AI Prompt Engineering
Turn vague requests into reliable instructions, workflows, and reusable prompt systems.
The Anatomy of a Strong Prompt
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to explain the anatomy of a strong prompt, apply it to a realistic situation, and defend the chosen action with evidence.
Core lesson
Define the role, objective, context, constraints, process, and output format.
Instructor teaching guidance
Begin by establishing what the learner already knows about the anatomy of a strong prompt. Teach the principle in plain language, define unfamiliar terms, then connect it to the course goal. Ask the learner to explain the idea back in their own words before moving to application.
Applied exercise
Rewrite a vague request using all six elements.
Facilitation sequence
Guide the learner through the application in five steps: describe the present situation, identify the lesson principle, choose an action, name the evidence to review, and define how success will be measured. Use follow-up questions when an answer is vague or unsupported.
Mastery standard
Specific instructions reduce avoidable ambiguity.
Knowledge check
Ask the learner to explain why “Specific instructions reduce avoidable ambiguity.” is the correct standard, then identify one limitation, one risk, and one piece of evidence that could change the answer. Do not mark mastery from confidence alone; require clear reasoning and practical application.
Context That Changes the Answer
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to explain context that changes the answer, apply it to a realistic situation, and defend the chosen action with evidence.
Core lesson
Give the model the audience, background, definitions, examples, and decision criteria it needs.
Instructor teaching guidance
Begin by establishing what the learner already knows about context that changes the answer. Teach the principle in plain language, define unfamiliar terms, then connect it to the course goal. Ask the learner to explain the idea back in their own words before moving to application.
Applied exercise
Add missing context to a real work request.
Facilitation sequence
Guide the learner through the application in five steps: describe the present situation, identify the lesson principle, choose an action, name the evidence to review, and define how success will be measured. Use follow-up questions when an answer is vague or unsupported.
Mastery standard
Relevant context beats unnecessary volume.
Knowledge check
Ask the learner to explain why “Relevant context beats unnecessary volume.” is the correct standard, then identify one limitation, one risk, and one piece of evidence that could change the answer. Do not mark mastery from confidence alone; require clear reasoning and practical application.
Constraints and Guardrails
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to explain constraints and guardrails, apply it to a realistic situation, and defend the chosen action with evidence.
Core lesson
State boundaries on length, tone, sources, assumptions, exclusions, and safety.
Instructor teaching guidance
Begin by establishing what the learner already knows about constraints and guardrails. Teach the principle in plain language, define unfamiliar terms, then connect it to the course goal. Ask the learner to explain the idea back in their own words before moving to application.
Applied exercise
Create a prompt that refuses to invent missing facts.
Facilitation sequence
Guide the learner through the application in five steps: describe the present situation, identify the lesson principle, choose an action, name the evidence to review, and define how success will be measured. Use follow-up questions when an answer is vague or unsupported.
Mastery standard
Guardrails should be explicit and testable.
Knowledge check
Ask the learner to explain why “Guardrails should be explicit and testable.” is the correct standard, then identify one limitation, one risk, and one piece of evidence that could change the answer. Do not mark mastery from confidence alone; require clear reasoning and practical application.
Output Formats
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to explain output formats, apply it to a realistic situation, and defend the chosen action with evidence.
Core lesson
Request tables, checklists, briefs, JSON, scripts, or step-by-step plans that match the downstream use.
Instructor teaching guidance
Begin by establishing what the learner already knows about output formats. Teach the principle in plain language, define unfamiliar terms, then connect it to the course goal. Ask the learner to explain the idea back in their own words before moving to application.
Applied exercise
Convert one answer into three useful formats.
Facilitation sequence
Guide the learner through the application in five steps: describe the present situation, identify the lesson principle, choose an action, name the evidence to review, and define how success will be measured. Use follow-up questions when an answer is vague or unsupported.
Mastery standard
Format is part of the task, not decoration.
Knowledge check
Ask the learner to explain why “Format is part of the task, not decoration.” is the correct standard, then identify one limitation, one risk, and one piece of evidence that could change the answer. Do not mark mastery from confidence alone; require clear reasoning and practical application.
