5 Tips for engaging conversation with Copilot

You’ve successfully set up your account and navigated your way here. Now, you might be wondering, ‘How do I engage with Copilot effectively?’ This video is designed to help you get started. You’ll explore how to craft effective prompts, see examples to spark your creativity, and learn how to make the most out of your interactions with Copilot.

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You have successfully set up an account and navigated your way to Microsoft Copilot. You have maybe even fine-tuned your language preferences.

Now, you might be wondering: 'How do I engage with Copilot effectively?' Well, it all starts with understanding the conversation styles available to you. Let’s get into it.

At the top of the page, you will find example prompts that show you many ways to engage with Copilot.

These prompts are there to spark creativity and to guide you on how to interact with Copilot so you can get the most out of it.

As you explore further, you will see options to select a conversation style.

You have three distinct styles to choose from: creative, balanced and precise. Each style comes with a brief description to help you understand its use.

The creative style is your ally for ideation, brainstorming, or seeking inspiration.

It is the ideal choice for creative endeavours like storytelling, drafting emails, or generating new ideas.

For example, you might use the creative style to help come up with team building activities.

An example prompt could be: ‘Design activities that enhances team spirit and collaboration, featuring a themed event, interactive challenges and rewards aligned with the company’s mission and the diverse interests of the staff.’ This approach can help you create team building activities to promote a positive workplace atmosphere.

Precise style is your go-to for clear-cut, accurate information.

It is great for academic research, technical queries, or any context where detail and accuracy are important.

For instance, a precise style prompt could be:

‘Summarise the recent academic research on penguin migration patterns, with a focus on the effects of environmental changes on their travel routes and behaviours’. This prompt aims to gather precise information from scholarly research.

The balanced style strikes a harmony between informative content and creative expression.

It is perfect for daily interactions that require both information and a dash of creativity. An example prompt could be:

Craft a month-long plan to improve my soft skills at work, outlining specific objectives, enhancement strategies, and progress measurement methods'. With this prompt, Copilot will help you create a personal development plan targeting essential soft skills.

Let’s use this example prompt to show you how it works.

Begin by selecting the ‘balanced’ option, then type the example prompt into the text field provided.

If you prefer to speak your prompt, simply click on the microphone icon located to the right of the text field.

Once you have entered your prompt, click the submit arrow to continue.

Upon reviewing the response, you will notice the information is organised by subjects. If this is not how you want the information organised, you can refine the results further.

For example, if you want to see the information presented in a table format, go back to the text field and type, ['Can you put this into a table?']

At the bottom right of the interface, you will see a counter indicating '2 out of 30'. This means you can ask up to 28 more questions within the same context.

Once done with a conversation, simply click ‘new topic'’ and Copilot will be ready to engage with you on a new subject.

To ensure your conversation with Copilot is both engaging and effective, consider these tips: 1. Be specific with your questions or prompts to receive more tailored and relevant responses from Copilot.

2. Experiment with the creative, balanced, and precise conversation styles to understand their differences.

3. Ask open-ended questions to encourage more detailed and informative responses.

4. If a response interests you, feel free to ask for additional details or clarification.

5. Provide feedback if a response does not meet your expectations, as it helps Copilot refine future answers.

6. Embrace creativity by asking unique or hypothetical questions—Copilot can handle a broad spectrum of topics.

7. Take advantage of suggestions or related topics provided by Copilot, as they can lead to enriching discussions.

8. Maintain a respectful tone to ensure a positive interaction.

Copilot is here to provide support whenever you needed. So feel free to keep the conversation going, ask questions and engage - every chat with Copilot helps you learn and discover the world around you.

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Here’s a run-through of some of the thigs

Clarify your objectives: Clearly articulate what you need. Whether it’s drafting a report, compiling research, or writing an email, giving clear instructions helps Copilot assist you effectively.

Provide background information: Context is crucial. Include relevant details about your task, such as the purpose, audience, and any specific requirements you have in mind.

Specify sources and parameters: If you need information from certain documents or specific data points, mention these explicitly to guide Copilot’s search and synthesis process.

Define your preferred style: Let Copilot know the tone and style you prefer for your content. This could be formal, casual, technical, or creative, depending on your needs.

Be detailed in your requests: The more details you provide, the better Copilot can tailor its responses to meet your expectations. For example, instead of requesting a brief overview, ask for a comprehensive summary with actionable insights.

Use clear and polite language: Communicating clearly and courteously helps Copilot understand your needs better and ensures a more accurate response.

Engage in an ongoing dialogue: Keep the conversation dynamic by asking follow-up questions and providing feedback. This allows Copilot to refine its responses and better align with your requirements.

Understand Copilot’s capabilities and limits: Familiarize yourself with what Copilot can and can’t do. This helps you set realistic expectations and make the most of your interactions.