Fix Lever Quick Reference: RAG, Fine-Tune, Prompt, or Bigger Model
Recall which system intervention best matches common transformer failure patterns.
RAG versus fine-tuning for missing facts Do not fine-tune current policy facts into weights when a governed source should supply them. Objection: just use a bigger model. Just use a bigger model. Engineering reply Let's first identify the failure mode. If the answer lacked current source facts, retrieval and citation controls may beat a larger model on cost and reliability. It reframes the decision around impact, confidence, and effort instead of model size. When is prompt repair the right first lever? When the model has the needed information and capability, but the instruction, role, format, or constraints are ambiguous. Prompt…
Sign up free — one personalized lesson every day, matched to your role and goals.
Already have an account? Sign in