Multi-Stage Prompt Chains

Complex research tasks exceed the cognitive budget of a single prompt. A prompt chain decomposes the task into sequential stages, where each stage's output feeds the next stage's input. The chain architecture mirrors how a human analyst works: gather, filter, analyze, synthesize. Each stage has its own prompt optimized for that specific cognitive operation.

1. Stage 1: Collection Prompt Broad, comprehensive, prioritizing recall over precision. "Identify all companies in [space] that match [criteria]. Include borderline cases — we will filter in the next stage." The collection prompt casts the widest net.
2. Stage 2: Filter Prompt Narrow, evaluative, applying specific criteria to the Stage 1 output. "Review these 18 companies. Apply these 4 criteria. Score each 1-5. Eliminate any scoring below 3 on two or more criteria. Explain every elimination." The filter prompt enforces rigor.
3. Stage 3: Analysis Prompt Deep, focused, operating on the filtered shortlist. "For each of these 6 companies, analyze [specific dimensions]. Use extended thinking. Flag contradictions between sources." The analysis prompt extracts maximum insight from each entity.
4. Stage 4: Synthesis Prompt Integrative, cross-referencing, producing the final deliverable. "Compare these 6 analyses side by side. Identify the three most significant patterns. Produce a ranked assessment with confidence levels." The synthesis prompt creates the intelligence product.