Let’s talk about something fascinating—prompt engineering. It sounds like rocket science, but it’s more like learning how to ask a genie for wishes. The better you frame your wish (or in this case, your prompt), the closer the result is to what you want. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into this world or want to upgrade your AI-chatting game, this guide is for you.
What is Prompt Engineering?
Prompt engineering is like giving instructions to a super-smart assistant who’s eager to help but needs precise directions to shine. Think of it as crafting the perfect recipe: the better the ingredients (your words) and instructions, the tastier the dish (the AI’s response).
At its core, prompt engineering is about communicating effectively with AI models so that you get accurate, creative, or insightful results. It’s a skill that’s part art, part science, and a whole lot of fun once you get the hang of it.
Three Principles of Prompt Engineering
Here are three golden rules that’ll make you a prompt whisperer in no time:
1. Clarity is King:
Be as clear and specific as possible. Ambiguity is the enemy. If you asked someone to “paint a beautiful picture,” they might paint a sunset, while you were picturing a forest. AI works the same way—it thrives on details.
2. Context is Key:
AI performs best when it understands the bigger picture. Want dinner ideas? Mention your dietary preferences. Need a summary of a novel? Tell the AI the title and the specific details you want to focus on.
3. Iteration is Everything:
Like sculpting, great prompts are often refined over multiple attempts. Your first try might get you close, but tweaking the wording can take the response from “meh” to “wow!”
What Constitutes a Good Prompt?
A good prompt is like an effective email subject line: it sets expectations and gets the job done.
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Specific: Instead of asking, “What’s AI?” ask, “Can you explain artificial intelligence in simple terms with examples?”
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Well-Scoped: Don’t overload it. Instead of “Tell me everything about history,” try, “Summarize the key events of the American Revolution.
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Engaging: Use friendly, instructive language. “Imagine you’re a chef helping me plan a surprise dinner. What should I make?” sparks creativity.
Main Prompting Steps
Follow these steps to get the best results from your prompts:
1. Start with a Clear Goal
Decide what you want. Are you looking for facts, creative ideas, or a step-by-step guide?
2. Add Context
Provide enough background for the AI to understand what you’re aiming for. If you want travel tips, mention the destination.
3. Refine Your Request
Break big tasks into smaller ones if needed. Instead of asking for “10 marketing ideas,” start with, “What are some creative ideas for social media posts?”
4. Experiment and Refine
If the first response isn’t perfect, don’t worry! Try rephrasing or adding more specifics.
Practical Everyday Prompts
Below are some practical prompts and frameworks to help you boost productivity and creative output on a daily basis. These can serve as inspiration for your work and ideation processes.
| Use Case | Prompt Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Brainstorm New Ideas | ”I’m looking to explore [subject] in a [format]. Do you have any suggestions on [topics] I can cover?" | "I’m working on a blog about sustainable living. Can you suggest creative angles I could explore, like eco-friendly travel or reducing plastic waste?” |
| Copy Generation | ”I’m interested in [type of text] that highlights the [benefits] of [subject]. Please write [#] for me on [subject]." | "I need an email campaign that showcases the features of my new app. Can you write one that highlights its time-saving features and user-friendliness?” |
| Client and Customer Support/Email | ”I want you to act as a customer support assistant who is [characteristic]. How would you respond to [text] as a representative of our [type] company?" | "I want you to act as a customer support assistant who is empathetic and professional. How would you respond to a customer upset about a late delivery for our clothing brand?” |
| Generate Analogies | ”I’m trying to better understand the concept of [concept], please help me better understand this concept by creating a practical and easy-to-understand analogy." | "I’m trying to better understand the concept of cloud storage, please help me understand this by creating a practical analogy.” |
| Bulk Copy Creation | ”Please come up with [# of content] [type of content] for [platform] that includes [references]." | "Please come up with 5 social media posts for my fitness brand that include motivational quotes and workout tips.” |
Focused Prompt Frameworks
Here are several focused prompt frameworks designed to help you guide AI more precisely and generate clear, actionable outputs.
