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LLM Optimization & Evaluation Specialization

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Coursera

LLM Optimization & Evaluation Specialization

Optimize & Deploy Production-Ready LLM Systems. Build expertise in LLM evaluation, optimization, and deployment through hands-on MLOps projects.

John Whitworth
LearningMate

Instructors: John Whitworth

Included with Coursera Plus

Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
Intermediate level

Recommended experience

4 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
Intermediate level

Recommended experience

4 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Evaluate and optimize LLM performance using statistical testing, MLOps tools, and production monitoring systems.

  • Build automated pipelines for feature engineering, experiment tracking, and data processing with industry-standard tools.

  • Diagnose LLM errors, implement safety frameworks, and reduce operational costs through systematic analysis.

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Taught in English
Recently updated!

December 2025

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Specialization - 12 course series

What you'll learn

  • Build feature engineering pipelines and evaluate ML experiments using MLOps tools to select and deploy production-ready models.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Feature Engineering
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Predictive Modeling
Category: Data Preprocessing
Category: Performance Analysis
Category: Data Transformation
Category: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
Category: Data Pipelines

What you'll learn

  • Evaluate LLMs using metrics like BLEU & ROUGE run A/B tests for statistical significance, and optimize model performance with data-driven strategies.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Test Script Development
Category: Statistical Analysis
Category: Statistical Hypothesis Testing
Category: Natural Language Processing
Category: LLM Application
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Prompt Engineering
Category: Performance Metric
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Business Metrics

What you'll learn

  • Use data analysis to diagnose LLM hallucinations by correlating user behavior and system errors, and document findings to guide engineering fixes.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Root Cause Analysis
Category: Pandas (Python Package)
Category: Generative AI
Category: Data Analysis
Category: Anomaly Detection
Category: Debugging
Category: Artificial Intelligence
Category: Performance Metric
Category: Business Metrics
Category: Technical Communication
Category: Data Analysis Expressions (DAX)
Category: Data Manipulation
Category: LLM Application
Category: Customer Retention
Category: Analysis
Category: Data Processing

What you'll learn

  • Rigorously evaluate LLM performance using statistical tests and confidence intervals to make data-driven deployment decisions.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Jupyter
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Data Presentation
Category: Probability & Statistics
Category: Statistical Methods
Category: Experimentation
Category: Statistical Inference
Category: Statistical Hypothesis Testing
Category: Matplotlib
Category: Statistical Visualization
Category: Statistical Analysis
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Data Storytelling
Category: Performance Metric
Category: Large Language Modeling

What you'll learn

  • Parameterized SQL with CTEs and window functions builds scalable, maintainable pipelines that adapt as business needs change.

  • Query optimization is systematic: analyze execution plans, find costly steps, then resolve them with indexing or rewrites.

  • Materialized summary tables and well-timed processing, like morning refreshes, support reliable analytics infrastructure.

  • Understanding execution internals helps analysts build self-sufficient workflows without recurring engineering delays.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Performance Tuning
Category: SQL
Category: Data Manipulation
Category: Extract, Transform, Load
Category: Data Transformation
Category: Stored Procedure
Category: Data Pipelines
Category: Scripting
Category: Query Languages
Category: Database Management

What you'll learn

  • Build and validate a robust safety testing framework for LLMs. Create behavioral test suites and use mutation testing to ensure their effectiveness.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Security Testing
Category: Quality Assessment
Category: Penetration Testing
Category: Test Tools
Category: LLM Application
Category: Code Coverage
Category: API Testing
Category: Unit Testing
Category: Maintainability
Category: AI Security
Category: Responsible AI
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Test Case
Category: Prompt Engineering
Category: Test Script Development
Category: Software Technical Review
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Threat Modeling
Category: Verification And Validation
Category: Software Testing

What you'll learn

  • Track, version, and evaluate ML experiments using DVC and W&B to reliably select and prepare models for production deployment.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Model Evaluation
Category: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
Category: Version Control
Category: Data Management
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Git (Version Control System)
Category: Performance Testing
Category: Performance Analysis
Category: Technical Documentation
Category: Machine Learning
Category: Dashboard
Category: Scripting

What you'll learn

  • Create automated Python scripts to manage multi-step cloud workflows, from provisioning resources to persisting data.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Scripting
Category: Data Persistence
Category: Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Category: Data Pipelines
Category: Command-Line Interface
Category: Python Programming
Category: Virtual Machines
Category: Cloud Deployment

What you'll learn

  • Build automated data pipelines with Apache Airflow, manage schema evolution to prevent failures, and implement monitoring for data integrity.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Apache Airflow
Category: Data Integrity
Category: Data Pipelines
Category: Data Validation
Category: Scalability
Category: Extract, Transform, Load
Category: Continuous Monitoring
Category: Data Quality
Category: Data Modeling
Category: Data Migration
Category: System Monitoring
Category: Technical Communication
Category: Data Transformation

What you'll learn

  • Translate an LLM product concept into a detailed PRD and create a UAT plan to validate that the delivered feature meets user requirements.

Skills you'll gain

Category: User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
Category: Functional Testing
Category: AI Product Strategy
Category: Requirements Analysis
Category: Technical Communication
Category: LLM Application
Category: User Requirements Documents
Category: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Category: Acceptance Testing
Category: User Story
Category: Product Requirements
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Scenario Testing
Category: Functional Requirement
Category: Business Requirements
Category: Risk Management Framework

What you'll learn

  • Create operational run-books for LLM systems and evaluate prompt patterns to improve performance and reduce operational costs.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Prompt Patterns
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Technical Writing
Category: Configuration Management
Category: Prompt Engineering
Category: Data Maintenance
Category: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
Category: LLM Application
Category: Performance Testing
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Technical Documentation
Category: Requirements Analysis
Category: Benchmarking

What you'll learn

  • Optimize LLM costs by analyzing spend reports and streamline ML pipelines using value-stream mapping to boost efficiency and reduce cycle times.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Process Optimization
Category: Miro AI
Category: Cost Management
Category: Cost Benefit Analysis
Category: Process Analysis
Category: Process Improvement and Optimization
Category: Expense Management
Category: Business Workflow Analysis
Category: Productivity Software
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making

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Instructors

John Whitworth
Coursera
16 Courses162 learners
LearningMate
Coursera
126 Courses2,722 learners

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