If you've been working with Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, you might have realized that the output quality depends heavily on how you ask questions. For developers and QA engineers, this means mastering your prompting technique is essential for getting the most out of these tools.

Here’s how to fine-tune your prompts to get more precise, more accurate results when coding, testing, or debugging.

1. Least-to-Most Prompting

Don’t overwhelm the model right away. Start with a simple request and gradually increase complexity as you go. This allows you to verify that the model is on the right track before asking it to handle more advanced tasks.
Let’s say you need valid email formats for testing:

Once the model nails that, you can step up the complexity by asking for invalid formats:

Using this approach, you guide the model through each task, ensuring it delivers exactly what you need before moving to the next step.

2. Self-Ask Prompting

If the model doesn’t have enough context, encouraging it to ask clarifying questions can make all the difference. This prevents the AI from making inaccurate assumptions and leads to more valuable results.
For instance, if you’re testing a search feature:

`User: I want to test the search field in the user's table. Ask me questions to generate a checklist.

Assistant: What should the search field support? (e.g., name, email)

User: Name and email.

Assistant: Should the search be case-sensitive? How should it handle no matches?`

Here, the model engages with you to fill in any gaps before generating a checklist for your test. This back-and-forth interaction ensures the AI understands your requirements fully, leading to better outcomes.

3. Sequential Prompting

Break down complex tasks into smaller, logical steps. For example, let’s say you want to build a basic calculator in Java. Start with a simple prompt:
Once you have the basics, you can ask for improvements step-by-step:

Next, build on the result by asking for improvements:

Finally, you can request further enhancements, like applying object-oriented principles:

By breaking the task into sequential steps, you guide the model to incrementally improve the output, maintaining clarity and accuracy throughout the process.

Conclusion

Effectively using LLMs isn’t just about having access to cutting-edge technology—it’s about knowing how to communicate with it. By applying strategies like Least-to-Most Prompting, Self-Ask Prompting, and Sequential Prompting, you can significantly enhance the relevance and accuracy of the model’s outputs. For more details, check out this article: Leveraging LLM Models: A Comprehensive Guide for Developers and QA Professionals.