| Use Case | Prompt Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shot Prompting | Zero Shot: No previous data or guidelines given before completing request. One Shot: One piece of data or guideline given before completing request. Few Shot: Multiple pieces of data or guidelines given before completing request. | Zero Shot: “Write a YouTube script for my tech review channel.” One Shot: “Using this example as reference, write a YouTube script for my tech review channel.” Few Shot: “Using these 3 examples as reference, write a 5-minute YouTube script on the latest iPhone camera specs for my tech review channel. Start with a 10-second hook and notate a photo for each main point.” |
| Chain of Thought Prompting | [Your question]. Let’s think step by step. | ”What is the diameter of the sun? Let’s think step by step.” |
| Tabular Format Prompting | 1. [Your question]. 2. What are the different categories you can break your answer into for more descriptiveness? 3. Now create one table that includes your original answer with these categories separated into different columns. | 1. Please list the top 5 travel destinations in South America. 2. Organize these in a table with country name in the first column and destination in the second. |
| Ask Before Answer Prompting | 1. You are an expert in the field of [industry]. I’m going to ask you to complete some specific tasks, but before you answer, I want you to do the following: If you have any questions about my task or uncertainty about delivering the best answer possible, always ask bullet point questions for clarification before generating your answer. Is that understood? 2. Great, my question is [question]. Your task is [task]. Please ask any questions you have so that I can improve my prompt before you complete your task. | ”Great, my question is: How can I increase sales for my e-commerce business? Your task is to create a step-by-step guide that I can implement. Please ask any questions you have to help refine my request before completing the task.” |
| Fill-in-the-Blank Prompting | 1. You are an expert at creating prompts that generate the most concise and resourceful responses. What additional bullet point details can I add to the following prompt to improve the output? My prompt is [your prompt]. 2. Great, now turn these bullet points into a fill-in-the-blank format which I can input my information into. | ”How do I optimize my website for higher conversion rates?” |
| Perspective Prompting | Singular Perspective: Please write about [topic] from the perspective of [viewpoint]. Multiple Perspectives: Please write an argument [for/against] the topic of [topic] from multiple diverse perspectives. Include the names and points of view of the different perspectives, such as [viewpoints]. | Singular Perspective: “Please write about managing stress from the perspective of a yoga instructor.” Multiple Perspectives: “Please write an argument for and against self-driving cars from the perspectives of a tech expert, a commuter, and a city planner.” |
| Constructive Critic Prompting | ”I want you to act as an expert and critic in the subject of [industry]. Criticize my content pasted below, convince me why it’s bad, and give me constructive criticism on how it should be improved. Here is my content to critique, [your content]." | "I want you to act as an expert and critic in the subject of digital marketing. Criticize my ad copy below, convince me why it’s ineffective, and provide tips for improvement. Here’s my content: ‘Buy our app now! It’s the best app ever!’” |
| Comparative Prompting | ”Please compare and contrast the following text examples. Outline the similarities, differences, qualitative characteristics, quantitative factors, functionality, impact, key takeaways, and other factors into one table. Here are the two pieces of content: [content 1] and [content 2]." | "Please compare and contrast the user experience of Android vs. iPhone, focusing on ease of use, speed, and design.” |
General Prompt Frameworks
These general frameworks help you craft robust and versatile prompts for a variety of use cases, ensuring the AI responds effectively and efficiently.
| Use Case | Prompt Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| RGC Prompting | • Role: ChatGPT’s persona (e.g., You are an expert marketer) • Result: Desired output (e.g., Create 5 emails ending with a call to action) • Goal: Purpose of the output (e.g., The goal is to drive sales) • Context: Who, what, where, why (e.g., The emails are for my online audience of entrepreneurs) • Constraint: Limitations and guidelines (e.g., The emails should be less than 200 words) | “You are an expert digital marketer. Create 5 compelling emails for my online audience of aspiring entrepreneurs. The goal is to drive traffic to my product page. The emails should be concise (less than 200 words) and contain a strong call to action.” |
| I Want You To Act As Prompting | ”I want you to act as a [role]. I will give you my personal and professional goals. You will then create a 7-day schedule in tabular format for me to follow in order to hit my goals. My short-term daily goals are [goals]. My long-term goals are [goals]." | "I want you to act as a personal productivity coach. I will give you my personal and professional goals. You will then create a 7-day schedule for me to follow in order to hit my goals. My daily goals are: meditate, workout, read, and work on my business. My long-term goal is to land 30 new clients.” |
Prompt engineering isn’t just about talking to AI; it’s about enhancing your ability to communicate ideas and solve problems creatively. Like mastering a new language or learning a musical instrument, the more you practice, the better you’ll get.
So go ahead—experiment, iterate, and have fun. Who knows, with a little practice, you might just become the AI whisperer in your circle!