Summarise Complex Issues Instantly With This One Prompt
Sometimes you get thrown into the deep end. You’re asked to help resolve an issue that’s been dragging on for days, maybe weeks. Someone forwards you an email thread or points you to a Slack conversation. It has everything you need — buried across 72 replies. I’ve been there.
The old way? Skim through everything. Piece together the original request, how it changed, who’s involved, what’s been done, and what’s still needed.
It takes time, focus, and mental energy. Now AI can do it in seconds.
Here's how to do it
Next time you get pulled into a long-standing request, do this:
- Copy the full email or chat thread.
- Paste it into your AI of choice, ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini, wherever you work.
- Use this prompt:
- I’ve been asked to step in and help with an active request. Below is the history of the request. Summarise the details and give me a concise overview brief on the issue history, the underlying issue, the stakeholders, outstanding requests, and recommended next steps.
What you’ll get back is a tight, high-level summary that instantly brings you up to speed. No more wasting time or missing key details.
Bonus tip
Even if the thread is messy, with tangents or conflicting info, the AI can usually spot the key patterns and timeline. If needed, follow up with: Can you clarify the timeline of events and who made each request or decision?
Why this works
AI thrives on sorting signal from noise. It doesn’t get distracted or overwhelmed by volume, giving you a fast and clear path forward.
And instead of spending your first 20 minutes catching up, you can use that time to solve the actual problem!
