Craft better prompts
Well-designed prompts help you get more precise and useful responses from your AI agents.General prompt patterns
Basic structure
Basic structure
An effective prompt typically includes:Example:
“Summarize this quarterly report, focusing on revenue trends and customer acquisition metrics. Present your analysis with bullet points for key findings and a short paragraph for implications.”
Context setting
Context setting
Provide relevant background information:Example:
“I’m preparing for a job interview at a financial technology company for a product manager role. Help me prepare 5-7 questions I could ask the interviewer that demonstrate my knowledge of the fintech industry and my interest in their business model.”
Role assignment
Role assignment
Specify how the agent should approach the task:Example:
“Act as an experienced copywriter specializing in email campaigns and review this draft newsletter. Suggest improvements to increase open rates and engagement.”
Step-by-step guidance
Step-by-step guidance
Request detailed walkthrough:Example:
“Guide me through creating a basic data visualization in Python step by step, explaining the purpose of each line of code. I’m a beginner with programming but understand basic concepts.”
Task-specific examples
Topic exploration:Comparative analysis:Academic literature:
Format-specific prompts
Data analysis
Code generation
Learning materials
Feedback formulation
Refining responses
If you’re not satisfied with an initial response, try these follow-up prompts:When you need | Try asking |
---|---|
More depth | ”Could you expand on [specific point] with more detail?” |
Simplification | ”Please explain that more simply, as if to someone new to the subject.” |
Different perspective | ”How would someone with [different viewpoint/background] approach this?” |
Practical application | ”Could you provide specific examples of how to apply this in [context]?” |
Evidence | ”What data or research supports these conclusions?” |
Alternatives | ”What are some alternative approaches or interpretations?” |
Instead of starting over with a new prompt, build on the conversation by refining your request iteratively.
Next steps
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