
Final Prompt:
Based on this agency’s mission and strategy documents, identify their top technology priorities, key pain points, and unique opportunities where my solution could stand out.
Why the 5 Whys Works for AI Prompts
- Sharper Focus: You uncover the real question you need answered.
- Actionable Results: Prompts are tailored to deliver insights you can act on immediately.
- Better AI Engagement: Clearer prompts mean better outputs from AI tools.
Takeaway
The best AI prompts don’t come from the first question you think of—they come from asking “Why?” until you uncover the real problem. By applying the 5 Whys method, you’ll craft smarter prompts, save time, and get insights that truly move the needle.
Want to Try It?
Copy the prompts above with the 5 Whys method, or start refining your own today.