Framework zur Bewertung und Optimierung von Prompt Engineering

Diagnostic Analysis * Strengths: The prompt is clear in its core instruction to translate into German while preserving specific elements (placeholders, brand names, technical parameters, code/JSON keys, and quoted text). The explicit prohibition of em-dashes and the requirement to preserve diacritics add useful constraints. The instruction to output only the translation without preamble or fences is unambiguous. * Weaknesses: The prompt does not specify the target language's register (formal vs. informal). It does not clarify how to handle German compound nouns or technical jargon that may not have direct translations. The instruction "Preserve VERBATIM placeholders [X]/{x}" is clear, but the handling of mixed-language sentences (e.g., English text within German translation) is unspecified. The prompt lacks guidance on capitalization rules for German nouns within the translated text. * Hidden assumptions: The prompt assumes the source text is in English (implied by "Translate into German"). It assumes the translator has sufficient technical knowledge to recognize and preserve code/JSON structures. It assumes no need for cultural adaptation beyond direct translation. * Misinterpretation risks: The translator might translate brand names if they appear to be common words (e.g., "Apple" as "Apfel"). The instruction to preserve "quoted in-image text" could be misinterpreted if the source contains nested quotes. The prompt does not specify whether to preserve the original sentence structure or adapt it to German syntax. * Unstated dependencies: The prompt requires the translator to have knowledge of German grammar, particularly noun capitalization and compound word formation. It assumes the translator can distinguish between technical placeholders and regular text. Scope Definition * In-scope: Translation of the source text into German; preservation of placeholders, brand names, technical parameters, code/JSON keys, and quoted text; maintenance of original structure (1:1); adherence to the no-em-dash rule; preservation of diacritics. * Out-of-scope: Cultural adaptation, localization of idioms, reformatting of the original structure, addition of explanatory notes, or any deviation from the literal translation. * Boundary conditions: The translation must be a direct, word-for-word (where possible) rendering into German. Any element that is not explicitly listed as preservable must be translated. The output must not contain any additional text beyond the translation itself. Precision Rewrite Translate the provided source text into German. Adhere strictly to the following rules: 1. Preserve verbatim all placeholders formatted as [X] or {x}, including brackets and case. 2. Preserve all brand names and model names exactly as written, without translation or modification. 3. Preserve all parameter flags (e.g., --ar, 85mm, 4K, 24fps) exactly as written, including hyphens and spacing. 4. Preserve all code and JSON keys, values, and structural syntax (e.g., braces, colons, commas) exactly as written. 5. Preserve all text enclosed in quotation marks (single or double) exactly as written, including the quotation marks themselves. 6. Maintain a 1:1 structural correspondence between the source and target text (i.e., same number of sentences, paragraphs, and line breaks). 7. Do not use em-dashes (-) anywhere in the output. Use a hyphen with spaces ( - ) instead. 8. Preserve all diacritical marks in the source text (e.g., é, ü, ñ) and apply correct German diacritics where required. 9. Translate all other text into German using standard grammatical rules, including noun capitalization and appropriate compound word formation. 10. Output only the translated text. Do not include any introductory or concluding remarks, explanations, or formatting markers (e.g., no markdown fences). Alternative Variants * Version A (Minimal): "Translate into German. Preserve [X]/{x}, brand names, model names, param flags (--ar,85mm,4K,24fps), code/JSON keys, and quoted text verbatim. Keep structure 1:1. No em-dashes (use ' - '). Preserve diacritics. Output only the translation." * Version B (Detailed): "Step 1: Identify all placeholders ([X], {x}), brand names, model names, parameter flags (e.g., --ar, 85mm, 4K, 24fps), code/JSON keys, and quoted text in the source. Step 2: Translate all remaining text into German, ensuring grammatical correctness (noun capitalization, verb placement, compound nouns). Step 3: Reassemble the translated text, inserting the preserved elements in their original positions. Step 4: Verify that the structure matches the source 1:1 (same paragraph and sentence breaks). Step 5: Replace any em-dashes with ' - '. Step 6: Confirm all diacritics are preserved. Step 7: Output only the final translated text, with no additional commentary." Stress Test * Failure scenario 1: Source text contains a brand name that is also a common German word (e.g., "Siemens" is a brand, but "sie mens" is not a phrase; however, "Wald" as a brand could be confused with the German word for forest). Root cause: Ambiguity in brand name recognition. Mitigation: The prompt explicitly states to preserve brand names, but the translator must rely on context. Edge case: If a brand name is identical to a common noun, the translator must preserve it as a brand name. * Failure scenario 2: Source text contains a quoted phrase that includes an em-dash. Root cause: The rule against em-dashes conflicts with the rule to preserve quoted text verbatim. Mitigation: The prompt should clarify that quoted text is preserved verbatim, including any em-dashes within it, but em-dashes outside quoted text must be replaced. Edge case: Nested quotes or quotes spanning multiple sentences. * Failure scenario 3: Source text contains a code snippet with comments in English. Root cause: The