expert-instruction
Expert Instruction Design
Overview
Expert instruction design focuses on crafting system prompts that define how an AI agent behaves, what it can and cannot do, and how it responds across interactions. Unlike general prompt engineering (which optimizes individual queries), this skill covers the persistent behavioral layer that shapes an agent's identity, capabilities, and constraints.
When to use: Writing system prompts for AI products, defining agent personas for customer-facing tools, specifying behavioral guardrails, crafting tool-use guidance, or designing multi-step agent workflows.
When NOT to use: One-off prompt optimization (use the prompt skill), fine-tuning or training-time configuration, infrastructure-level safety (use model provider safety features), or tasks that do not involve LLM agent behavior.
Quick Reference
| Pattern | Purpose | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| Identity block | Define who the agent is | Role, expertise, communication style |
| Capability declaration | State what the agent can do | Explicit tool list, domain boundaries |
| Constraint specification | Define behavioral boundaries | Hard limits, soft preferences, escalation rules |
| Output format rules | Ensure consistent response structure | Templates, progressive disclosure, length limits |
| Tool use instructions | Guide when and how to use tools | Selection criteria, error handling, sequencing |
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