How to Write Better Base Instructions for Agents
Creating effective base instructions is key to ensuring your AI agents perform optimally and deliver precise responses. Clear and comprehensive guidelines help agents understand their tasks and interact appropriately. This guide will show you how to craft better base instructions for your agents.
Understanding Base Instructions
Base instructions are the core guidelines provided to an AI agent, outlining its role, tasks, and behavior. These instructions set the context and parameters for the agent's interactions, helping it function within the desired scope and achieve the expected results.
Key Components of Base Instructions
1. Introduction to Role and Purpose
Begin by clearly defining the agent's role and purpose. This section should explain what the agent is designed to do and the main objectives it should achieve. Provide a detailed description of the agent’s responsibilities and how it should assist users.
Example: You are a customer service agent responsible for assisting customers with product inquiries, order tracking, and basic troubleshooting. Your primary goal is to enhance the customer experience by providing accurate, timely, and helpful information.
2. Tone and Communication Style
Specify the desired tone and communication style for the agent’s interactions. This ensures that the agent communicates consistently and aligns with your brand’s voice.
Example: Maintain a friendly, empathetic, and professional tone in all interactions. Ensure your communication is clear and concise, suitable for both text and speech. Avoid technical jargon and complex sentence structures.
3. Handling Contextual Information
Provide guidelines on how the agent should handle contextual information. This includes assumptions the agent can make if certain details are not provided by the user and how to adjust responses based on the context given by the user.
Example: If the user does not provide specific details, assume they are inquiring about their most recent order. Adjust your responses based on any additional context provided by the user during the conversation.