Writing Effective Prompts for AI Note-Taking

AI note-taking can transform your clinical documentation, saving time while maintaining quality. Using NovoNote AI Scribe effectively requires clear and structured prompts to ensure accurate and relevant documentation. Well-crafted prompts help guide NovoNote in capturing key details, improving the quality of generated notes, and reducing the need for extensive edits.

This guide provides best practices for writing effective prompts to:

• Enhance the accuracy and clarity of AI-generated notes.
• Ensure key session details are correctly captured.
• Minimise errors and improve workflow efficiency.

By following these strategies, practitioners can optimise AI note-taking to support high-quality clinical documentation.

1. Use Our Pre-Designed Templates as a Base or Create Your Own

NovoNote provides a library of clinician-designed templates that cover a range of clinical documentation needs, including, but not limited to:

• GP letters
• CBT formulations
• ADHD and Autism assessments
• Risk assessments
• Session summaries
• EMDR session notes
• ACT session notes
• Supervision templates
• Summary of conversation templates

Our templates are continuously updated based on clinician feedback, so you can use them as a reliable starting point.

Ways to use templates effectively:

• Use as-is: Many clinicians find our pre-built templates meet their needs straight away.
• Modify and save a version: If a template is close to what you want but needs tweaks (e.g., rewording sections, adding subheadings), you can edit and save it as your own custom version.
• Build from scratch: If none of the templates fit your exact needs, you can create your own template with fully customised instructions and formatting.

Tip:
Before customising, explore our existing library - you might find one that's already close to what you need!

2. The Importance of Clear, Specific Prompts

When writing prompts for AI note-taking, clarity is crucial. A well-crafted prompt:

• Directs the AI – Ensures NovoNote understands the exact structure and details you need.
• Sets the Tone – Defines the level of detail, formality, and professional language style.
• Establishes Structure – Guides the AI in organising the content effectively.

For example, if you would like to create a template that documents a session summary for a parent, after a child session, you can use the following prompt to guide NovoNote’s output:

Example Prompt:
“Generate a brief, parent-friendly summary of today’s session. Include a general update on the child’s progress, key themes discussed, and any relevant strategies or recommendations for home. Keep the language clear, supportive, and appropriate for a non-clinical audience. Include subheadings like: Progress Update, Key Themes, Home Strategies, Homework”

Why this works:

✔ Ensures the summary is concise and easy to understand.

✔ Focuses on progress, key themes, and practical takeaways.

✔ Uses accessible, supportive language suitable for parents.

3. Customising Templates for Your Practice

NovoNote allows you to customise templates to match your professional style.

Personalisation Settings

• Profile Details: Add your name, workplace, treatment modalities, and preferred writing style. NovoNote will consider this when producing your notes.
• Client Details: Enable first name, age, and gender to make notes more personalised

Editing Template Instructions

Use bracketed instructions to guide the AI’s writing style and structure.

Examples: 
”(Use a CBT framework and highlight unhelpful thinking styles in red.)”
”(Include a section on intervention strategies at the end.)”
”(Summarise the client’s progress in 2-3 sentences before listing key insights.)”

Iteration & Customisation

• Test and refine: If the generated notes don’t meet expectations, tweak the instructions and test again.
• Save custom versions: If you repeatedly make the same edits, save your modified template as a new default.
• Favourite frequently used templates: Mark templates with a ⭐ to keep them easily accessible.

4. Balancing Comprehensiveness with Brevity

While NovoNote can generate highly detailed notes, clinicians should be mindful of:

• The right level of detail – Avoid over-documentation for routine progress notes.
• Professional readability – Keep GP letters and reports concise and to the point.
• Automation bias – Always review AI-generated notes before saving them to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Tip: 
If you prefer shorter notes, try the "Brief Psychology Note" template or adjust your instructions to prioritise brevity. 

NovoNote is a powerful tool that, when used effectively, can streamline your clinical documentation. Clear prompts and personalised templates will help you maximise its potential while ensuring accuracy and efficiency.

Start experimenting today! Try the dictate function to draft a letter or tweak an existing template to fit your style.