ARC 🟢
Need: A quick, simple prompt — no ceremony.
Explanation: Actor (who) → Request (what) → Context (under what circumstances). The simplest framework for quick business instructions.
Prompt format:
“As [actor], [request]. Context: [details].”
QA usage example
“As a QA lead, write a brief bug description for Jira. Context: login page returns 500 after entering special characters in the password.”
ICE 🟢
Need: You have an idea and need refinement with a concrete output.
Explanation: Idea (concept) → Context (environment) → Expectation (expected result). Iterative refinement with a clear end goal.
Prompt format:
“My idea: [idea]. Context: [situation]. I expect: [format/result].”
QA usage example
“Idea: automatic bug tagging by severity. Context: we use Jira + 200 tickets/month. I expect: a proposal of classification rules in table format.”
TDS 🟢
Need: You need a precise answer from a narrow domain — everyday, quick content generation.
Explanation: Task (what) → Domain/Details (area/details) → Specifics/Style (constraints/style).
Prompt format:
“Task: [what]. Domain: [which]. Specifics: [constraints, format, edge cases].”
QA usage example
“Task: write test scenarios. Domain: fintech, card payments. Specifics: include 3DS2, expired cards, transaction limits, Gherkin format.”
ARC vs ICE vs TDS — when to use which?
| Situation | Framework |
|---|---|
| Quick bug description, email, note | ARC |
| I have an idea and want to develop it | ICE |
| I need content from a specific domain | TDS |
All three are 🟢 — suitable for getting started with no AI experience.
In the next post: CO-STAR and SCQA — frameworks for communication and business cases.