In the 1st part, we covered the basic principles of creating effective prompts for Copilot, including goal setting, providing context, using resources, and the importance of feedback. Now let’s dive into more advanced techniques and tips that will help you refine your prompts and achieve even better results with Copilot.
If you haven’t had a chance to read the first part of this article, make sure to check it out here:
Effective Prompts for Copilot – Part 1
Well then, without further ado, let’s continue!
6. Role-Playing Prompts
One of the effective ways to interact with Copilot is to ask it to take on a specific role. For example, you can request responses from Copilot as if it was a marketing specialist, a sales consultant, or even a potential customer. This approach allows for more targeted and contextually relevant responses. For example, you might say, “Imagine you’re a marketer and suggest strategies to increase audience on social media.” This will help Copilot generate responses that match the desired role and task.
| Category | Role | Example of Role-Playing |
| Search 🔍 | Database Assistant | Imagine you’re a database assistant tasked with finding accurate sources for sales analysis. |
| Copywriting ✍️ | Editor | Imagine you’re an editor in a large company, adapting texts for different audiences while maintaining a useful tone. |
| Analysis 📊 | Data Analyst | Imagine you’re a data analyst, analyzing a report and highlighting key trends from the last quarter. |
| Translation 🌐 | Translator | Imagine you’re a translator, translating text considering business context and localisation requirements. |
| Coaching 🎓 | Business Coach | Imagine you’re a business coach, offering advice on improving leadership skills of managers. |
| Management 📅 | Project Manager | Imagine you’re a project manager, coordinating team tasks and ensuring timely delivery of results. |
| Consulting 💼 | Consultant | Imagine you’re a consultant, suggesting recommendations for improving processes to enhance efficiency. |
7. Use Keywords and Commands
Using specific keywords and commands in your prompts can help achieve desired results more quickly. Just like in programming where specific commands are used, AI tools like Copilot respond better to clear and precise verbs. Instead of using general words like “write” or “create,” try using more specific commands. These types of prompts help Copilot better understand your task and provide more relevant answers. Here are a few examples:
- Explain: Use this prompt to get a detailed explanation or to ask Copilot to break down complex concepts into simpler terms.
- Summarize: Ideal for getting a concise overview of a longer text or document. You can provide Copilot with the text to summarize.
- List: If you need information presented in a list format for easy reading, use this prompt.
- Find differences and compare: Ask for differences and similarities between two or more items.
- Advantages/Disadvantages: This command helps you learn about the pros and cons of a specific topic, method, or item.
8. Setting Parameters for Long-Term Communication
One of the most convenient ways to use Copilot is to pre-configure it for a specific task. This creates a “framework” for future prompts, eliminating the need to explain the context each time. For example, you can start with a prompt like: “I will send you links to products from the manufacturer’s website, and you will create descriptions for these products for our website.” From that moment on, all your subsequent prompts will be automatically processed according to the set parameters, which significantly speeds up work and increases its efficiency.
This approach is especially useful for routine tasks that require a stable and consistent approach. By setting parameters once, you can focus on sending minimal necessary data, and Copilot will do the rest within the given instructions. This simplifies the interaction process and allows you to use Copilot as an effective and consistent assistant. Another convenient aspect is that you can set up several different chats for various types of routine tasks. This allows you to have pre-configured chats that account for all the necessary parameters for each specific task. Now you don’t have to enter all the information again every time — just refer to the necessary chat, and Copilot will immediately start performing the task according to the previously set instructions.
9. Requesting Clarifying Questions Before Task Execution
Another effective way to interact with Copilot is to ask it to pose clarifying questions before it starts executing your prompt. This approach helps you better formulate your thoughts and clarify details that might have been missed in the initial prompt. For example, you might say: “Before creating the text, ask me clarifying questions so I can better formulate the prompt.”
This not only helps improve the quality of the final result but also teaches you to formulate prompts more accurately and in more detail in the future. Thanks to this approach, your communication with Copilot becomes more effective, and the results are more precise and aligned with your expectations.
10. Be Aware of Copilot’s Limitations
It’s important to remember that Copilot is limited by the current context of the conversation and may not always consider external factors. For example, if you’re discussing several projects, clearly specify which one your prompt relates to: “Create a report for project ‘Alpha,’ including the results of work from the last month.”
11. Review Results and Adjust
Always review the results obtained for any errors and ensure they meet your expectations. If you notice any shortcomings, don’t hesitate to ask Copilot to revise the text or data: “Check for errors in this report and correct them.”
Conclusion
Effective use of Copilot starts with correctly setting up prompts and understanding how to provide the necessary context and materials. Creating clear frameworks for communication, using links and files, and organizing separate chats for different routine tasks greatly simplifies work and enhances its efficiency. These simple tips and tricks will help you use Copilot to its fullest potential, turning it into a reliable and consistent assistant.
If you missed the previous part, be sure to check it out here:
Effective Prompts for Copilot – Part 1
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