Introduction to Prompt Engineering from edX

Prompt engineering is a process to effectively guide generative AI models and control their output to produce desired results. In this course, you will learn the techniques, approaches, and best practices for writing effective prompts.

You will learn about prompt techniques like zero-shot and few-shot, which can improve the reliability and quality of large language models (LLMs). You will also explore various prompt engineering approaches like Interview Pattern, Chain-of-Thought, and Tree-of-Thought, which aim at generating precise and relevant responses.

You will be introduced to commonly used prompt engineering tools like IBM watsonx Prompt Lab, Spellbook, and Dust.

The hands-on labs included in the course offer an opportunity to optimize results by creating effective prompts in the IBM Generative AI Classroom. You will also hear from practitioners about the tools and approaches used in prompt engineering and the art of writing effective prompts.

This course is designed for everyone, including professionals, executives, students, and enthusiasts interested in leveraging effective prompt engineering techniques to unlock the full potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Explain the concept and relevance of prompt engineering in generative ai models.
Apply best practices for creating prompts and explore examples of impactful prompts.

Practice common prompt engineering techniques and approaches for writing effective prompts.
Explore commonly used tools for prompt engineering to aid with prompt engineering.

Explain the concept and relevance of prompt engineering in generative ai models.
Apply best practices for creating prompts and explore examples of impactful prompts.
Practice common prompt engineering techniques and approaches for writing effective prompts.
Explore commonly used tools for prompt engineering to aid with prompt engineering.

Syllabus

Module 1: Prompt Engineering for Generative AI

* Video: Course Introduction

* Reading: Course Overview

* Reading: Program Overview

* Reading: Helpful Tips for Course Completion

* Video: What Is a Prompt

* Video: What is Prompt Engineering?

* Hands-on Lab: Getting to Know our AI Prompting Tool

* Hands-on Lab: Experimenting with Prompts

* Video: Best Practices for Prompt Creation

* Hand-on Lab: Naive Prompting and Persona Pattern

* Video: Common Prompt Engineering Tools

* Video: Expert Viewpoints

* Reading: Module Summary

* Practice Quiz: Concept of Prompt Engineering

* Graded Quiz: Prompt Engineering for Generative AI

Module 2: Prompt Engineering: Techniques and Approaches

* Video: Text-to-Text Prompt Techniques

* Video: Interview Pattern Approach

* Hands-on Lab: The Interview Pattern Approach in Prompt Engineering

* Video 3: Chain-of-Thought Approach

* Hands-on Lab: The Chain-of-Thought Approach in Prompt Engineering

* Video 4: Tree-of-Thought Approach

* Hands-on Lab: The Tree-of-Thought Approach in Prompt Engineering

* Practice Quiz: Writing Effective Prompts

* Graded Quiz: Prompt Engineering: Techniques and Approaches

* Discussion Prompt: Future of Human-Crafted Prompts

Module 3: Course Quiz, Project, and Wrap-up

* Video: Text-to-Image Prompt Techniques

* Hands-on Lab: Effective Text Prompts for Image Generation

* Reading: Glossary: Generative AI: Prompt Engineering

* Final Project: Applying Prompt Engineering Techniques and Best Practices

* Graded Quiz - Generative AI: Prompt Engineering Basics

* Reading: Congratulations and Next Steps

* Reading: Thanks from the Course Team

* Reading: About the Optional Lesson using IBM watsonx.ai

* Lab: Obtain IBM Cloud Feature Code and Activate Trial Account

* Hands-on Lab: Creating an IBM Cloud Account

* Hands-on Lab: Exploring watsonx Prompt Lab

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Introduces a field with growing demand for trained professionals

Provides instruction on a specialized topic in generative AI: prompt engineering

Ensures learning through hands-on labs and opportunities to write prompts

Learners can apply this knowledge to real-world projects and use cases

Instructors with industry experience provide practical insights

Provides a glossary to enhance understanding of generative AI terms

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Prompt Engineering with these activities:

Generate prompts for different scenarios

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Practice writing prompts for various tasks, such as text summarization, image generation, and code generation.

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Identify different scenarios or tasks
Brainstorm multiple prompts for each scenario
Evaluate and select the best prompts

Develop a prompt engineering portfolio

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Catalog your effective prompts and discuss how they could be applied in practical settings.

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Collect and document effective prompts
Organize prompts into categories or use cases
Write a brief description of each prompt and its intended purpose

Show all two activities

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Prompt Engineering will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Natural Language Processing Engineer

A Natural Language Processing Engineer develops, deploys, and maintains machine learning models that can process and generate human language. This course introducing prompt engineering, the process of writing effective prompts for generative AI models, would be useful in this role, as NLP engineers often need to write prompts for these models to perform tasks such as text classification, text summarization, and machine translation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Natural Language Processing Engineer

Data Scientist

A Data Scientist uses data analysis techniques to extract insights from structured and unstructured data. This course would be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the accuracy of machine learning models. Additionally, data scientists often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as natural language processing models.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Content Writer

A Content Writer creates written content for websites, blogs, and other marketing materials. This course would be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the quality and effectiveness of written content. Additionally, content writers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as content generation models.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Writer

User Experience Designer

A User Experience Designer ensures that products and services are easy to use and enjoyable. This course would be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the user experience of products and services. Additionally, user experience designers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as natural language generation models.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Designer

Machine Learning Engineer

A Machine Learning Engineer is responsible for the development, deployment, and maintenance of machine learning models. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which is becoming increasingly important for improving the performance of machine learning models.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

Copywriter

A Copywriter creates written content for advertising and marketing campaigns. This course would be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the persuasiveness and effectiveness of copywriting. Additionally, copywriters often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as content generation models.

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Academic Researcher

An Academic Researcher conducts research in a particular field of study. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of research. Additionally, academic researchers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as literature review models.

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Customer Success Manager

A Customer Success Manager is responsible for ensuring that customers are satisfied with a company's products and services. This course would be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the quality of customer support. Additionally, customer success managers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as customer feedback analysis models.

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Software Engineer

A Software Engineer designs, develops, tests, and maintains software systems. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the efficiency and quality of software development. Additionally, software engineers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as code generation models.

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Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for the development and launch of new products and services. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of product development. Additionally, product managers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as market research models.

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Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates documentation and other materials to explain complex technical concepts. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the clarity and effectiveness of technical writing. Additionally, technical writers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as natural language generation models.

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Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for the development and execution of marketing campaigns. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the targeting and effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Additionally, marketing managers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as content generation models.

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Journalist

A Journalist researches, writes, and reports on news and current events. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the accuracy and efficiency of news gathering and reporting. Additionally, journalists often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as news generation models.

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Teacher

A Teacher develops and delivers lesson plans to educate students in a particular subject matter. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Additionally, teachers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as lesson planning models.

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Sales Manager

A Sales Manager is responsible for the development and execution of sales strategies. This course may be useful in this role as it provides an introduction to prompt engineering, which can be used to improve the effectiveness of sales pitches and presentations. Additionally, sales managers often need to write prompts for generative AI models, such as lead generation models.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager