Streamlining Technology Scouting with AI-Powered Prompt Engineering
Discuvr is an engineering consultancy that supports clients by solving complex product and engineering challenges using proprietary systems and processes. One of their core services is to conduct technology scouting exercises for clients to map, research, and identify existing solutions on the market which could contribute to solving their technical challenges. This activity involves exploring research papers, patents, and commercial technologies, and our highly developed 5-step process has proven to be extremely successful in meeting the objectives of the client. However, while AI tools have been introduced to assist with these efforts, it takes considerable time and effort to process using the technologies Discuvr currently use.
The Challenge
Discuvr’s scouting process was taking up to 2-4 weeks to complete, taking up valuable resources – specifically a competent engineer or scientist. While AI tools like ChatGPT were being used to support the process, the results were inconsistent and lacked reliable sourcing, making them difficult to trust. The team often had to go through multiple iterations, adjusting prompts to improve outputs, which further delayed the process. An additional challenge was the risk of overlooking key technologies during the workflow.
The Solution
The Hartree Centre Northern Ireland Hub reviewed the existing workflow and introduced a more structured prompt engineering approach. This involved breaking down a single, general prompt into three focused “Gems” within Gemini:
- One Gem to create context and background.
- One to map out relevant themes and subtopics.
- One to discover real-world solutions and innovations.
Each Gem was designed with clear instructions and a defined purpose. A demonstration session and a full handover guide ensured the Discuvr team could independently use and adapt the Gems for future work.
Kyle Adair, Discuvr
“The support from Hartree came out of the blue and has delivered more than we thought possible. The team brought to us new technology and scripts which will form the bedrock of our technology scouting processes going forward.”
Project Impact
Discuvr saw an improvement in the relevance and clarity of their AI outputs. The new approach reduced time spent rewriting prompts and made results easier to understand. The framework also offers scalability; future projects can now be onboarded using the same methodology. The team especially valued the clarity offered by the Mapping Gem, which provided a logical structure for exploring complex topics.
Further Information
This work was completed as one of our data projects. Our projects are up to 12 weeks in duration. We will work alongside your business to scope your project, demonstrate proof of concept, and explore options to deploy it within your business. If you would like to learn more about the Hartree Centre Northern Ireland Hub and our Programme, please get in touch with us at: info@hartreeni.uk
Our Impact on UK Industry and Society
The Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation enables businesses to acquire the skills, knowledge and technical capability required to adopt digital technologies like super computing, data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. The SME Engagement Hubs play a key role in offering targeted support for business challenges in their region, creating value and generating economical and societal impact for the UK.
