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

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

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

Reviews summary

Foundational prompt engineering with hands-on labs

According to students, this "Introduction to Prompt Engineering" course is a largely positive experience, especially for beginners and professionals seeking foundational knowledge in generative AI. Learners praise the clear and concise explanations and the highly practical hands-on labs, which effectively reinforce complex concepts and provide immediate application. While some older reviews noted initial technical issues with lab setup, recent feedback suggests these have been addressed through continuous course improvements. A common observation is that while it offers a solid introductory foundation, those with prior LLM experience might find it too basic for advanced depth, positioning it as an excellent starting point rather than a comprehensive mastery course.

Offers a foundational understanding, but may lack advanced depth.

"A bit too basic if you've already tinkered with LLMs and are looking for advanced strategies."

"The course provides a good foundation, but I felt some topics could be explored in greater depth."

"For someone looking to master prompt engineering, this is just a starting point, not a complete guide."

Recent updates have enhanced the course quality and lab experience.

"The course has clearly improved! I took an earlier version and found some labs tricky, but they seem to have addressed that."

"The explanations are now even clearer and the new hands-on labs are seamless, making the experience much better."

"It's great to see the course content updated to reflect current practices in the field, indicating active maintenance."

Instructors explain complex concepts concisely and effectively.

"The videos are clear and concise, making it easy to follow along."

"The instructor explains concepts very clearly, and I found them easy to understand."

"The course does a good job of introducing various prompt patterns in an easy-to-digest way."

Labs offer valuable practical experience and reinforce learning effectively.

"The hands-on labs using IBM Generative AI Classroom are incredibly practical, making complex concepts easy to grasp."

"The practical exercises are well-designed and directly applicable to real-world scenarios."

"The hands-on activities truly reinforce learning, allowing me to write much more effective prompts."

Provides a clear and accessible entry point to prompt engineering.

"This course is an excellent starting point for anyone new to prompt engineering."

"As a hobbyist, I found this very accessible. It explained prompt engineering without getting overly technical."

"I gained a solid foundation from completing this course, even with limited prior experience."

Some users faced technical hurdles with environment setup.

"My only minor gripe is that some labs, especially the watsonx.ai setup, had a few initial configuration hurdles."

"I struggled with the technical issues in the labs. Couldn't get the IBM environment to work consistently, which really hindered my learning."

"I found the initial watsonx setup a bit confusing and time-consuming to get right."

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

Show steps

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

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

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

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

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter

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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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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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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

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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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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

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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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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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.

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