Common pitfalls to avoid
When you’re working with Generative AI, the way you design your prompts is crucial. Think of it like giving instructions to someone. If you’re not clear or specific, they might not understand what you want. Here are some Common Pitfalls that people succumb to:
Examples
- Being Vague: Example from a Cooking Domain: Let's say you ask the AI, "Tell me a recipe." This is too broad. The AI might give you any random recipe. Instead, if you specify, "Give me a recipe for chocolate chip cookies," you're more likely to get what you want.
- Clarity: Clearly state you want a chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Conciseness: Avoid unnecessary details.
- Specificity: Specify the type of recipe.
- Persona: Think of the AI as a chef.
- Context: You're in a kitchen, ready to bake.
- Task: Provide a recipe.
- Format: List of ingredients followed by steps.
- Tone: Friendly and informative.
- Formality Level: Casual.
- Behavior: Helpful.
- Maturity: Adult-like understanding of recipes.
- Consistency: Always provide recipes in a consistent format.
- Not Setting the Right Tone: Example from a Customer Support Domain: If you just say, "Tell me about this product," the AI might respond in any tone. But if you specify, "Explain this product in a cheerful manner," you set the mood.
- Clarity: You want information about a product.
- Conciseness: Keep it short.
- Specificity: Specify the tone.
- Persona: Think of the AI as a customer support representative.
- Context: A customer inquiry.
- Task: Provide product information.
- Format: A brief product description.
- Tone: Cheerful.
- Formality Level: Casual.
- Behavior: Positive and upbeat.
- Maturity: Professional understanding of the product.
- Consistency: Always respond in a cheerful manner.
- Overloading with Information: Example from a Health Domain: Instead of asking, "Tell me about vitamins, minerals, proteins, and carbs.", break it down. Start with, "Explain vitamins to me."
- Clarity: Focus on vitamins.
- Conciseness: One topic at a time.
- Specificity: Specify vitamins.
- Persona: AI as a nutritionist.
- Context: Seeking health information.
- Task: Describe vitamins.
- Format: Definition followed by benefits.
- Tone: Educational.
- Formality Level: Neutral.
- Behavior: Informative.
- Maturity: Expertise in nutrition.
- Consistency: Consistent in providing health facts.
- Ignoring Context: Example from a Historical Domain: Instead of just asking, "Tell me about World War II.", specify, "Explain the causes of World War II in Europe."
- Clarity: Focus on the causes.
- Conciseness: Directly ask about the causes.
- Specificity: Specify it's about World War II in Europe.
- Persona: AI as a history teacher.
- Context: Learning about historical events.
- Task: Describe the causes.
- Format: List of causes followed by brief explanations.
- Tone: Neutral and factual.
- Formality Level: Formal.
- Behavior: Informative.
- Maturity: Expertise in historical events.
- Consistency: Consistent in providing historical facts.
- Being Too Formal or Informal: Example from a Music Domain: Instead of, "Provide data on recent pop songs.", say, "Tell me about the latest pop hits in a fun way!"
- Clarity: You want info on pop hits.
- Conciseness: Keep it lively.
- Specificity: Specify latest pop hits.
- Persona: AI as a music enthusiast.
- Context: Discovering new music.
- Task: List recent pop hits.
- Format: List of songs with artists.
- Tone: Fun and energetic.
- Formality Level: Casual.
- Behavior: Enthusiastic.
- Maturity: Up-to-date with current music trends.
- Consistency: Consistent in providing music recommendations.
- Not Specifying Desired Format: Example from a Science Domain: Instead of, "Tell me about photosynthesis.", specify, "Give me a step-by-step process of photosynthesis."
- Clarity: Want a process explanation.
- Conciseness: Directly ask for steps.
- Specificity: Specify photosynthesis.
- Persona: AI as a biology teacher.
- Context: Learning about plant processes.
- Task: Describe photosynthesis in steps.
- Format: Sequential steps.
- Tone: Educational.
- Formality Level: Neutral.
- Behavior: Methodical.
- Maturity: Expertise in biological processes.
- Consistency: Consistent in explaining scientific concepts.
- Overcomplicating the Prompt: Example from a Literature Domain: Instead of asking, "Provide an analysis of the thematic elements, character arcs, and narrative structures in Shakespeare's plays.", simplify to, "Explain the main themes in Shakespeare's plays."
- Clarity: Focus on the themes.
- Conciseness: Simplify the request.
- Specificity: Specify Shakespeare's plays.
- Persona: AI as a literature professor.
- Context: Studying classic literature.
- Task: Describe the themes.
- Format: List of themes with brief descriptions.
- Tone: Educational.
- Formality Level: Neutral.
- Behavior: Informative.
- Maturity: Expertise in classic literature.
- Consistency: Consistent in literary analysis.
- Not Considering the Audience: Example from a Gaming Domain: Instead of, "Describe the mechanics of the game.", ask, "Explain the game rules in a way beginners can understand."
- Clarity: Aimed at beginners.
- Conciseness: Direct focus on game rules.
- Specificity: Specify it's for beginners.
- Persona: AI as a game instructor.
- Context: Introducing a game to new players.
- Task: Simplify game rules.
- Format: Step-by-step guide.
- Tone: Friendly and patient.
