How to Talk to AI: Prompt Engineering

Project managers practice and refine a range of skills to do their jobs well, from problem solving and risk management to leadership and communication. That’s been true for as long as there have been projects to manage. But now a new skill must be added to the successful project manager’s toolkit: prompt engineering.

What is prompt engineering? It’s the process of interacting with an AI like ChatGPT, PMI Infinity or any other LLM (Large Language Model) to generate relevant, customized and insightful responses for your project needs. Prompt engineering is a skill that is part art, part science, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. You get better at prompting the more you do it. And it also helps to learn from peers who already harness the power of effective prompting on their projects.

To serve that need, PMI has launched Talking to AI: Prompt Engineering for Project Managers, a fun, engaging one-hour course that helps project managers improve their prompting game. Free to PMI members and $19 to non-member, the course features video use cases, interactive activities, a community-driven exchange, and a companion workbook that mirrors the four learning modules.

The course’s four modules cover many areas of prompting, including proven prompt formulas; dealing with undesirable responses; refining and optimizing prompts; and advanced prompting approaches.

“This is one of the best courses PMI has ever assembled,” said Rich Maltzman, PMP, Master Lecturer at Boston University and former director of the PMO at Nokia. “It's interesting, relevant, has a sense of humor, and makes a difference in terms of your ability to really make AI productive for you and your project team.”

Talking to AI: Prompt Engineering joins two other courses designed to assist project practitioners on their PMIxAI learning journey. And there are benefits to exploring these offerings in order, starting with Generative AI Overview for Project Managers. This hands-on course shows practical applications of generative AI in real-world scenarios along with a tools library and best practices for using AI as a way of working. This free course was recently updated with new resources and downloads, and the addition of PMI Infinity to the tool library.

The second course in the PMIxAI lineup is Data Landscape of GenAI for Project Managers, which provides an overview of GenAI, LLMs and data fundamentals. The course explores the roles and responsibilities of project managers regarding data, risks and limitations, and a Data Landscape Canvas for using data with GenAI models at the enterprise level. The course is free to PMI members and $19 to non-members.

With the first two courses, learners gain a foundational understanding of Generative AI in the context of project management and data. With Talking to AI: Prompt Engineering for Project Managers, a crucial part of the learning experience is delivered by the project management community though a Prompt Engineering Exchange where project managers share their best prompts.

“This series is great for beginners and experts alike,” said project manager Andrew Rosado Hartline, M.S., PMP, CSM. “GenAI is impacting how we work, and it literally changes daily – glad to have references and a community to back me up.”

The course also includes a 67-page workbook that offers detailed summaries of each module, practical examples, relevant use cases, and an array of checklists, spreadsheets, and discussion questions to facilitate deeper understanding and easy sharing with peers.

By exploring together what effective prompting looks like, everyone can make a difference in improving project outcomes – for their team, their peers and themselves.

You Might Also Like…

• Talking to the Machine: Prompt Engineering Essentials | Read the report
• PMI Infinity: Your AI-powered project co-pilot | Test it
• Prompt Engineering for Project Managers: a PMI learning course |  Watch excerpts