Prompt Engineering

 Hmmmm. the prompt for the above image was….?

Prompt Engineering

There are various formats for writing AI prompts. This one (below) is simple to understand and experiment with. The better the prompt, the more valuable the response is likely to be. However, it is always necessary to act as an editor, to critique and use your own judgement to create a personal response. By and large AI should not be used to generate just one final response. It is an aid, not an answer.

The evolution of AI has, and continues to be, extraordinarily rapid. The ever changing capability of programmes will mean that prompts will also change in response. Nevertheless, understanding the principles underlying prompt engineering will lead to better and more targeted responses to AI enquiries.

This guidance was entered in December 2024.

The elements of a prompt described below may not need to be used for every prompt. It is often the case that a better response will be given if a prompt is modified and re-entered several times. In the near future, the AI programme will likely remember some of these elements so they may not need to be repeated each time. It is good to enter the prompt into several AI tools for a more rounded and balanced response.

An effective prompt is (currently) likely to contain the following five elements:

Role: Assign a role for the AI programme to adopt when responding.

This defines the dataset that the AI programme draws on when responding. It narrows the data used in the response to that most likely to come from those with the experience and expertise to answer the enquiry best. Other roles for teacher enquiries might be “a professor of art education in a UK university”, or ‘an experienced headteacher in a large UK secondary school judged outstanding by Ofsted”. However, interesting alternative perspectives can be gained by specifying roles such as: “a senior military officer who has been a leader in active service”, “a 17 year old student in a good inner city school in the UK”, “an actor”, “a student teacher” etc.

“You are an experienced art and design subject leader in an outstanding English secondary school.” Or “Please adopt the role of a 17yr old student of art and design in an inner city school in England”

Context: Indicate the context of the enquiry, the circumstances and responsibilities of the person making the enquiry.

This defines the context of the enquiry and is likely to help shape the AI programme’s response. It will likely help the AI programme dismiss irrelevant responses  and focus on responses that are more appropriate to the circumstances of the enquirer and the enquiry.

“I am an inexperienced subject leader for art in a small UK suburban secondary school placed in special measures by Ofsted.”

Reason: Outline the rationale behind the enquiry and the expected outcome.

This defines the context of the enquiry and is likely to help shape the AI programme’s response. It will likely help the AI programme dismiss irrelevant responses and focus on responses that are more appropriate to the circumstances of the enquirer and the enquiry.

“I have been asked to prepare my art department for an Ofsted inspection. Please give a list of the actions I must take…”

Format: It is helpful to define how the response should be presented.

This helps the AI programme tailor the response more appropriately to your circumstances and needs. It will also direct the programme to give a response explicitly tailored to your needs. The clearer information you provide here, the more directly the response will address your needs, saving time and reducing the incidence of irrelevance or errors (called hallucinations).

“Outline the pros and cons of introducing new technologies into the art curriculum. Your response for each item should be detailed and at least 900 words long.”

Style: It will be helpful to provide relevant information about the intended audience for the response.

Teachers may create a response to be read by children, students, or professional colleagues. It will be helpful to direct the AI programme to use a style and vocabulary appropriate to the audience. Remember, AI programmes are more likely to match responses to a USA context, so it will be helpful to be explicit about the audience’s country, age, and educational status.

“Your response should be appropriate for a 17 year old student studying art at ‘A’ level who is applying for a foundation course at an English art school.”

PS: Another way to generate good prompts is to simply ask AI. Explain what sort of outcome you are looking for and ask the AI programme to suggest the best prompt for that purpose. Ed.