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

Access provided by Northrop Grumman

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.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Taught in English
Recently updated!

December 2025

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

 logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Advance your subject-matter expertise

  • Learn in-demand skills from university and industry experts
  • Master a subject or tool with hands-on projects
  • Develop a deep understanding of key concepts
  • Earn a career certificate from Coursera

Specialization - 13 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 Analysis
Category: Data Pipelines
Category: Data Transformation
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Data Preprocessing
Category: Predictive Modeling
Category: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)

What you'll learn

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

Skills you'll gain

Category: PyTorch (Machine Learning Library)
Category: Debugging
Category: Deep Learning
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Scalability
Category: Artificial Neural Networks
Category: Transfer Learning
Category: Model Deployment
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)

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: Statistical Analysis
Category: Test Script Development
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Natural Language Processing
Category: Performance Metric
Category: Prompt Engineering
Category: LLM Application
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Statistical Hypothesis Testing
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: Performance Metric
Category: LLM Application
Category: Pandas (Python Package)
Category: Data Processing
Category: Data Analysis
Category: Data Analysis Expressions (DAX)
Category: Customer Retention
Category: Technical Communication
Category: Analysis
Category: Artificial Intelligence
Category: Data Manipulation
Category: Debugging
Category: Business Metrics
Category: Generative AI
Category: Anomaly Detection

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

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

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: Software Technical Review
Category: Penetration Testing
Category: Quality Assessment
Category: Prompt Engineering
Category: Maintainability
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Threat Modeling
Category: Software Testing
Category: AI Security
Category: Verification And Validation
Category: Test Script Development
Category: Unit Testing
Category: LLM Application
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Test Tools
Category: Responsible AI
Category: Test Case
Category: Code Coverage
Category: API 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: MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
Category: Model Evaluation
Category: Version Control
Category: Dashboard
Category: Scripting
Category: Machine Learning
Category: Performance Testing
Category: Performance Analysis
Category: Data Management
Category: Git (Version Control System)
Category: Large Language Modeling
Category: Technical Documentation

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

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

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

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

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

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructors

John Whitworth
Coursera
24 Courses 745 learners
LearningMate
Coursera
146 Courses 7,342 learners

Offered by

Coursera

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."