Getting the most out of generative AI is all about understanding inputs and outputs. What are you hoping to get from the tool? That’s the output. What kind of prompt is going to help you get it? That’s the input. And there’s a simple framework that helps you provide clear and specific directions to any gen AI tool: Thoughtfully Create Really Excellent Inputs, or Task, Context, References, Evaluate, and Iterate. This prompting framework will come up throughout this course, so you might want to say it out loud or write it on a sticky note for your desk. Here are the components**:**

Google Prompting Essentials_ Key takeaways.pdf

Be sure to apply the prompting framework:

• Thoughtfully: Describe your task, specifying a persona and format preference.
• Create: Include any context the gen AI tool might need to give you what you want.
• Really: Add references the gen AI tool can use to inform its output.
• Excellent: Next, evaluate the output to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Inputs: Then, iterate on your initial prompt to attain those improvements.

Specify the task

Crafting a great prompt starts by describing the task you want the tool to help you with. The task is the foundation of any prompt. It’s what you’re asking the gen AI tool to do for you. Adding a task to your prompt is like writing a sentence asking someone to do something for you:

Write a list.

Draft a speech.

Create an image.

These are all tasks that a gen AI tool can help with.

When you’re writing a task, you need to be clear and specific about what you want. If you write a task with vague instructions, it can result in an output that’s irrelevant or incorrect.

To avoid that, give your tasks some specific details. That includes providing a persona and a format:

• Think of a persona as the expertise you want the gen AI tool to draw from. You can ask the tool to take on the perspective of a science expert or an industry analyst, or ask it to create an output geared towards a specific audience, like your manager or team.
• The format is what you want the output to look like. Want a bulleted list? Or maybe a table so you can compare results side-by-side? Include those details in your task.

Here’s an example of a prompt that includes task, persona, and format: