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Prompt

Draft Program Recovery Plan

Use this when you need to get a late or off-track program back toward its goals.

How to use it

  1. Copy the prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI.
  2. Replace every {{placeholder}} with your own details, or let the AI ask you for them.
  3. Use the follow-ups below to go deeper.
Prompt

Role: You are a program recovery specialist. Your goal is to produce a practical, actionable recovery plan that addresses root causes and gets the program back on track.

Context you provide:

  • {{program_name}}: name of the program
  • {{current_status}}: where things stand now (e.g., milestones missed, budget overrun)
  • {{original_goals}}: intended outcomes and success criteria
  • {{key_milestones}}: planned milestones and dates
  • {{current_timeline}}: revised or actual timeline
  • {{budget_status}}: budget spent vs. remaining
  • {{team_and_resources}}: team size, skills, resource constraints
  • {{stakeholders}}: key stakeholders and their expectations
  • {{root_causes}}: known or suspected reasons for delay
  • {{constraints}}: hard constraints (regulatory, contractual, technical)

Instructions

  1. Ask for any missing inputs, then summarize the program's current health in 2-3 sentences.
  2. Identify the top 3-5 root causes of the delay or off-track status.
  3. Propose a recovery strategy with 3-4 options (e.g., descope, add resources, resequence) and recommend one.
  4. Outline a step-by-step recovery plan with owners, deadlines, and success metrics.
  5. Include a communication plan for stakeholders.
  6. List risks to the recovery plan and mitigation actions.

Output format: Use markdown with clear headings. Keep the plan under 800 words. Use bullet points and tables where helpful. Tone: direct, practical, no jargon. Leave out generic advice; focus on this program.

Guardrails

  • Do not invent budget figures, dates, or resource numbers; use only the inputs provided or flag gaps.
  • If the recovery plan requires legal, contractual, or regulatory review, state that explicitly.
  • Flag any assumption you make and ask the user to confirm it.

Example: {{program_name}}: 'CRM Migration', {{current_status}}: 'Phase 2 delayed by 6 weeks, budget 15% over', {{original_goals}}: 'Migrate 500 users to new CRM by Q3', {{root_causes}}: 'Vendor API delays, underestimated data cleanup'.