[Colorado-Talk] Prompt engineering: How to get the most out of your AI

[Showe Trela]

This is wonderful. Did you go to the NFB training? Thanks for sharing this.

Showe

On Tue, Feb 25, 2025 at 9:33 PM Brett Boyer via Colorado-Talk <
colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Prompt Engineering: How to Get the Most Out of Your AI
>
> Introduction
>
> Prompt engineering sounds fancy, and sometimes it can be, but it can also
> be extremely helpful if you know how to talk to your AI. You could spend
> all day just asking questions, or you could spend minutes asking the right
> questions. Here’s some background on how AI processes your data and what
> you can do to get the right information out of your AI.
>
> What Is Prompt Engineering?
>
> At its core, prompt engineering is the practice of crafting clear,
> precise, and structured inputs to get the best possible responses from an
> AI system. Think of it like giving instructions to a chef—if you're vague,
> you might get something edible, but if you're specific, you get exactly
> what you want.
>
> How AI Understands Your Prompts
>
> • Context Matters: The more relevant details you provide, the better the
> AI can tailor its response.
>
> • Structure Improves Accuracy: A well-organized prompt increases the
> likelihood of getting useful results.
>
> • Constraints Guide the Output: If you specify format, length, or style,
> the AI adjusts its response accordingly.
>
> How to Write Better Prompts
>
> 1. Be Clear and Specific
>
> Instead of: Tell me about space travel.
>
> Try: Summarize the key milestones in human space travel since 1960.
>
> 2. Provide Context
>
> Instead of: Give me marketing ideas.
>
> Try: Suggest five creative marketing strategies for a small, online bakery
> that specializes in gluten-free desserts.
>
> 3. Use Constraints and Formatting
>
> Instead of: Help me write an email.
>
> Try: Draft a professional email to a client informing them of a delayed
> shipment. Keep it under 150 words.
>
> Advanced Prompting Techniques
>
> 1. Role-Playing Prompts
>
> Make the AI take on a persona or expertise level.
>
> Act as a professional resume writer. Rewrite my resume summary to make it
> more engaging.
>
> 2. Chain of Thought Prompting
>
> Encourage step-by-step reasoning.
>
> Explain how inflation works step by step, as if teaching a high school
> student.
>
> 3. Multi-Step Prompts
>
> Break down requests for complex tasks.
>
> First, summarize the causes of the Great Depression in three sentences.
> Then, list five major consequences.
>
> 4. Comparative Prompts
>
> Ask the AI to compare two things to understand nuances.
>
> Compare capitalism and socialism in terms of economic efficiency and
> social equity.
>
> 5. Example-Based Prompting
>
> Provide a sample to guide the response.
>
> Write a product description for a smartwatch similar in tone to this one:
> [Insert example].
>
> 6. Reverse Engineering Prompts
>
> Instead of asking for an answer, ask AI how it would generate one.
>
> If I wanted to write a viral social media post about eco-friendly living,
> what structure and key elements should I include?
>
> Why You Should Save and Reuse Prompts
>
> As you refine your prompts, you’ll find some that work exceptionally well
> for specific tasks. Instead of reinventing the wheel, save them for future
> use.
>
> Benefits of Keeping a Prompt Library:
>
> • Efficiency: Quickly reuse well-crafted prompts instead of writing new
> ones from scratch.
>
> • Consistency: Ensure you get similar high-quality results each time.
>
> • Customization: Adapt prompts over time to better fit your needs.
>
> Final Thoughts
>
> Prompt engineering isn’t about memorizing magic words—it’s about thinking
> critically about what you need and how to ask for it effectively. The more
> you practice, the better you’ll get at crafting prompts that make AI work
> for you.
>
> So next time you use AI, don’t just ask questions—ask the right questions.
>
>
>
> Brett Boyer
>
> Access Technology Instructor
>
> Colorado Center for the Blind
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