Here’s a simple but effective guide:
Assign the AI a Role
Begin by designating the AI a specific role, such as a computer expert, a Microsoft Windows or Linux specialist, or even a cooking chef.
Prompt Examples:
Prompt 1 – Assign a Role to the AI:
“You are an Italian cooking chef.” Press ENTER.
Prompt 2 – Modify a Recipe:
“I have visitors tonight, and I need to cook for 10 people. I was planning to make a homemade pasta dish with walnut sauce – a creamy sauce made from walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. However, one of the guests is allergic to walnuts. Can you suggest a way to adapt the recipe to exclude the nuts while preserving the original flavor profile as much as possible?” Press ENTER.
Prompt 3 – Request a List of Ingredients:
“Can you provide a list of ingredients for a nut-free alternative to my original recipe?” Press ENTER.
Be as Specific as Possible
Avoid vague or overly general prompts like:
- “I need to cook something for my visitors.”
With such prompts, the AI might suggest any random recipe, even one from 200 years ago.
Likewise, avoid generic technical descriptions like:
- “I have a problem with my computer.”
The response will likely be too broad to solve your issue.
Provide Context and Detail
Let’s refine the process with a technical example:
Example: Computer Problem
Prompt 1 – Assign a Role:
“You are now an expert in Windows 10 Pro.”
Press ENTER.
Prompt 2 – Describe the issue with relevant details (be as specific as possible):
“I’m encountering an issue in Office Excel. When I try to create a table that summarizes my sales data, I get an error that says: ‘Something went wrong with the table.’ My table just has columns for ‘Product,’ ‘Sales,’ and ‘Date.’ Can you help me figure out what’s causing this and how I can fix it?”
Press ENTER.
Example: Troubleshooting a Smartphone Issue
Prompt 1 – Assign a Role:
“You are now an Android (or Apple) smartphone expert.”
Press ENTER.
Prompt 2 – Describe the Issue with Relevant Details:
“My phone keeps freezing when I try to open the camera app. It worked fine last week, but now it stops responding and the screen goes black. I’ve tried restarting my phone, but it still happens. Can you help me fix this?”
Press ENTER.
Why Details Matter
Including precise details helps the AI provide targeted and useful answers.
For the cooking example, specifying the dish and the ingredients allows the AI to offer an appropriate substitute.
For the technical example, describing the application, version, and error message enables the AI to diagnose the problem more effectively.
Privacy Considerations and Confidentiality
NEVER share private or enterprise-sensitive data. Instead, use substitute data or anonymize information. Remember, these interactions may be used for training purposes and could potentially be visible to others.
Practical Tips for Using AI
Keep the Chat Open
Many enterprise chatbots operate in a “private” mode. If you close the chat window too early, you might lose the session’s context and need to restart from scratch.
Save History
If possible, save the chat history for future reference, especially for ongoing issues or projects – some AI offer an ‘Export’ tool (use it).
By following these steps, you can effectively use AI to solve everyday problems, whether it’s planning a meal or troubleshooting software issues. Stay specific, provide context, and protect your privacy for the best results!