https://optimizeall.com/learn/advanced-prompt-engineering/designing-system-prompts 2026-10-05T11:51:28Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zS-quGOMLCM/hqdefault.jpg Designing system prompts and roles The mental model: a brief for a brilliant new colleague A system prompt is not a magic spell. It is the standing brief you would give a highly capable colleague on their first day: who they are serving, what good work looks like, what they must never do, and what to do when they are unsure. Models… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/zS-quGOMLCM 560 2026-10-04T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/how-ai-assistants-respond 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QcK55FndGp4/hqdefault.jpg How AI assistants respond to your words Welcome If you have ever typed a question into an AI assistant and received an answer that was vague, generic or slightly off, this course is for you. You do not need any technical background. By the end, you will have a simple method you can use for almost any task, plus a library of more than… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/QcK55FndGp4 535 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/anatomy-of-a-good-prompt 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wh_uLqbwFmI/hqdefault.jpg The anatomy of a good prompt Five building blocks Most great prompts contain some or all of five building blocks. You will not need every block every time, but knowing them means you will never be stuck. 1. Task: what you want done. Start with a clear action verb: write, summarise, explain, compare, list, rewrite, plan. 2… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/wh_uLqbwFmI 481 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/clarity-and-specificity 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/idSMLBCahTA/hqdefault.jpg Clarity and specificity Vague words are the enemy Words like "good", "short", "professional", "engaging" and "detailed" mean different things to different people. The AI has to guess what you mean, and it guesses average. Clarity means replacing vague words with concrete ones. Vague Specific --- --- Make it short Under… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/idSMLBCahTA 447 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/context-and-examples 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/O4c36E3BaSQ/hqdefault.jpg Giving context and examples Context: what a helpful colleague would need to know Imagine asking a colleague to "draft a reply to this client". A good colleague would ask: Who is the client? What happened? What do we want to happen next? Is there anything sensitive? The AI needs the same information, but it cannot ask unless… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/O4c36E3BaSQ 459 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/iterating-in-conversation 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6Sml7wuPuNM/hqdefault.jpg Iterating: the art of the follow-up The first answer is a draft Professionals rarely accept the first result. They treat it as a draft and steer. Iterating well is often faster than trying to write a perfect prompt up front. Five follow-up moves 1. Adjust. Change one thing at a time so you can see the effect. 2. Point to specifics… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/6Sml7wuPuNM 443 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/formatting-outputs 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2tSc42qep8Q/hqdefault.jpg Formatting outputs: getting the shape you need Format is part of the request A great answer in the wrong shape still creates work. If you need a table for a spreadsheet, a bullet list for a slide, or plain text for WhatsApp, say so. AI assistants can produce almost any text format when asked clearly. Common formats and how to ask Bullet… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/2tSc42qep8Q 467 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/quick-thinking-and-research-modes 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/93PQef36t8w/hqdefault.jpg Quick answers, thinking modes and deep research Three ways an assistant can answer Modern assistants give you a choice of how much effort they put into an answer. The names differ between products and change often, but there are three broad modes: Mode What it does Typical wait Best for --- --- --- --- Quick answer Replies straight away from… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/93PQef36t8w 440 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/context-once-projects-and-memory 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pABxXy0kgOM/hqdefault.jpg Set context once: custom instructions, projects and memory The problem: repeating yourself If you use an assistant every day, you probably type the same background again and again: who you are, what your business does, your preferred tone. Modern assistants let you store that context so every conversation starts with it. This is the everyday version of… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/pABxXy0kgOM 463 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/prompting-with-files-photos-and-voice 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2VzBqIaBE-U/hqdefault.jpg Prompting with files, photos, screenshots and voice Assistants can see, read and listen Most major assistants now accept more than typed text. You can upload PDFs, spreadsheets and slides; take a photo with your phone; share a screenshot; or simply talk. The same prompting principles apply: say what the material is, what you want done with it, and… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/2VzBqIaBE-U 461 2026-10-02T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/first-image-and-video-prompts 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_fwd1mmOXzA/hqdefault.jpg Your first image and video prompts Describing pictures, not intentions Many assistants can now create images from a description, and some can generate short videos. Image models respond to visual description . "Make a picture that increases sales" gives them nothing to draw. "A bright flat-lay photo of a glass of mango lassi on a… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/_fwd1mmOXzA 460 2026-10-03T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/research-with-web-search-and-sources 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YFIg8GnSeCI/hqdefault.jpg Research with web search, deep research and sources From "the AI said" to "the source says" Ordinary chat answers come from what the model learned during training, which can be out of date or simply wrong. When an assistant searches the web , it reads current pages and cites them. When it runs deep research , it plans a series of searches, reads… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/YFIg8GnSeCI 446 2026-10-03T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/patterns-for-writing 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7zuFVtdKeLk/hqdefault.jpg Patterns for writing and editing (1-18) How to use this library Each pattern below is a reusable shape. Replace the parts in square brackets with your details. Mix and match: most real prompts combine two or three patterns. Always add the basics from earlier modules (audience, format, length) when they matter. Drafting patterns 1. The… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7zuFVtdKeLk 448 2026-10-03T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/patterns-for-analysis-and-brainstorming 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rq9hEkvEMWQ/hqdefault.jpg Patterns for analysis and brainstorming (19-37) Analysis patterns Analysis is where AI can save hours, as long as you give it the material and check its conclusions. 19. The summary for a reader 20. The key points and gaps 21. The compare 22. The pros and cons with weight 23. The theme finder 24. The explain the numbers 25. The devil's advocate… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/rq9hEkvEMWQ 449 2026-10-03T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/patterns-for-learning-and-planning 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zg9o-2ASr6c/hqdefault.jpg Patterns for learning and planning (38-56) Learning patterns AI can be a patient tutor, available any time, at your level. The best learning prompts make the AI teach rather than just tell. 38. The explain like I'm new 39. The level ladder 40. The quiz me 41. The Socratic tutor 42. The misconception check 43. The worked example 44. The… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/zg9o-2ASr6c 447 2026-10-03T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/everyday-mistakes 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gB2l5ciO9BA/hqdefault.jpg Ten everyday prompting mistakes (and fixes) Mistake 1: the one-line prompt Symptom: generic, bland results. Fix: add context, audience and format. Even two extra sentences transform most answers. Mistake 2: assuming the AI knows your world Symptom: the AI refers to the wrong product, invents company details or uses the wrong currency. Fix… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/gB2l5ciO9BA 458 2026-10-03T00:00:00Z yes https://optimizeall.com/learn/prompt-engineering-foundations/checking-ai-work 2026-10-05T11:51:30Z https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JtHDrK1FOKQ/hqdefault.jpg Checking AI work and building your prompt toolkit Why checking matters AI assistants are powerful drafting partners, but you are responsible for what you send, publish or decide. A quick, consistent checking routine lets you move fast and stay trustworthy. The 4-point check Before using any AI output, run through four questions: 1. Did it do what… https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/JtHDrK1FOKQ 451 2026-10-04T00:00:00Z yes