Context Is Everything

The Context Gap

Here's what happens when you skip context: You get outputs that are technically correct but practically useless.

The AI can write a perfectly competent marketing email. But if it doesn't know you're in healthcare, it might include claims that violate HIPAA. If it doesn't know your audience is C-suite, it might be too casual. If it doesn't know your company just went through layoffs, it might strike entirely the wrong tone.

Context is the difference between "this is good writing" and "this is something I can actually use."

The Four Types of Context

1. Task Context

What specifically needs to happen and why.

• What triggered this task?
• What will happen with the output?
• What decisions will it inform?

2. Organizational Context

Your company's specific situation.

• Industry and regulations
• Company size and stage
• Recent events or changes
• Brand voice and guidelines

3. Audience Context

Who will consume the output.

• Role and seniority level
• What they already know
• What they care about
• How they prefer to receive information

4. Historical Context

What came before.

• Previous decisions on this topic
• Past communications with this audience
• What's been tried and failed

The Context Injection Pattern

Use this pattern to systematically add context:

Before your main prompt, add:

"Before responding, understand this context:

• I work at [company type/size] in [industry]
• My role is [your position]
• This output will be used for [specific purpose]
• My audience is [who will see this]
• Key constraints: [budget/timeline/approvals needed]
• Relevant background: [what led to this task]"

Context Levels

Level 1: Minimum Viable Context

For quick, low-stakes tasks:

• Your role
• The output purpose
• Basic constraints

Level 2: Standard Context

For most business tasks:

• All Level 1 elements
• Audience details
• Industry considerations
• Format requirements

Level 3: Full Context

For high-stakes or complex tasks:

• All Level 2 elements
• Historical background
• Political considerations
• Success metrics
• Example of good output

Context Changes Everything

The same task with different context produces completely different outputs. "Write a project status update" becomes radically different when you add:

• "for a board that's concerned about our burn rate"
• "for a team that just lost a key member"
• "for a client who's considering expanding the engagement"
• "for a regulator conducting an audit"

Context isn't extra information. It's essential information.