CO-STAR 🟡
Need: A communication task — it matters who you are writing for, in what tone, and in what format.
Explanation: Context → Objective → Style → Tone → Audience → Response format. Forces you to think about the recipient.
Prompt format:
“Context: [situation]. Objective: [what to achieve]. Style: [what kind]. Tone: [what kind]. Audience: [who]. Format: [what kind].”
QA usage example
“Context: we are adopting a new test management tool. Objective: convince the team to adopt it. Style: professional, approachable. Tone: enthusiastic. Audience: manual QA team (5 people). Format: email, max 200 words.”
When to use CO-STAR?
When you are writing for someone — a report for the PO, an email to the team, a presentation for management. CO-STAR forces you to think about your audience before you start writing.
SCQA 🟡
Need: You need to present an analysis, recommendation, or business case — a structure borrowed from consulting.
Explanation: Situation → Complication → Question → Answer. A McKinsey framework for clear communication.
Prompt format:
“Situation: [how things are]. Complication: [what is breaking]. Question: [what to do?]. Answer: [recommendation].”
QA usage example
“Situation: 400 manual tests, release every 2 weeks. Complication: regression takes 4 days and blocks deploys. Question: what to automate first? Answer: propose the top 10 with ROI justification.”
When to use SCQA?
When you need to persuade — a business case for automation, a tool recommendation, a hiring justification. SCQA is the language management speaks.
In the next post: RISEN — an extended framework for tasks with a clear goal and constraints.