\n| \u26a0\ufe0f\u00a0 Critical Rule<\/b><\/p>\n If your agent needs to use skills, you must use Harness Mode. Planning Mode does not support skill delegation. This is the most common configuration mistake new SimplAI builders make.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n How to Structure an Agent Profile the Right Way<\/b><\/h3>\nA well-structured agent profile has three components and nothing more:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Role definition: <\/b>what the agent is and who it serves (e.g., “You are an enterprise content strategist specializing in B2B SaaS blog writing”)<\/span><\/li>\n
- Expertise scope: <\/b>the domains the agent understands (e.g., SEO, competitive analysis, thought leadership content)<\/span><\/li>\n
- Behavioural principles: <\/b>how the agent communicates and makes decisions at a high level (e.g., “Always prioritize factual accuracy over creative flair”)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n Everything else \u2014 specific workflows, tool instructions, step-by-step task logic \u2014 belongs in a skill.<\/span><\/p>\nReal Example: Blog Writer Agent with Multiple Skills<\/b><\/h3>\nHere is how a production blog writer agent is correctly structured on SimplAI:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n| Component<\/b><\/td>\n | Content<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Agent Profile<\/span><\/td>\n | “You are a B2B content specialist who writes authoritative, data-backed blog articles for enterprise SaaS companies. You prioritize factual accuracy, structured arguments, and conversion-focused writing.”<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Skill 1 \u2014 SEO Optimization<\/span><\/td>\n | Keyword research workflow, heading structure rules, keyword density targets, meta description generation, internal link requirements<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Skill 2 \u2014 Competitive Analysis<\/span><\/td>\n | Competitor content audit steps, gap identification logic, differentiation angle generation<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Skill 3 \u2014 Content Repurposing<\/span><\/td>\n | Steps to convert blog to LinkedIn carousel, email newsletter, Twitter thread, and short-form video script<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Skill 4 \u2014 Media Brief Generation<\/span><\/td>\n | Instructions for generating image prompts, infographic outlines, and video thumbnail descriptions<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n Notice how the agent profile is three sentences. The skills contain all the operational complexity. This structure means you can swap out any skill \u2014 update your SEO workflow when Google algorithm changes \u2014 without touching the agent profile or any other skill.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lesson 2: Creating and Managing Skills<\/b><\/h2>\nLesson 2 is where you get hands-on. You will learn the full lifecycle of a skill: how to write it, configure it, choose its execution mode, and manage it as your agent grows.<\/span><\/p>\nAnatomy of a Well-Written Skill<\/b><\/h3>\nEvery skill on SimplAI has three key parts. Getting all three right is what separates skills that work reliably from skills that produce inconsistent outputs:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n| Skill Component<\/b><\/td>\n | What It Contains<\/b><\/td>\n | Common Mistakes<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Skill Name<\/span><\/td>\n | Short, descriptive, action-oriented (“SEO Content Optimizer”, not “Skill 1”)<\/span><\/td>\n | Vague names like ‘Helper’ or ‘Tool A’<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Skill Description<\/span><\/td>\n | 1-2 sentences defining the skill’s purpose and when the agent should invoke it<\/span><\/td>\n | Too long, too vague, or overlapping with other skills<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Skill Instructions<\/span><\/td>\n | Full execution logic: step-by-step workflow, conditionals, output format requirements, quality criteria<\/span><\/td>\n | Missing steps, assuming the agent will fill in gaps<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n Deep Dive: The SEO Optimization Skill<\/b><\/h3>\nThe SEO Optimization skill from the blog writer example is a perfect template for how detailed skill instructions should be. Here is what a production-grade SEO skill instruction set covers automatically:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Keyword identification: <\/b>scan the brief for primary and secondary keywords; if none provided, generate 3 primary and 5 secondary keywords based on the topic and target audience<\/span><\/li>\n
- Content structure: <\/b>enforce H1 > H2 > H3 hierarchy; ensure the primary keyword appears in the H1, at least two H2s, and the first paragraph<\/span><\/li>\n
- Keyword placement: <\/b>primary keyword in title, first 100 words, at least two subheadings, and the conclusion; secondary keywords distributed naturally<\/span><\/li>\n
- Meta description: <\/b>generate a 150-160 character meta description containing the primary keyword and a clear value proposition<\/span><\/li>\n
- Internal link brief: <\/b>identify 3-5 topics for internal links based on the content; flag if internal link targets need to be provided by the user<\/span><\/li>\n
- Readability check: <\/b>flag paragraphs exceeding 5 sentences; suggest bullet conversion for lists of 3 or more items<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
