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Assignment Introduction: Creating a Virtual Agent with LLMs

Assignment Overview​

  1. Objective:

    • The purpose of this assignment is to apply the knowledge from the module by designing and developing a virtual assistant within a domain and use case of the student’s choice.
    • Goal: Students will demonstrate their understanding of LLM-based virtual agents by selecting a domain, defining a use case, and designing prompts to shape the agent’s responses.

  2. Assignment Requirements:

    • Choose a Domain: Select an industry or field where a virtual assistant could be useful. Examples: healthcare, customer service, education, finance.
    • Define a Use Case: Determine a specific function for the virtual assistant within the chosen domain (e.g., customer support, student helpdesk, FAQ assistant).
    • Create a Persona and Target Audience: Define who the assistant will serve, what it will help them with, and the desired tone or personality.
    • Build Prompts: Design effective system prompts and user prompts to shape the assistant’s responses in alignment with the use case and audience.
    • Develop and Test: Implement and iterate on the virtual assistant using the techniques covered in the module, such as role-playing and prompt engineering.

Step 1: Selecting a Domain and Use Case​

  1. Suggested Domains:

    • Banking: Virtual assistant for banking FAQs (e.g., loan inquiries, account assistance).
    • Education: Study helper or tutor for specific subjects.
    • Healthcare: Appointment scheduler or basic health information provider.
    • Real Estate: Property information assistant for prospective buyers or renters.
    • Project Management: Assistant for filling out project appraisal forms or guiding users through project setup.

  2. Example Use Cases:

    • Customer Support Assistant for an online shopping platform, answering inquiries about orders, returns, and shipping.
    • Student Research Helper that provides summaries of research topics for students.
    • HR Policy Guide that answers employee questions about company policies and benefits.
    • Project Appraisal Form Guide that assists users in completing appraisal forms for project evaluation.

Step 2: Creating the Virtual Agent’s Persona and Target Audience​

  1. Persona Development:

    • Define Characteristics: Outline traits such as professionalism, friendliness, formality, and patience based on the assistant’s purpose.
    • Example Personas:
      • Customer Support Assistant: Friendly and helpful, addressing users in a conversational tone.
      • Research Helper: Knowledgeable and informative, providing concise explanations.
      • HR Policy Guide: Professional and direct, focusing on clarity and accuracy.
      • Project Appraisal Assistant: Step-by-step, instructional tone to ensure users complete forms accurately.

  2. Target Audience Considerations:

    • Determine who will interact with the virtual assistant (e.g., customers, employees, students).
    • Specify their needs and expectations, such as clarity in responses, tone of communication, and level of formality.

Step 3: Initial Prompt Design and Examples​

  1. System Prompt: Create a system prompt that defines the assistant’s role and behavior.

    • Example: “You are a friendly customer support assistant for an online retail platform. Respond to customer questions about orders, returns, and product availability in a helpful and empathetic manner.”

  2. User Prompts: Develop example user prompts that will guide the LLM in responding to typical user inquiries.

    • Examples:
      • “How can I check the status of my order?”
      • “What’s the return policy for electronics?”
      • “I need help finding properties under $500,000 in New York.”

  3. Iterative Prompt Refinement:

    • Adjust prompts as needed based on output quality, incorporating more context or changing tone to improve responses.
    • Encourage students to experiment with different prompts to see how slight changes affect the assistant’s responses.

Deliverables for the Assignment​

  1. Report:

    • Details of Domain and Use Case: Explain why the domain and use case were chosen.
    • Approach and Techniques Used: Describe the prompt engineering techniques used and explain the rationale behind specific prompt choices.
    • Data Sources: Outline any datasets or information sources the assistant relies on (e.g., common FAQs, internal policies).
    • Final System Prompt: Include the final system prompt for the virtual assistant in the report.

  2. Presentation:

    • Video: 5–10 minute video covering the assistant’s purpose, persona, and domain.
    • Sample Conversations: Demonstrate two sample interactions:
      • Happy Path: Show the assistant responding as expected.
      • Jailbreak Attempt: Attempt to prompt the assistant with an unusual or challenging question, demonstrating how it responds under different conditions.

Key Tips for Success​

  1. Creativity in Use Case Selection: Encourage students to choose unique or personal use cases that they feel passionate about or find interesting.
  2. Attention to Audience Needs: Remind students to tailor the assistant’s responses to meet the specific needs and preferences of the target audience.
  3. Experimentation with Prompts: Prompt refinement is key to achieving high-quality responses; students should iterate and improve prompts as they test their assistant.