Generative AI at Work / Unit 3 GAI 071 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Define "Good" Before You Iterate
The idea
The vendor prompting guides that agree with DAIR.AI's tips add one step before iterating: decide what a good output looks like, then test prompts against that standard.
In practice
Step one: write down the success criteria: what must be included, what must not appear, the format, and the length. Step two: collect a few real test cases, including at least one awkward or unusual one. Step three: run the prompt on all of them and score each output against the criteria. Step four: change the prompt only where the scores show a failure, then run the whole set again.
Where people slip
Without criteria, iteration chases whichever output looks best on the day. A prompt that fixes one case can quietly break another, which only a test set reveals.
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