Ten Lessons of Building LLM Applications for Engineers

Building effective LLM applications for engineering experts requires a structured, human-centric approach. Before starting, it is crucial to determine if an LLM is the right tool, set the expectation for augmentation rather than full automation, and co-design with experts to define what success means. During development, the focus should be on creating a "co-pilot" system that gives experts control, rather than a black-box "autopilot." This involves clearly defining workflows, roles, and data flows before committing to a specific technical framework.