Use examples for better results

📄 Section 3: Use examples for better results

🎯 Learning objectives

• Understand why examples often beat pure explanation
• Know roughly how many examples to start with
• Create simple but effective examples

Show rather than just explain

A concrete example shows tone, format, and level of detail in a way that’s hard to capture in abstract terms.

Without example – task only:

TASK: Categorize customer emails into the right category.
CATEGORIES: Technical support, Billing questions, Product information

With examples:

TASK: Categorize customer emails into the right category.
CATEGORIES: Technical support, Billing questions, Product information

EXAMPLES:
Email: "My app crashes every time I try to log in."
Category: Technical support

Email: "Why have I been charged an extra 299 kr?"
Category: Billing questions

Email: "Does product X support Bluetooth 5.0?"
Category: Product information

How many examples?

1. Start with none – see if the model handles the task.
2. Add one – often enough.
3. Two to three if responses still vary too much.

How to create good examples

• Realistic – close to the actual phrasing you receive in practice.
• Variation – different types of customers or case types if needed.

Avoid repeating the same tone and situation if you want to teach the model breadth.

Summary

• Examples = pattern for tone, format, and detail.
• Start small (0–1), increase only if needed.
• Make them realistic and varied where appropriate.

Test your knowledge

2 questions · 100% correct to pass · Review your answers when done

Start quiz →