Prompt

A prompt functions as a basic instruction for an assistant that defines what it should do and how it should respond. The prompt establishes the use case and controls how the assistant should act and respond. The prompt is an instruction to your digital colleague. The clearer you are, the better results you’ll get.

Use this prompt guide when formulating a prompt:

1. What? (Task) What do you want the assistant to do? Describe the task clearly and specifically
2. Why? (Context) Why are we doing this? Provide background information or the purpose of the task
3. How? (Format) How do you want the answer to look? How should the assistant format and structure
4. Who? (Persona) Who should the assistant act as? Define the assistant’s role or area of expertise
5. What tone? What tone should the answer have? Specify the desired style or feeling in the answer

Tip: There’s a template called “Prompt Expert” in Intric that you can use to get help writing your prompt.

Iterative process: Don’t get stuck on perfection. Write a draft, test the assistant, go back and edit. Ask the assistant to ask follow-up questions if something is unclear. You can also include “negative instructions” (what it must not do, e.g., “Don’t make up facts”).

Learn the art of writing good instructions for your assistant through the video below. The video covers the most important components of a prompt and shows how you use the “Prompt Expert” template to quickly create an effective instruction without starting from a blank page.