All of this runs automatically, every time, without the user needing to prompt for any of it. That is the power of a well-written skill.<\/span><\/p>\nIn-Context Execution vs. Sub-Agent Execution: The Full Breakdown<\/b><\/h3>\nThis is the most technically important decision in skill configuration. Most teams default to in-context without understanding what they are giving up.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n| Factor<\/b><\/td>\n | In-Context Execution<\/b><\/td>\n | Sub-Agent Execution<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Memory access<\/span><\/td>\n | Full parent conversation history available<\/span><\/td>\n | Independent memory \u2014 starts fresh<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Context window<\/span><\/td>\n | Shares parent agent’s context window<\/span><\/td>\n | Separate context window<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Best for<\/span><\/td>\n | Short tasks, lookups, content formatting<\/span><\/td>\n | Long workflows, document generation, multi-step research<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Conversation length<\/span><\/td>\n | Short to medium conversations<\/span><\/td>\n | Long conversations without token pressure<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Execution isolation<\/span><\/td>\n | No isolation \u2014 can see all prior messages<\/span><\/td>\n | Fully isolated \u2014 cleaner, more predictable<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Debugging<\/span><\/td>\n | Harder \u2014 mixed with parent context<\/span><\/td>\n | Easier \u2014 clean isolated traces<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Real-world example<\/span><\/td>\n | SEO keyword check, tone adjustment, meta tag generation<\/span><\/td>\n | Full blog research, competitive audit, multi-document synthesis<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n \n\n\n| \ud83c\udfaf\u00a0 Decision Framework: Which Mode to Choose?<\/b><\/p>\n Ask yourself three questions:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Will this skill need to reference things said earlier in the conversation? \u2192 In-Context<\/span><\/li>\n
- Will this skill run for more than 5-6 back-and-forth exchanges? \u2192 Sub-Agent<\/span><\/li>\n
- Does this skill do one clean task with a defined output? \u2192 Either works; default to Sub-Agent for cleanliness<\/span><\/li>\n
- Is this a complex workflow with multiple tool calls and conditional steps? \u2192 Sub-Agent<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/p>\n Managing Skills: The Full Lifecycle<\/b><\/h3>\nSimplAI gives you complete control over every skill attached to an agent. Here is what you can do and when:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n| Action<\/b><\/td>\n | When to Use It<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Add a skill<\/span><\/td>\n | When you identify a new task the agent needs to handle consistently<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Edit skill instructions<\/span><\/td>\n | When a workflow changes, new requirements emerge, or quality improves needed<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Enable \/ Disable a skill<\/span><\/td>\n | A\/B testing skill variations, seasonal workflows, or temporarily pausing a task<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Remove a skill<\/span><\/td>\n | When a task is deprecated or merged into another skill<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Reorder skills<\/span><\/td>\n | When skill invocation priority matters for overlapping task types<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n Lesson 3: Exceptions, Preview, and Tracing<\/b><\/h2>\nThe third lesson is what separates builders who ship demo-grade agents from builders who ship production-grade agents. Testing, tracing, and exception handling are not optional extras \u2014 they are the quality layer that makes your agents trustworthy at enterprise scale.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat Is the Preview Feature and Why Does It Matter?<\/b><\/h3>\nBefore you publish any agent, you can run it in Preview Mode. This gives you a live sandbox where you can interact with the agent exactly as a real user would \u2014 but without any of the outputs leaving your workspace.<\/span><\/p>\nIn Preview, you can:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Send prompts and see exactly what the agent returns<\/span><\/li>\n
- Verify that the correct skill is being invoked for each request<\/span><\/li>\n
- Check that exceptions are being applied correctly to outputs<\/span><\/li>\n
- Copy, download, like, or dislike individual outputs to collect internal feedback before launch<\/span><\/li>\n
- Catch configuration errors \u2014 wrong skill routing, missing context, exception conflicts \u2014 before users see them<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n \n\n\n| Best Practice: Always preview with at least 5 different prompt types before publishing<\/b><\/p>\n Cover edge cases: shortest possible input, longest expected input, ambiguous input, off-topic input, and your most common real-world use case. If the agent handles all five correctly, it is ready to publish.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n Tracing: Full Visibility Into Every Agent Execution<\/b><\/h3>\nThe Tracing feature is your debugging and audit tool. It gives you a complete, step-by-step log of everything that happened during an agent session \u2014 which skills were called, which tools ran, what inputs went in, and what outputs came out.<\/span><\/p>\nTrace data captures:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n| Trace Element<\/b><\/td>\n | What It Shows You<\/b><\/td>\n | Why It Matters<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Skill calls<\/span><\/td>\n | Which skill was invoked, with what inputs, at what point in the conversation<\/span><\/td>\n | Verify correct skill routing and invocation triggers<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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