Delegate the work.
Not just the question.

What do you want accomplished, and why? Describe the goal, audience, or decision the work should support.

Example: Help Contoso Coffee's leadership decide how to respond to Fourth Coffee's new subscription offering ahead of our next strategy meeting.

What should Cowork work from? Name the files, notes, emails, links, or data sources you will provide or authorize it to use.

Example: Use the competitor announcement and our customer feedback notes that I will attach in Cowork. Use only those materials, not web research.

What should Cowork deliver? Specify the format, structure, length, tone, and any sections or columns you need.

Example: Create a one-page Word brief with an executive summary, a comparison table, three response options, and a recommended next step. Keep the tone direct and business-focused.

What does good look like? Give Cowork the quality criteria, priorities, and trade-offs it should use to assess its work.

Example: Back each factual claim with a source. Separate facts from assumptions. Prioritize options that protect customer retention and are feasible within 90 days. Explain the recommendation's trade-offs.

What are the limits? Set scope, exclusions, privacy rules, and which actions need your approval.

Example: Do not invent pricing or customer metrics. Do not send emails, contact anyone, or change source files. If essential evidence is missing, ask me before proceeding.