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RCAF Prompt Structure

RCAF is a 4-part prompt skeleton — Role, Context, Action, Format — for drafting maintainable AI prompts. Role assigns the model an identity, Context supplies background the model needs, Action states the task, and Format specifies the output shape. RCAF is deliberately minimal (4 slots) compared to alternatives like RACE, CREATE, RISEN, or TCREI, which use 5-7 slots and are harder to remember under pressure.

Example

A sales email written via RCAF: "Role: You are a sales rep replying to a warm lead. Context: The lead asked about enterprise pricing after a demo last week; they mentioned a 200-person team and an end-of-quarter decision. Action: Draft a reply that offers a 30-minute call and shares one relevant case study. Format: Plain text, under 80 words, no subject line, one call-to-action."

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The RCAF Prompt Structure: A 4-Part Skeleton for Maintainable Prompts

RCAF is a 4-part prompt skeleton — Role, Context, Action, Format — that produces maintainable prompts by separating identity, background, task, and output shape.

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