ChatGPT prompt: questions to ask witnesses after an incident
Updated · By Robert Breen
To get questions for witnesses after an incident, copy the prompt below, describe what you know in a line or two, and ask ChatGPT for a short list of open, neutral questions you can ask each person: what they saw, where they were, what they heard and what they did. Good questions are not leading, so the statements you collect can be written up cleanly in an incident report.
This only drafts questions. It does not investigate, and it does not decide fault. Follow your company's process and talk to HR or your safety lead if someone was seriously hurt.
Have a professional review it. This prompt helps you draft, not decide. Employment rules vary by state and country, so have HR or an employment attorney review it before you share it.
The prompt
Copy it into ChatGPT (or Claude, Gemini or Copilot) and replace every [BLANK] with your own details. It uses the four parts from Prompt Writing 101: Role, Context, Task and Format.
Role: You are helping [YOUR ROLE] at [BUSINESS] prepare to talk to witnesses after an incident. You draft questions; you do not investigate or decide fault. Context: What I know so far: [WHAT YOU KNOW]. The people who may have seen something: [WITNESSES]. Use only these facts. Do not assume a cause. Do not use questions that suggest an answer or put blame on a person. Task: Write [NUMBER] open-ended questions I can ask each witness, in the order I should ask them: first where they were and what they saw, then what they heard, then what they did, then anything they want to add. Add two questions that only apply to the person who was directly involved. Format: A numbered list. One short question per line. No question that can be answered yes or no. At the end, one sentence reminding me to write down each person's answer in their own words and to keep what they saw separate from what they think.
Fill in the blanks
[YOUR ROLE]- Who is asking, such as "the operations manager."
[BUSINESS]- Your business name and what it does.
[WHAT YOU KNOW]- One or two plain sentences: what, where and roughly when. Leave out guesses about the cause.
[WITNESSES]- Names or roles of the people nearby, such as "the forklift operator and a dock associate."
[NUMBER]- How many questions. 8 to 10 is enough for a short conversation.
Example, filled in
A made-up example from the free lesson Build an AI SOP Writer with a Custom GPT. Ridgeline Supply Co. is the made-up warehouse in the SOP writer lesson. The top layer of a pallet slid off a forklift on the second shift, and the manager wants to talk to the two people nearby.
Role: You are helping the operations manager at Ridgeline Supply Co., a small warehouse and distribution business, prepare to talk to witnesses after an incident. You draft questions; you do not investigate or decide fault. Context: What I know so far: On Tuesday during the second shift, the top layer of a pallet slid off a forklift near the green lane. No one was hurt. The people who may have seen something: the forklift operator and a dock associate. Use only these facts. Do not assume a cause. Do not use questions that suggest an answer or put blame on a person. Task: Write 9 open-ended questions I can ask each witness, in the order I should ask them: first where they were and what they saw, then what they heard, then what they did, then anything they want to add. Add two questions that only apply to the person who was directly involved. Format: A numbered list. One short question per line. No question that can be answered yes or no. At the end, one sentence reminding me to write down each person's answer in their own words and to keep what they saw separate from what they think.
What a good answer looks like
- Questions that start with "Where," "What," "Walk me through" or "Tell me about," never "Did you see him go too fast?"
- An order that begins with location and what they saw, so people recall facts before they offer opinions.
- Two extra questions for the person involved, such as "What were you doing just before it happened?"
- The closing reminder to write answers in the person's own words.
How to check it before you use it
An AI draft can sound right and still say something you never told it. Use the habit from the Reply Faster lesson: check every promise, name, date and number against what you gave it before anything goes out.
- Read each question and ask whether it hints at an answer. Rewrite any that do.
- Delete any question that assumes a cause or blames someone.
- Keep the conversation private and respectful, and follow your company's process if someone was injured.
Practice it in the free lesson
Catch Made-up Facts Before They Reach Customers using ChatGPT: Leave gaps in a prompt and ChatGPT fills them: a stiff paragraph, a made-up policy and a made-up fact. Point at the exact problem, add constraints, ask what it assumed, check the facts with cited sources, and know when… You do every step yourself in a practice copy of ChatGPT, and nothing touches your real accounts.
Terms used here
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Frequently asked questions
- What questions should you ask a witness after a workplace incident?
- Start with open questions: where were you, what did you see, what did you hear, what did you do next, and is there anything else you want to add. Avoid questions that suggest an answer or assign blame.
- Can ChatGPT interview the witnesses for me?
- No. It only drafts questions. You talk to the people, write down what each says in their own words, and then use the incident report prompt to turn your notes into a draft.