Examples and Few-Shot Prompting
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to explain examples and few-shot prompting, apply it to a realistic situation, and defend the chosen action with evidence.
Core lesson
Examples demonstrate the desired pattern better than abstract adjectives alone.
Instructor teaching guidance
Begin by establishing what the learner already knows about examples and few-shot prompting. Teach the principle in plain language, define unfamiliar terms, then connect it to the course goal. Ask the learner to explain the idea back in their own words before moving to application.
Applied exercise
Provide one good and one unacceptable example.
Facilitation sequence
Guide the learner through the application in five steps: describe the present situation, identify the lesson principle, choose an action, name the evidence to review, and define how success will be measured. Use follow-up questions when an answer is vague or unsupported.
Mastery standard
Show the standard when precision matters.
Knowledge check
Ask the learner to explain why “Show the standard when precision matters.” is the correct standard, then identify one limitation, one risk, and one piece of evidence that could change the answer. Do not mark mastery from confidence alone; require clear reasoning and practical application.
Iterative Prompting
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to explain iterative prompting, apply it to a realistic situation, and defend the chosen action with evidence.
Core lesson
Critique, revise, test, and compare instead of expecting perfection in one turn.
Instructor teaching guidance
Begin by establishing what the learner already knows about iterative prompting. Teach the principle in plain language, define unfamiliar terms, then connect it to the course goal. Ask the learner to explain the idea back in their own words before moving to application.
Applied exercise
Run a draft-critique-revision loop.
Facilitation sequence
Guide the learner through the application in five steps: describe the present situation, identify the lesson principle, choose an action, name the evidence to review, and define how success will be measured. Use follow-up questions when an answer is vague or unsupported.
Mastery standard
Prompting is a conversation with checkpoints.
Knowledge check
Ask the learner to explain why “Prompting is a conversation with checkpoints.” is the correct standard, then identify one limitation, one risk, and one piece of evidence that could change the answer. Do not mark mastery from confidence alone; require clear reasoning and practical application.
Prompt Chains and Workflows
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to explain prompt chains and workflows, apply it to a realistic situation, and defend the chosen action with evidence.
Core lesson
Break complex work into specialized stages with validation between them.
Instructor teaching guidance
Begin by establishing what the learner already knows about prompt chains and workflows. Teach the principle in plain language, define unfamiliar terms, then connect it to the course goal. Ask the learner to explain the idea back in their own words before moving to application.
Applied exercise
Design a research-to-decision prompt chain.
Facilitation sequence
Guide the learner through the application in five steps: describe the present situation, identify the lesson principle, choose an action, name the evidence to review, and define how success will be measured. Use follow-up questions when an answer is vague or unsupported.
Mastery standard
Separate generation from verification.
Knowledge check
Ask the learner to explain why “Separate generation from verification.” is the correct standard, then identify one limitation, one risk, and one piece of evidence that could change the answer. Do not mark mastery from confidence alone; require clear reasoning and practical application.
Build Your Prompt Library
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to explain build your prompt library, apply it to a realistic situation, and defend the chosen action with evidence.
Core lesson
Name, version, test, document, and maintain prompts as reusable assets.
Instructor teaching guidance
Begin by establishing what the learner already knows about build your prompt library. Teach the principle in plain language, define unfamiliar terms, then connect it to the course goal. Ask the learner to explain the idea back in their own words before moving to application.
Applied exercise
Create one production-ready prompt template.
Facilitation sequence
Guide the learner through the application in five steps: describe the present situation, identify the lesson principle, choose an action, name the evidence to review, and define how success will be measured. Use follow-up questions when an answer is vague or unsupported.
Mastery standard
A managed prompt is an organizational capability.
Knowledge check
Ask the learner to explain why “A managed prompt is an organizational capability.” is the correct standard, then identify one limitation, one risk, and one piece of evidence that could change the answer. Do not mark mastery from confidence alone; require clear reasoning and practical application.