Test and improve your prompt

📄 Section 4: Test and improve your prompt

🎯 Learning objectives

• Understand that prompting is a process, not a one-time event
• Test systematically with different types of questions
• Make simple, measurable improvements

Your first prompt is rarely perfect – and that’s completely fine. Think of it like writing: draft → clarify → polish.

Why must you test?

1. Interpretation – the same prompt can behave differently in different situations.
2. Blind spots – what was “obvious” to you isn’t necessarily obvious to the model.
3. Small changes – a single sentence or example can dramatically shift quality.

Simple four-step process

1. Write v1 with the five pillars (or your short template).
2. Test with a simple question, a vague question, and something out of scope.
3. Note tone, length, correctness, and how “don’t know” is handled.
4. Change one thing, test again – repeat.

Example: from too technical to just right

V1

ROLE: You are an IT support specialist.
TASK: Help with IT questions.

Problem: too technical and too long.

V2

ROLE: You are a pedagogical IT support specialist.
TASK: Help employees with IT questions using simple step-by-step instructions.
RULES: Max 100 words. Avoid technical jargon unless specifically requested.
TONE: Friendly and encouraging.

When is the prompt "good enough"?

Quick checklist:

• Does it handle common questions you care about?
• Is the tone consistent?
• Do responses follow the format?
• Does it handle unknowns without making things up?

No prompt is “done” forever – models and needs change.

Summary

• Iteration is the norm.
• Test varied, change narrowly, measure the effect.
• Especially ensure rules for missing information and scope.

Test your knowledge

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

Start quiz →