Choosing the right prompting approach

Prompting strategies based on design intent

The way you write prompts in Vizcom can be adjusted depending on your goals at different stages of the design process. Whether you are looking for control, variety, or evolution, understanding how to match your prompting strategy to your intent will help you use the tool more effectively.

There are three primary strategies to consider: directive prompting, explorative prompting, and chain prompting. Each serves a different purpose and can guide the AI in distinct ways.

1. Directive Prompting

Directive prompting is ideal when you already have a clear vision of what you want. These prompts are highly specific and include detailed information about the object’s form, materials, color, and presentation. This approach reduces ambiguity and helps Vizcom render your concept with greater accuracy.

Use directive prompting when:

• You are in a refinement or presentation phase

• You want a high level of fidelity to your intent

• You need consistent results across variations

Example:
Modern chair with angular armrests, slender legs, and a minimalist design, featuring a slightly reclined backrest and flat seat. Orange textured material. Soft pink studio lighting.

This prompt clearly communicates the type of object, material choices, form details, and rendering style. It leaves little room for interpretation, making it well-suited for final-stage visualization or when presenting a resolved design to others.

2. Explorative prompting

Explorative prompting is more open-ended. It uses broader, more suggestive terms to encourage a wider range of outputs. This method is especially helpful during early ideation, when you want the AI to offer creative directions that may not have occurred to you yet.

Use explorative prompting when:

• You are in the concept development phase

• You want to generate multiple stylistic or formal variations

• You are experimenting with mood, material, or context

Example:
innovative office seating concept, contemporary design, premium materials, studio lighting

This prompt defines the category and tone without locking down specific material or form details. As a result, Vizcom has more freedom to propose different interpretations while still aligning with your overall intent.

You might receive outputs that vary in structure, color, or form language, which can help you identify new directions worth pursuing.

3. Chain prompting

Chain prompting is a method for refining a concept through a series of controlled changes. Instead of writing one complex prompt, you create a sequence of prompts that each alter one element. This helps you isolate the impact of specific words and better understand how each part of the prompt affects the outcome.

Use chain prompting when:

• You want to fine-tune a design gradually

• You are comparing material, lighting, or compositional choices

• You are studying the effect of prompt structure on the result

How to apply chain prompting:

1. Start with a base prompt
   For example: sleek desk lamp, aluminum body, matte black finish, studio lighting

2. Modify one variable per prompt

   • Change the material: sleek desk lamp, brushed brass body, matte black finish, studio lighting

   • Change the lighting: sleek desk lamp, aluminum body, matte black finish, warm interior lighting

   • Change the style: sleek desk lamp, aluminum body, matte black finish, retro-futuristic aesthetic

3. Observe the differences
   Review how each change impacts the overall look and feel. Choose the version that aligns best with your goals and continue refining from there.

Summary

Choosing the right prompting strategy depends on where you are in your design process. Use directive prompts when your vision is clear and needs to be communicated precisely. Use explorative prompts when you are looking for variety or fresh ideas. Use chain prompting when you want to refine and compare details in a systematic way.