> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rocket.new/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Prompting for Solve

> How to frame strategic questions in Rocket.new for the best results.

export const LlmsDirective = () => <blockquote className="llms-directive">
    For the complete documentation index, see <a href="/llms.txt">llms.txt</a>.
    For a lightweight markdown version of this page, append .md to the URL.
  </blockquote>;

<LlmsDirective />

Solve is only as good as the question you ask it. This guide teaches you how to frame strategic research questions that produce structured, actionable reports - not generic overviews.

## Anatomy of a good Solve prompt

Great Solve prompts share four qualities:

1. **Specific scope** - a defined topic, market, or set of companies
2. **Clear deliverable** - what format or structure you want in the answer
3. **Context** - enough background for Rocket to understand your situation
4. **Constraints** - time frames, geographies, segments, or other boundaries

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Good prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    Compare Notion, Coda, and Slite for small team collaboration. For each, analyze: pricing tiers and limits, core features (docs, databases, wikis), integrations with Slack and Google Workspace, and user sentiment on G2 and Reddit. Which one is best for a 10-person startup that needs docs + lightweight project tracking? Include a recommendation with trade-offs.
    ```

    **Why it works:** Names specific products, lists specific comparison criteria, defines the user's context (10-person startup), and asks for a clear deliverable (recommendation with trade-offs).
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Weak prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    Tell me about collaboration tools.
    ```

    **Why it's weak:** No specific products, no comparison criteria, no context about who's asking or why. The result will be a broad, generic overview that doesn't help you make a decision.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Prompt frameworks for common analysis types

### Market sizing

Include the product category, geography, time frame, and what breakdown you want.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Good prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    What is the total addressable market for AI-powered code review tools in North America? Break down by segment: enterprise (1000+ employees), mid-market (100-999), and SMB (under 100). Include 2024 market size and projected CAGR through 2028. Identify the top 5 vendors and their estimated revenue.
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Weak prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    How big is the AI code review market?
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Competitive analysis

Name the competitors, specify what dimensions to compare, and describe your vantage point.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Good prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    I'm building a scheduling tool for healthcare clinics. Compare Calendly, Acuity Scheduling, and Zocdoc on: features specific to healthcare (HIPAA compliance, intake forms, insurance verification), pricing for small practices (1-5 providers), patient experience (booking flow, reminders, telehealth), and integration with EHR systems. What gaps could a healthcare-focused alternative fill?
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Weak prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    Compare scheduling tools.
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Pricing strategy

Describe your product, target audience, and the decision you're trying to make.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Good prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    I'm launching a B2B SaaS product for HR teams at companies with 50-500 employees. My competitors charge $5-15/user/month. Should I use per-seat pricing, flat-rate tiers, or usage-based pricing? Analyze each model's pros and cons for my segment. Include examples of successful B2B HR tools and their pricing approaches. Recommend a pricing structure for launch with reasoning.
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Weak prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    What should I charge for my SaaS product?
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Due diligence / investment analysis

Provide the company or space, the investment stage, and what you need to evaluate.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Good prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    Build an investment thesis for a Series A company in the vertical SaaS space for restaurants. Cover: market size and growth, competitive landscape (Toast, Square, Clover), typical unit economics at this stage, key risks and mitigants, what metrics a Series A company should demonstrate, and comparable recent funding rounds in the space.
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Weak prompt">
    ```plaintext wrap theme={null}
    Should I invest in restaurant tech?
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Follow-up patterns

The first Solve prompt gets you a broad report. Follow-ups help you drill deeper. Here are effective follow-up patterns:

### Drill down on a section

```plaintext wrap theme={null}
Expand on the pricing analysis. Show me a detailed breakdown of each competitor's pricing tiers, what's included at each level, and how they've changed their pricing over the past 2 years.
```

### Challenge the findings

```plaintext wrap theme={null}
This analysis assumes our target customer is a startup. What changes if we target mid-market companies (200-1000 employees) instead? How does the competitive landscape shift?
```

### Make it actionable

```plaintext wrap theme={null}
Based on this report, give me a prioritized action plan. What are the 5 things I should do in the next 30 days to validate this opportunity?
```

### Cross-reference

```plaintext wrap theme={null}
In my previous analysis of [Topic A], you identified [Finding X]. How does that relate to the findings in this report? Are there contradictions or reinforcements?
```

## Common mistakes

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Too broad - no boundaries">
    "Analyze the fintech market" is too broad to produce useful results. Narrow it: which segment of fintech? Which geography? What decision are you trying to make?
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="No context about your situation">
    Solve produces better recommendations when it knows who you are. "I'm a 5-person startup building for small retailers" gives Solve the context to tailor its analysis - not just describe the market in the abstract.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Asking for everything in one prompt">
    "Give me a full market analysis, competitive teardown, pricing strategy, and go-to-market plan" will produce a shallow overview of each. Break it into focused questions and use follow-ups to go deep.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Not specifying the deliverable">
    If you want a comparison table, say so. If you want a recommendation, ask for one. If you want data points with sources, request them. Solve will match the output to your request.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

For additional guidance on question framing, report evaluation, and iterative research strategies, see [Solve best practices](/solve/best-practices).

## Quick reference: prompt template

Use this template as a starting point for any Solve prompt:

```plaintext wrap theme={null}
[What I want to know]: [specific question about a defined topic]

Context: [who I am, what I'm building, what decision I'm trying to make]

Scope: [specific companies, markets, geographies, or time frames]

Deliverable: [comparison table, recommendation with trade-offs, prioritized list, action plan]

Constraints: [budget, team size, timeline, or other limiting factors]
```

## What's next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configure Intelligence" icon="radar" href="/learn/guides/configure-track">
    Set up the Intelligence wizard for useful monitoring signals.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Prompting for Build" icon="hammer" href="/learn/guides/for-build">
    Describe apps and features for better Build results.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Solve overview" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/solve/overview">
    Learn how Solve works under the hood.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Solve best practices" icon="star" href="/solve/best-practices">
    More tips for getting the most from Solve.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>