10 Claude Prompts to Automate Project Reviews

Hey folks,

Project reviews take more time than they should. You read long updates, scan for risks, check timelines, and try to figure out what really matters.

Most of that work isn’t deep strategy. It’s repetitive thinking. That’s where automation helps.

I use Claude to handle the first pass, not to replace judgment, but to quickly structure updates and surface risks. Here are 10 prompts that make project reviews faster and more focused.

1️⃣ Comprehensive Project Diagnostic Framework

Act as a senior project auditor.

Using the update below, conduct a structured diagnostic review with the following sections:

1. Objective Clarity – Is the goal still clearly defined?
2. Progress vs Plan – What measurable progress is visible?
3. Risk Assessment – Categorise risks as:
   - Operational
   - Timeline
   - Resource
   - Strategic
4. Bottlenecks – Where is execution most likely to stall?
5. Signal Gaps – What critical information is missing?
6. Overall Health Score (1–10) with justification.

Be analytical, not motivational.

Why this works:
It forces structured thinking and quantification.

2️⃣ Dependency Fragility Analysis

From the project update below:

1. Extract all dependencies (explicit and implied).
2. Classify each as:
   - Internal team
   - External vendor
   - Cross-functional
   - Resource-based
3. Rank each dependency by fragility (Low / Medium / High).
4. Explain what would happen if the highest-fragility dependency fails.

Why this works:
You’re automating scenario analysis, not summarisation.

3️⃣ Timeline Stress Test with Assumption Breakdown

Evaluate the proposed timeline below.

1. List all explicit and implicit assumptions required for this timeline to succeed.
2. Identify which assumptions are most vulnerable.
3. Suggest early warning indicators for timeline failure.
4. Provide a probability estimate (Low / Medium / High risk).

This turns Claude into a risk forecaster.

4️⃣ Scope Drift & Priority Misalignment Audit

Compare the original objective with the current execution update.

1. Identify scope expansion.
2. Highlight activities not clearly tied to the original objective.
3. Flag priority dilution.
4. Suggest where scope tightening may improve delivery speed.

This is strategic correction, not editing.

5️⃣ Decision Quality Evaluation

Identify decisions described or implied in the update.

For each decision:
1. State what problem it solves.
2. List alternatives that were likely available.
3. Assess whether trade-offs were clearly considered.
4. Rate decision clarity (1–5).

This evaluates thinking, not tasks.

6️⃣ Hidden Bottleneck Projection Model

Based on current execution patterns:

1. Identify the current execution bottleneck.
2. Predict the next bottleneck if the current one is resolved.
3. Explain how workflow constraints may shift.
4. Suggest structural fixes, not surface-level fixes.

Now Claude is modelling system behaviour.

7️⃣ Accountability & Ownership Mapping

Extract all tasks and deliverables mentioned.

1. Assign clear owner categories:
   - Decision-maker
   - Executor
   - Reviewer
   - Support
2. Highlight ambiguity or overlap.
3. Flag areas where unclear ownership may cause delay.

This automates organisational clarity.

8️⃣ Executive-Level Compression with Risk Weighting

Rewrite this project update for executive review.

Constraints:
- Max 200 words.
- Must include quantified progress.
- Must include top 3 risks ranked by impact.
- Must include one recommended intervention.

Forces clarity under constraint.

9️⃣ Failure Simulation (Pre-Mortem Engine)

Assume this project fails in 90 days.

1. Write a realistic failure narrative.
2. Identify early warning signs already visible.
3. Categorise root causes:
   - Strategic
   - Operational
   - Communication
   - Resource
4. Suggest immediate corrective actions.

This is scenario automation.

🔟 Project Maturity Scoring Model

Assess the project across these dimensions:

- Goal clarity
- Role clarity
- Timeline realism
- Risk visibility
- Dependency control
- Communication quality

Score each (1–10) and justify briefly.
Then provide one structural improvement with highest leverage.

This turns Claude into a review framework engine.

Curated Prompt Library

Kickstart any task with our Curated Prompt Library, packed with ready-to-use prompts for everyday work. You can also create your own custom prompts, save them privately, and share them with your team, so everyone stays consistent, faster, and on the same page.

Why I Don’t Open ChatGPT Directly Anymore

Cheers,

Keval, Editor