Coursera

LLM Optimization & Evaluation Specialization

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

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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 - 13 course series

Engineer Features and Evaluate Models for Production

Engineer Features and Evaluate Models for Production

Course 1, 3 hours

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: Analysis
Category: Technical Writing
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Feature Engineering
Category: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
Category: Data Pipelines
Category: Model Optimization
Category: Model Training
Category: Performance Analysis
Category: Data Transformation
Category: Machine Learning Methods
Category: Data Preprocessing
Category: Model Deployment
Optimize Deep Learning: Tune PyTorch Models

Optimize Deep Learning: Tune PyTorch Models

Course 2, 4 hours

What you'll learn

  • Use PyTorch Lightning to implement callbacks, diagnose instabilities, and optimize model performance.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Debugging
Category: Fine-tuning
Category: Model Training
Category: Deep Learning
Category: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Model Optimization
Category: Artificial Neural Networks
Category: Model Deployment
Category: PyTorch (Machine Learning Library)
Category: Scalability
Category: Transfer Learning
Evaluate & Optimize LLM Performance

Evaluate & Optimize LLM Performance

Course 3, 4 hours

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: Test Script Development
Category: Statistical Inference
Category: Statistical Analysis
Category: Statistical Methods
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Natural Language Processing
Category: Statistical Hypothesis Testing
Category: Probability & Statistics
Category: Scripting
Category: LLM Application
Category: Performance Metric
Category: Model Optimization
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Embeddings
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Prompt Engineering
Analyze Logs: Fix LLM Hallucinations

Analyze Logs: Fix LLM Hallucinations

Course 4, 4 hours

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: Analysis
Category: Business Metrics
Category: Artificial Intelligence
Category: Correlation Analysis
Category: Pandas (Python Package)
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Root Cause Analysis
Category: Generative AI
Category: Technical Communication
Category: Data Manipulation
Category: Debugging
Category: Retrieval-Augmented Generation
Category: Data Analysis
Category: LLM Application
Evaluate LLMs: Test and Prove Significance

Evaluate LLMs: Test and Prove Significance

Course 5, 3 hours

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: Model Evaluation
Category: Performance Metric
Category: Statistical Methods
Category: Statistical Software
Category: Experimentation
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Statistical Visualization
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Scientific Visualization
Category: Data Presentation
Category: Data Storytelling
Category: Statistical Programming
Category: Matplotlib
Category: Statistical Hypothesis Testing
Category: Statistical Analysis
Category: Model Deployment
Category: Statistical Inference
Category: Statistics
Optimize SQL: Build Fast Data Pipelines

Optimize SQL: Build Fast Data Pipelines

Course 6, 3 hours

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: SQL
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Data Pipelines
Category: Database Management
Category: Data Manipulation
Category: Scripting
Category: Query Languages
Category: Extract, Transform, Load
Category: Data Transformation
Safeguard LLM Outputs: Test and Evaluate

Safeguard LLM Outputs: Test and Evaluate

Course 7, 3 hours

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: Test Tools
Category: Prompt Patterns
Category: Threat Modeling
Category: Unit Testing
Category: Maintainability
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Testability
Category: Responsible AI
Category: Test Case
Category: Prompt Engineering
Category: LLM Application
Category: Software Technical Review
Category: Verification And Validation
Category: AI Security
Category: Software Testing
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Code Coverage
Category: Quality Assessment
Category: Test Script Development
Track and Evaluate ML Model Experiments

Track and Evaluate ML Model Experiments

Course 8, 3 hours

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: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
Category: Version Control
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Data Management
Category: Interactive Data Visualization
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Model Deployment
Category: Performance Analysis
Category: Predictive Modeling
Category: Record Keeping
Category: Machine Learning
Category: Dashboard
Category: Model Training
Automate Cloud Workflows with Python Scripting

Automate Cloud Workflows with Python Scripting

Course 9, 1 hour

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: Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Category: Data Persistence
Category: Python Programming
Category: Virtual Machines
Category: Command-Line Interface
Category: Data Pipelines
Category: AI Workflows
Automate Data Pipelines: Schema Evolution

Automate Data Pipelines: Schema Evolution

Course 10, 2 hours

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: Data Pipelines
Category: Data Integrity
Category: Apache Airflow
Category: Data Validation
Category: Data Modeling
Category: Data Quality
Category: Extract, Transform, Load
Category: Continuous Monitoring
Category: Data Transformation
Category: System Monitoring
Develop and Evaluate LLM Features Effectively

Develop and Evaluate LLM Features Effectively

Course 11, 3 hours

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: User Requirements Documents
Category: LLM Application
Category: Functional Testing
Category: Test Planning
Category: User Story
Category: Functional Requirement
Category: AI Product Strategy
Category: Business Requirements
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Category: Product Requirements
Category: Requirements Analysis
Category: Acceptance Testing
Category: Prioritization
Category: Verification And Validation
Document and Evaluate LLM Prompting Success

Document and Evaluate LLM Prompting Success

Course 12, 2 hours

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 Engineering
Category: Prompt Patterns
Category: LLM Application
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Token Optimization
Category: Configuration Management
Category: Performance Testing
Category: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
Category: Requirements Analysis
Category: Benchmarking
Category: Technical Writing
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Retrieval-Augmented Generation
Category: Data Maintenance
Category: Model Optimization
Category: Technical Documentation
Optimize LLM Costs & Streamline Processes

Optimize LLM Costs & Streamline Processes

Course 13, 2 hours

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 Improvement and Optimization
Category: Model Optimization
Category: Waste Minimization
Category: Process Modeling
Category: LLM Application
Category: Lean Manufacturing
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Operating Cost
Category: Process Optimization
Category: AI Workflows
Category: Proposal Development
Category: Collaborative Software
Category: Miro AI
Category: Cost Management
Category: Productivity Software
Category: Process Analysis
Category: Business Workflow Analysis

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Instructors

John Whitworth
Coursera
30 Courses2,562 learners
LearningMate
275 Courses22,038 learners

Offered by

Coursera

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