- Formality Level: Casual.
- Behavior: Encouraging.
- Maturity: Understanding of gaming mechanics.
- Consistency: Consistent in guiding new players.
- Ignoring Cultural Sensitivities: Example from a Food Domain: Instead of, "Give me a meat recipe.", in regions where certain meats are avoided, specify, "Provide a chicken recipe, avoiding beef."
- Clarity: Focus on chicken.
- Conciseness: Direct to the point.
- Specificity: Specify avoiding beef.
- Persona: AI as a culturally-aware chef.
- Context: Cooking in a specific cultural setting.
- Task: Share a chicken recipe.
- Format: Ingredients followed by cooking steps.
- Tone: Respectful.
- Formality Level: Neutral.
- Behavior: Considerate.
- Maturity: Awareness of cultural preferences.
- Consistency: Consistent in respecting cultural norms.
- Making Assumptions: Example from a Fitness Domain: Instead of, "Give me a workout plan.", which assumes physical capability, specify, "Suggest a workout plan for someone with limited mobility."
- Clarity: Plan for limited mobility.
- Conciseness: Direct request.
- Specificity: Specify limited mobility.
- Persona: AI as a fitness trainer.
- Context: Fitness for those with restrictions.
- Task: Design a suitable workout.
- Format: List of exercises with safety precautions.
- Tone: Encouraging yet cautious.
- Formality Level: Neutral.
- Behavior: Supportive.
- Maturity: Knowledge of diverse fitness needs.
- Consistency: Consistent in offering safe fitness advice.
Conclusion
Crafting effective prompts is an art. By understanding these common pitfalls and tailoring your prompts accordingly, you can guide the AI to produce responses that are relevant, accurate, and catered to your specific needs.
Pro Tip
When you’re creating prompts for Generative AI, think of it like giving instructions to a friend. Be clear and direct. Here are some key points to remember:
- Be Specific: Instead of saying, “Tell me about animals,” say, “Tell me about pandas in China.” This helps the AI understand exactly what you want.
- Keep It Simple: Use easy words and short sentences. Avoid complicated language. For example, say, “Explain how rain is formed” instead of “Describe the process of precipitation.”
- Know Your Audience: If you’re talking to students or professionals like architects or analysts, think about what they need. For students, make it educational. For professionals, focus on their work area.
- Set the Right Tone: Decide how you want the AI to sound – friendly, serious, or professional. For example, “Write a funny story about a cat” tells the AI to be playful.
- Avoid Too Much Information: Don’t ask for everything at once. Break it down into smaller parts. Instead of asking for a complete guide on space, start with, “What are planets?”
- Be Clear About the Format: If you need a list, say so. For example, “List the steps to bake a cake” is better than “How do I bake a cake?”
Remember, the way you write your prompt really guides the AI. Think about what you want to know and how best to ask for it. Keep it straightforward and to the point. This will help you get the best answers from the AI.
FAQs
- What should I do to make my AI prompts clear?
Use simple and direct language. For example, instead of saying, “Can you provide insight on solar energy?”, say, “Tell me about solar energy.”
- How can I make sure the AI understands my prompt?
Be specific about what you want. If you need information about Python programming, say, “Explain how loops work in Python” instead of just “Tell me about Python.”
- What is the best way to ask the AI for help in my studies?
Ask clear questions related to your study topic. For instance, “What are the main causes of World War I?” is a good question for history students.
- How do I choose the right tone for my prompt?
Think about who will read the AI’s response. For a business report, use a professional tone. For a story, you might want a friendly tone.
- Can I ask the AI multiple questions at once?
It’s better to ask one question at a time. This helps the AI give you better answers.
- How do I ask the AI to write something in a certain format?
Clearly state the format in your prompt. For example, “List the top 5 benefits of exercise” tells the AI you want a list.
- What if I need creative ideas from the AI?
Give the AI a clear but creative prompt. For example, “Write a short story about a space adventure” is a good prompt for creative writing.
- How can I avoid getting too technical or complicated answers?
Use simple language in your prompt and ask for easy-to-understand answers. For example, “Explain gravity in simple terms.”
- What should I do if the AI’s response is not what I expected?
Try rephrasing your prompt to be more specific or clear about what you want.
- Can I ask the AI for advice on personal or professional decisions?
Yes, but remember to ask specific and clear questions. For example, “What are some good study techniques for exams?” is a helpful prompt for students.
Remember, the key to effective AI prompting is clarity, simplicity, and specificity. Think about what you really want to know and how best to ask that in a straightforward way.
Related Topics
- Prompt Engineering: Key Types & Strategies for AI Interaction
- Zero-Shot Prompt Engineering – Unlock Limitless Possibilities
- Least to Most Prompt Engineering – Master it for Diverse Roles
- Chain of Thought Prompt Engineering -Unlocking AI’s Potential Across Domains
- Ethical Considerations in Prompt Design: Fairness & Safety
- Principles of Effective Prompting: A Comprehensive Guide
Other References
- lakera.ai
- tech target
- Medium
- lambdatest
- The Knowledge Academy
- Towards Data Science
- For tutorials, best practices, and hands-on guides, educational platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and EdX offer courses on AI and machine learning that may cover prompt engineering or related topics, often taught by industry leaders and academic professionals.