Optimize your AI interactions
Get faster, more accurate results by communicating effectively with the AI agent
Note: Vly is currently free to use! While these optimization techniques will help you get better results right now, they'll also be valuable when we introduce usage-based pricing in the future.
Making the most of your AI interactions requires understanding how to communicate efficiently. These strategies help you get faster, more accurate results with clearer, more focused requests.
Understanding context
Build on previous conversations
The AI agent remembers your conversation history within each session:
- Reference earlier decisions instead of re-explaining them
- Build incrementally on previously established functionality
- Use "the X we just created" to refer to recent work
- Avoid repeating project requirements already discussed
Example progression:
1. "Create a user authentication system with login and registration"
2. "Add password reset functionality to the auth system"
3. "Include email verification for new registrations"
4. "Add social login options to the existing auth flow"Leverage established patterns
Once patterns are established, reference them efficiently:
"Use the same styling pattern as the ProductCard for the new UserCard component"
"Apply the same validation approach we used on the contact form"
"Follow the same responsive layout pattern as the hero section"Efficient request structuring
Front-load key information
Start requests with the most important details:
Efficient:
"Add a shopping cart with item quantity controls, total calculation, and checkout button. Include local storage persistence and item removal functionality."Less efficient:
"I need shopping cart functionality. Users should be able to add items. Oh, and they need to change quantities. Also show totals. And make it persistent. And add a checkout button."Bundle related functionality
Group related features into single requests:
Good bundling:
"Create a product catalog with grid layout, category filtering, search functionality, and sorting options (price, name, date)"Poor bundling:
Multiple separate requests:
- "Add a product grid"
- "Add category filters"
- "Add search"
- "Add sorting"Use hierarchical requests
Structure complex features with clear priorities:
"Build a user dashboard with:
Primary: User profile display, recent activity feed
Secondary: Quick actions (edit profile, change password)
Optional: Activity statistics, notification preferences"Efficient modification requests
Be surgical with changes
Target specific elements for modifications:
"In the Header component, change the logo size to 120px width and add a subtle drop shadow"
"Update the primary button color in the theme to #3B82F6 and increase border radius to 8px"
"Modify the ProductCard hover effect to scale to 1.05 with a smooth transition"Reference existing functionality
Connect new requests to established code:
"Add the same loading spinner we use on the login form to the product search results"
"Implement error handling similar to the contact form for the newsletter signup"
"Use the same responsive breakpoints as the navigation for the footer layout"Asset and resource efficiency
Batch asset references
Include multiple assets in single requests:
"Create a testimonials section using @customer1.jpg, @customer2.jpg, and @customer3.jpg for the profile photos, with @testimonials.json for the review content"Provide complete context
Include all relevant information in one request:
"Build a hero section with @hero-background.jpg as the background image, centered title 'Welcome to Our Platform', subtitle from @marketing-copy.txt, and two CTA buttons (Sign Up, Learn More) linking to /register and /about"Streamlining communication
Don't repeat established context
Once project parameters are set, avoid restating them for faster results:
Verbose:
"For this e-commerce site I'm building with React and Convex, using Tailwind for styling, can you add a product page that shows product details..."Streamlined:
"Add a product detail page showing images, description, price, and add-to-cart functionality"Skip obvious explanations
Trust the AI agent's knowledge of standard practices:
Unnecessary:
"Add a responsive navigation menu (you know, one that collapses on mobile with a hamburger button and shows full menu on desktop)"Better:
"Add a responsive navigation menu with logo, main nav links, and user account dropdown"Combine testing and iteration
Request testing as part of the implementation:
"Add form validation to the contact form and test it with empty fields, invalid email formats, and successful submissions"Contextual shortcuts
Established vocabulary
Build a shared vocabulary with the AI agent:
- "Our standard card layout" for consistent component styling
- "The usual responsive patterns" for established breakpoints
- "Primary brand colors" for your established color scheme
- "The authentication flow" for your login/registration system
Reference by purpose
Describe functionality by its role:
"Add the checkout success page with order confirmation details"
"Create the admin panel for managing products and users"
"Build the onboarding flow for new user setup"Iteration efficiency
Incremental improvements
Build on working functionality:
"The login form works great. Now add 'Remember me' checkbox and 'Forgot password' link"
"Perfect product grid. Add hover effects and wishlist buttons to each card"
"Great navigation. Add a search bar in the header next to the user menu"Comparative requests
Use comparisons to clarify requirements:
"Make the footer similar to the header but with darker colors and additional links"
"Create a mobile menu like the desktop navigation but with a slide-in animation"
"Style the error pages consistent with the main site but with appropriate messaging"Advanced efficiency techniques
Conditional logic in requests
Handle multiple scenarios efficiently:
"Add user role indicators to the member list - show 'Admin' badge for admins, 'Premium' for paid users, and no badge for regular users"Template-based requests
Use successful patterns as templates:
"Create a blog post page using the same layout structure as the product detail page but optimized for article content"Bulk operations
Handle multiple similar items together:
"Add these five pages with similar layouts: About, Services, Team, Contact, Privacy Policy - use the same header/footer structure with unique content sections"Measuring success
Signs of effective communication
- Fewer back-and-forth clarifications needed
- Accurate implementation on first attempt
- Consistent results that match expectations
- Faster development cycles for similar features
Improving over time
- Note successful prompt patterns for reuse
- Track which requests require clarification
- Develop project-specific shorthand terms
- Build on established architectural decisions
Effective AI interactions come from clear communication, building on established context, and trusting the AI agent's knowledge of web development best practices. Focus on providing the right amount of information at the right level of detail for the best results.