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Advanced Prompting Techniques

Advanced strategies and methods for effective prompting

Once you've mastered the basics of prompting, you can significantly improve the performance and precision of your AI interactions with advanced techniques.

Advanced Prompt Structures

System Prompts

System prompts define the fundamental personality and behavior of the AI assistant:

System: You are an experienced data analyst with expertise in Python and 
statistical analysis. You explain complex concepts clearly and 
approach problems systematically. When uncertain, you ask for clarification.

Context Hierarchy

Structure complex prompts hierarchically:

Main Task: Analyze the annual report

Context:
- Industry: E-commerce
- Period: 2023
- Focus: Revenue growth and customer acquisition

Subtasks:
1. Identify key KPIs
2. Compare with previous year
3. Recognize trends and patterns
4. Formulate recommendations

Format: Structured report with visualization suggestions

Meta-Prompting

Self-Reflection

Have the AI improve its own thinking process:

Before answering, consider:
1. What is the real question behind the request?
2. What assumptions am I making?
3. What information am I missing?
4. How can I structure my response?

Now answer the original question.

Iterative Refinement

Step 1: Create an initial draft of the solution
Step 2: Identify weaknesses in this draft
Step 3: Improve the draft based on the weaknesses
Step 4: Present the final, optimized solution

Role-Playing and Perspectives

Multiple Perspectives

Consider this problem from three perspectives:

1. As CEO: Focus on strategic impact
2. As CFO: Focus on financial aspects
3. As CTO: Focus on technical feasibility

Summarize the insights and find consensus.

Expert Consultation

Imagine you're moderating a discussion between:
- An economist
- A privacy expert
- A UX designer

Topic: Implementing AI in customer service
Present the different viewpoints and a synthesis.

Structured Output Formats

JSON Structures

Analyze the text and output results in the following JSON format:
{
  "main_topic": "...",
  "sentiment": "positive/neutral/negative",
  "keywords": ["...", "..."],
  "recommendations": [
    {"priority": "high/medium/low", "action": "..."}
  ]
}

Tabular Output

Compare the three solution approaches in a table:

| Criterion  | Solution A | Solution B | Solution C |
|------------|------------|------------|------------|
| Cost       | ...        | ...        | ...        |
| Time       | ...        | ...        | ...        |
| Complexity | ...        | ...        | ...        |
| Risk       | ...        | ...        | ...        |

Constraint-Based Prompting

Hard Constraints

Write a product description with the following constraints:
- EXACTLY 150 words (±5 words)
- At least 3 benefit arguments
- No superlatives ("best", "greatest", etc.)
- Call-to-action at the end

Creative Constraints

Explain quantum computing, but:
- Use only everyday analogies
- No technical terms without explanation
- Maximum 3 sentences per paragraph
- Build a continuous metaphor

Prompt Templates

Analysis Template

TEXT: [Insert]

ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK:
1. Summary (2-3 sentences)
2. Identify main arguments
3. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses
4. Uncover implicit assumptions
5. Conclusions and implications

OUTPUT: Structured analysis according to above framework

Problem-Solution Template

PROBLEM: [Description]

CONTEXT:
- Affected stakeholders: ...
- Timeframe: ...
- Budget: ...
- Constraints: ...

SOLUTION APPROACH:
1. Problem analysis (identify causes)
2. Solution options (min. 3 alternatives)
3. Evaluation (pros/cons of each option)
4. Recommendation with justification
5. Implementation plan

Error Handling

Robust Prompts

If you encounter the following problems:
- Unclear requirements: Ask clarifying questions
- Contradictory information: Point it out
- Missing data: Mark assumptions
- Ethical concerns: Explain them

Then proceed with the best possible answer.

Validation

After your response:
1. Verify factual accuracy
2. Ensure all requirements are met
3. Identify possible misunderstandings
4. Offer clarifications if needed

Combination Techniques

Chain-of-Thought + Few-Shot

Example 1:
Question: Revenue 2022: €1M, 2023: €1.2M. Growth?
Thinking: (1.2M - 1M) / 1M = 0.2 = 20%
Answer: 20% growth

Example 2:
Question: Costs decreased from 500k to 450k. Savings?
Thinking: (500k - 450k) / 500k = 0.1 = 10%
Answer: 10% cost savings

Now your task:
Question: Customer count increased from 1000 to 1350. Growth?

Role-Playing + Structured Output

As an experienced project manager, create a project plan:

FORMAT:
# Project Name
## Goals (SMART criteria)
## Milestones
- [ ] Milestone 1 (Date)
- [ ] Milestone 2 (Date)
## Resources
## Risks and Countermeasures
## Success Criteria

Best Practices

  1. Clarity over complexity - Use complex techniques only when necessary
  2. Test and iterate - Continuously improve prompts
  3. Documentation - Save and share successful prompts
  4. Combination - Combine different techniques situationally
  5. Feedback loops - Analyze results and learn

Next Steps

Once you've mastered these advanced techniques, you can move on to expert techniques or explore specific use cases.

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