Why Your GenAI Outputs Disappoint (And How to Fix It)

Ever wondered why your GenAI outputs feel more like "meh" than "wow"?

Here's the secret: It's not about using GenAI as a supercharged calculator. It's about embracing it as a collaborator.

Treat GenAI as a Collaborator, Not a Calculator

Most people make the mistake of expecting GenAI to churn out perfect answers automatically. But that mindset leads to frustration and suboptimal results. Instead, envision GenAI as an incredibly knowledgeable and capable intern who, with your guidance, can help you achieve your goals. This perspective empowers you to harness the full potential of GenAI. And just like with any intern, a good and supportive boss can make all the difference!

The Key to Better Outputs: Collaborative Prompting

Here are some practical tips to help you get the most out of your GenAI interactions:

Reframe Your Prompts

Instead of demanding answers, think about how you would explain your needs to a new team member. This is what I call 'Collaborative Prompting'. Provide context, background, and details that can guide the AI in the right direction. For example, instead of asking, 'Generate a report on market trends,' try, 'I need a report summarizing the latest market trends in the tech industry, focusing on SaaS adoption. Please highlight any significant changes in the last quarter and compare them to the previous year.'

I'm a newbie!

If you need help with what is essential in your field or for a given task to generate a viable output, ask for guidance from an expert! Just adopt a persona for the field and ask to clarify how you should go about doing a given task. Once you get the basics, you can construct the prompt for your complex task. For example, if you have to develop a marketing strategy for an early-stage SaaS startup but do not know what to even ask to create a viable strategy, consider this: "You're an expert in marketing for early-stage SaaS startups with 10+ years of experience working for big and small startups including multiple successful exits. I'm a marketing newbie. Can you guide me on the key elements to consider when designing a successful and viral SaaS marketing strategy on a limited budget?".

Iterate and Experiment

Don't be discouraged if the first response isn't perfect. Just as you would give feedback to an intern, provide specific, constructive feedback to the AI. GenAI is a learning system; iteration is vital to refining the output. Your feedback is instrumental in its growth and improvement.

Be Explicit About Exclusions

If there are things you want to avoid, be transparent about them. For example, 'Please avoid mentioning outdated technologies or practices in this report' can save you from filtering out irrelevant information later. Similarly, you can specify to avoid biased language, controversial topics, or any other content that doesn't align with your brand's values.

Align with Your Goals

Share your motivations and goals with the AI. This helps you tailor the responses to fit your vision better and makes you a crucial part of the content generation process. For instance, "My goal is to create a report to help our sales team understand the current market landscape and adjust their strategies accordingly. I value clarity over brevity in the report." Your input is invaluable in guiding GenAI's responses.

Conclusion

The next time you interact with a GenAI system, which could be a language model or a content generator, remember: It's not about demanding the perfect answer but guiding the AI through thoughtful collaboration. Treat GenAI as a collaborator rather than a mere tool, and you'll be amazed at how quickly and effectively you can improve the quality of its outputs.

Bonus

Here are some top resources I regularly use to improve the quality of my prompts!

• The Big Prompt Library https://github.com/0xeb/TheBigPromptLibrary
• Prompt Engineering Guide https://www.promptingguide.ai/
• Anthropic Prompt Library https://docs.anthropic.com/en/prompt-library/library
• Midjourney Prompt Library (Works for Dall-E, too!) https://promptlibrary.org/

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