prompt does not specify whether comments within code should be translated. Mitigation: The prompt should state that code comments are considered part of the code and preserved verbatim. Edge case: Mixed code and prose in the same paragraph. * Failure scenario 4: Source text uses a placeholder with a different format (e.g., [X] vs. [x] vs. {X}). Root cause: The prompt specifies [X]/{x} but not all variations. Mitigation: The prompt should state that all bracketed or braced placeholders are preserved verbatim, regardless of case. Edge case: Placeholders with multiple characters (e.g., [user_id]). * Failure scenario 5: Source text contains a German word that is already correct (e.g., "Kindergarten"). Root cause: The translator might over-translate or alter it. Mitigation: The prompt should state that existing German words are preserved as-is if they are correct. Edge case: Words that are similar in English and German but have different meanings (false friends). Final Optimized Prompt Translate the provided source text into German. Follow these rules exactly: 1. Preserve verbatim all placeholders (e.g., [X], {x}, [user_id], {name}), including brackets, braces, and case. 2. Preserve all brand names and model names exactly as written (e.g., Apple, Siemens, iPhone 15 Pro). 3. Preserve all parameter flags and technical values exactly as written (e.g., --ar, 85mm, 4K, 24fps). 4. Preserve all code and JSON structures exactly as written, including keys, values, syntax, and comments. 5. Preserve all text enclosed in quotation marks (single or double) exactly as written, including the quotation marks. This rule overrides the em-dash rule for text within quotes. 6. Maintain a 1:1 structural correspondence: same number of paragraphs, sentences, and line breaks as the source. 7. Do not use em-dashes (-) anywhere in the output. Replace them with a hyphen surrounded by spaces ( - ). This rule does not apply to text inside quotation marks, which must be preserved verbatim. 8. Preserve all diacritical marks from the source. Apply correct German diacritics (e.g., ä, ö, ü, ß) where required by German orthography. 9. Translate all other text into standard German, including proper noun capitalization and compound word formation. Do not translate existing German words if they are already correct. 10. Output only the translated text. Do not include any preamble, explanations, or formatting markers (e.g., no markdown fences, no bullet points). Acceptance Criteria * The final prompt must be explicit and unambiguous: Yes, all rules are enumerated with examples. * Clearly define output format and structure: Yes, rule 6 and 10 define structure and output. * Minimize interpretation variance: Yes, rules are specific and cover edge cases (e.g., quoted text vs. em-dash rule). * Include all necessary constraints: Yes, tone (standard German), scope (literal translation), format (1:1), limits (no extra text). * Handle edge cases or explicitly bound them: Yes, rules 5 and 7 clarify the em-dash conflict; rule 4 covers code comments. * Be reusable and self-contained: Yes, the prompt does not depend on external context. Evaluation Rubric * Clarity: 5 - The prompt is direct and uses concrete examples for each rule. * Specificity: 5 - Every rule is actionable and leaves no room for guesswork. * Determinism: 4 - The rules are deterministic, but the translator's judgment on "standard German" may vary slightly. This is inherent to translation. * Robustness: 5 - Edge cases (quoted text, code comments, placeholders with multiple characters) are explicitly addressed. * Output Control: 5 - The prompt strictly limits output to the translation only, with no extra text. Assumption Policy * Assumption 1: The source text is in English. If not, the prompt should be adjusted. * Assumption 2: The translator has sufficient technical knowledge to identify code/JSON structures and parameter flags. * Assumption 3: The target audience expects standard German (Hochdeutsch), not regional dialects. * Missing information: The prompt does not specify whether to use formal (Sie) or informal (du) address. If this matters, it should be added. For now, the most conservative choice is formal address, but this is not stated. To avoid ambiguity, the prompt could be extended with "Use formal address (Sie) unless the source text indicates otherwise." However, this is not critical for the current task. Output Constraints * Output length: Must match the source text length in terms of structure (1:1). No additional text. * Format: Plain text, no markdown, no bullets, no headers. * Verbosity: Minimal - only the translation. Default Behaviors * If a placeholder format is not covered by the examples (e.g., [X] vs. [x]), preserve it verbatim regardless of case. * If a brand name is identical to a common noun, preserve it as a brand name (e.g., "Apple" remains "Apple", not "Apfel"). * If a quoted text contains an em-dash, preserve it verbatim (rule 5 overrides rule 7). * If a code comment is in English, preserve it verbatim (rule 4). * If a German word appears in the source, preserve it if correct; otherwise, correct it according to German orthography. Self-Check and Refinement * The final prompt meets all acceptance criteria. It is explicit, unambiguous, and covers edge cases. * Remaining ambiguity: The prompt does not specify formal vs. informal address. This is a minor issue that can be resolved by adding a rule: "Use formal address (Sie) unless the source text explicitly uses informal address (du)." This refinement is recommended for completeness. * Corrected final version: Add the following rule to the final prompt: "11. Use formal address (Sie) in the translation unless the source text explicitly uses informal address (du)." This ensures consistency and avoids misinterpretation. The final prompt, with this addition, is fully self-contained and robust.