Successfully avoid errors in prompting

All videos of the tutorial

Errors are part of the learning process, especially in the field of prompt engineering. When you understand why a prompt doesn't work, you can avoid similar mistakes in the future and optimize your interactions with AI systems. In this guide, you will learn about common mistakes when creating prompts and how to handle them more elegantly.

It is particularly important to formulate concretely, consistently, and contextually. In the end, you will be able to structure your prompts in such a way that they deliver the desired results.

Key insights

  • Clear instructions increase the quality of results.
  • Avoid contradictory instructions.
  • Context is essential for precise answers.
  • Format and style are crucial for comprehensibility.
  • Interactive testing promotes the fine-tuning of your prompts.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Mistake: Too vague prompts

A common mistake is using too vague prompts. This means you provide a prompt like "Write a blog post about marketing." The problem here is that the AI does not know who the article is for or in what style it should be written. To avoid this, be specific. Define your target audience, the style, and the length of the text.

Successfully avoiding errors in prompting

An example of a concrete prompt could be: "Write a blog post about marketing for beginners with 800 to 1000 words and use headings and subheadings." The more information you provide, the more precise the result will be.

2. Mistake: Contradictory instructions

Another common mistake is contradictory instructions. For example, if you demand: "Create a short but detailed report," there is a contradiction. Clarity is key. Think carefully about what you want and separate these instructions clearly.

Instead, say something like: "Create a short social media post with a maximum of 50 words." or "Create a detailed report with 500 to 700 words." Consistency in your instructions is crucial.

3. Mistake: Lack of context

A lack of context can lead to the AI not providing the desired information. When you say: "Explain Agile," you have not set a clear framework. You need to specify for whom the explanation is intended (beginners, intermediates, professionals) and in what context the topic is viewed.

A better formulation could be: "Explain Agile methods for beginners in 5 minutes as a brief overview." Context is essential for precise answers.

4. Mistake: No defined format or style

If you do not provide specifications for format or style, the AI can generate nonspecific texts. "Give me tips for productivity" leaves too much room for interpretation. You need to indicate in what format and style the tips should be presented.

Successfully avoid prompting errors

A more targeted prompt would be: "Give me five bullet points for productivity while working from home." or "Write a flowing text in a casual tone about productivity." Tell the AI how to respond to enhance clarity.

5. Mistake: Ignoring negative instructions

Negative formulations are often not clear enough. An example is: "Write a newsletter about AI without jargon." Technical terms may still appear. It is crucial to provide clear negative instructions.

Instead, formulate: "Avoid technical terms and explain all terms in simple language." This way, you explicitly tell the AI what to avoid.

6. Mistake: Not testing interactively

Often, a prompt is simply submitted once and not checked whether the result is satisfactory. This leads to potential ambiguities going unnoticed.

Instead, proceed in multiple steps: Submit the prompt, check the answer, and adjust the prompt based on the results. This leads to a continuous improvement process. The key phrase is: "Improve in multiple steps and refine it continuously."

Summary – Common Mistakes in Prompting and How to Avoid Them

We have highlighted the most common mistakes when creating prompts:

  • Too vague prompts
  • Contradictory instructions
  • Lack of context
  • Missing format or style
  • Ignoring negative instructions
  • Not testing interactively

By applying the strategies to avoid these mistakes, you can significantly enhance the quality of your prompts and thereby improve the AI's responses.

FAQ

How do I avoid too vague prompts?Be concrete in your instructions, define target audience, style, and length.

What are contradictory instructions?Instructions that contradict each other, such as "short and detailed."

Why is context important?Without context, the AI does not know for whom or in what framework it should respond.

How do I define format and style?Provide clear instructions, e.g., "bullet points" or "flowing text."

How do I test my prompts?Submit the prompt, check the answer, and adjust it if necessary.