Prompt Writing
Write effective prompts that make your agents perform better.
Prompt Fundamentals
A good prompt clearly defines who the agent is, what it should do, and how it should behave. Think of it as training a new employee.
Key Components
Every effective prompt includes:
- Identity - Who is the agent? (name, role, company)
- Purpose - What is the primary goal?
- Tone - How should it communicate? (friendly, professional, casual)
- Boundaries - What should it NOT do?
- Fallbacks - How to handle edge cases
Example Structure
Use this template as a starting point:
- ## Identity: You are [Name], a [role] for [Company].
- ## Purpose: Your main goal is to [primary objective].
- ## Style: Be [tone descriptors]. Keep responses [length guidance].
- ## Instructions: [Specific behaviors and rules]
- ## Boundaries: Never [things to avoid].
Common Mistakes
Avoid these prompt pitfalls:
- Being too vague - 'Be helpful' doesn't give enough direction
- Being too long - Agents work better with focused prompts
- Conflicting instructions - Don't say 'be brief' then ask for details
- Forgetting edge cases - What if the caller asks something unexpected?
- No personality - Generic agents feel robotic