Systematically Improve Your RAG Applications¶

Stop Guessing. Start Building RAG That Actually Works.¶

Top rated AI course on Maven.com (4.7/5 stars, +200 students)

Confidently build and refine Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems that deliver real-world impact. Our 6-week, hands-on course takes you from the fundamentals of evaluating quality all the way through building stable, production-grade capabilities.

Enroll now on Maven (starts May 20)

What People Are Saying¶

"Jason helped us break down our vision into actionable steps, providing clear recommendations on the best models for each use case. His guidance gave us a tangible roadmap for our next steps and introduced practical techniques that drive continuous product improvements. Grateful for his expertise and support!" — Camu Team (a16z backed)

The Problem With RAG Today¶

Over the last few years, "RAG" has become a buzzword, but making these systems genuinely robust and effective often feels like guesswork. Most teams waste time on:

• ❌ Vague metrics like "make the AI better"
• ❌ Random experiments without data
• ❌ Focusing on generation while ignoring retrieval
• ❌ Building one-size-fits-all systems that underperform

This course cuts through the confusion by giving you a clear, repeatable process: from collecting the right data and generating synthetic evaluations, to gradually incorporating new retrieval indices, routing strategies, fine-tuned embeddings, and practical UX improvements.

What You'll Get¶

In just 6 weeks, you'll learn a proven system to:

• ✅ Build Proper Evaluations - Create synthetic data to measure real improvement
• ✅ Find What Matters - Segment queries to identify high-impact opportunities
• ✅ Improve Search Quality - Build specialized indices that actually retrieve what users need
• ✅ Collect Valuable Feedback - Design UI that generates continuous improvement data
• ✅ Optimize Embeddings - Fine-tune models that understand YOUR definition of relevance

Trusted by Professionals from Leading Organizations:¶

What Makes This Course Different¶

This isn't theory - it's a practical system used by leading companies to:

1. Stop treating RAG as an AI problem
   "RAG is really just a recommendation system squeezed between two LLMs"

2. Focus on what you can control
   Improve search quality first - generation quality follows automatically

3. Build improvement flywheels
   Create systems that get better with every user interaction

No more fumbling in the dark. This program shows you step-by-step how to:

1. Set up meaningful evaluations
2. Identify high-impact opportunities
3. Continuously refine retrieval
4. Integrate feedback loops
5. Enhance product experiences

Enroll now on Maven (starts May 20)

Not ready for a course? Check out my free RAG Playbook¶

Not ready to invest in a paid course yet? Start with my free RAG Playbook newsletter course. You'll get bite-sized lessons delivered straight to your inbox, covering the fundamentals of RAG systems and practical tips for improvement.

Free 6 Day RAG Crash Course

Once you're comfortable with the basics and ready to take your RAG skills to the next level, consider enrolling in our comprehensive course in February 2024.

What You'll Learn¶

Our six-week program is designed to take you from RAG basics to advanced implementation strategies. Perfect for those who deployed RAG systems and want to improve them and cover the last mile of RAG. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect:

Weeks 1-2: Foundations and Evaluation¶

• Synthetic Data Generation: Learn to create high-quality synthetic data for rapid testing and development. Understand the importance of diversity in your test sets and how to avoid common pitfalls.
• Fast Evaluation Techniques: Implement quick, iterative improvements using unit test-like evaluations. Focus on basic retrieval metrics like precision and recall to optimize your system efficiently.
• Query Segmentation: Discover how to categorize and analyze user queries to identify patterns and gaps in your system's performance. Learn to prioritize improvements based on impact, volume, and success likelihood.
• Metrics That Matter: Understand the difference between leading and lagging metrics. Learn how to set actionable goals that drive real improvements in your RAG system.

Weeks 3-4: Advanced Retrieval and Routing¶

• Specialized Indices: Build targeted indices for different content types (documents, images, tables) to improve retrieval accuracy. Learn advanced techniques for handling multimodal data.
• Query Routing: Implement sophisticated query routing systems using parallel function calling. Understand how to select the right tools and APIs for different query types.
• Combining Search Methods: Master the art of blending lexical, semantic, and metadata-based search for optimal results. Learn when and how to use re-rankers effectively.
• Structured Data Extraction: Explore techniques for extracting and leveraging structured data from various sources to enhance your RAG capabilities.

Week 5: Fine-tuning and Embeddings¶

• Embedding Model Optimization: Learn when and how to fine-tune embedding models for your specific use case. Understand the impact of domain-specific data on model performance.
• Data Collection Strategies: Implement effective feedback mechanisms and logging systems to gather valuable data for future improvements.
• Re-ranker Implementation: Discover how to fine-tune and implement re-rankers for better search results. Learn about the latest advancements in ranking technologies.
• Representation Learning: Dive deep into the nuances of creating effective representations for various entities in your system, from user queries to document summaries.

Week 6: Product Design and User Experience¶

• Feedback Collection: Design intuitive and effective feedback mechanisms to continuously improve your system. Learn how to incentivize user feedback without disrupting the experience.
• Streaming Implementations: Implement streaming for improved user experience and perceived performance. Understand the psychological impacts of responsiveness on user satisfaction.
• Advanced Prompting Techniques: Master the art of crafting effective prompts, including chain-of-thought reasoning and dynamic few-shot learning.
• UI/UX Best Practices: Explore cutting-edge UI/UX designs for RAG applications, including innovative ways to display citations, confidence levels, and alternative answers.

Why This Course?¶

In the rapidly evolving field of AI and machine learning, staying ahead means mastering the fundamentals while keeping pace with the latest advancements. Our course offers:

• Practical, Hands-on Learning: Every concept is accompanied by real-world examples and exercises. You'll be implementing and testing ideas from day one.
• Industry-Relevant Case Studies: Learn from actual scenarios encountered in production environments at leading tech companies.
• Expert Instruction: Benefit from 12 hours of dedicated time with instructors who have years of experience in building and optimizing RAG systems.
• Community of Professionals: Connect with a diverse group of peers from companies like Amazon, Adobe, and Zapier. Share insights, challenges, and solutions in a collaborative environment.
• Cutting-edge Content: Stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in RAG, including advanced embedding techniques, multi-modal retrieval, and emerging evaluation metrics.
• Personalized Feedback: Receive tailored advice on your specific RAG challenges through interactive Q&A sessions and project reviews.

More From Our Students¶

Risk-Free Guarantee¶

We're so confident in the value of this course that we offer a money-back guarantee. If you don't feel you're making significant progress in improving your RAG applications after 4 weeks, we'll refund your course fee, no questions asked.

Secure Your Team's Spot Today¶

The field of RAG is evolving quickly. Don't fall behind.

Enroll now on Maven (starts May 20)