Advanced Course: Advanced Prompting
Advanced role-setting and behavior control
Role + behavior directives + uncertainty: from job title to job description.
Section 2: Advanced role-setting and behavior control
Section titled “Section 2: Advanced role-setting and behavior control”Learning objectives
- Distinguish a role without vs with behavior directives
- Combine role, behavior, uncertainty handling, and format
- Adapt role descriptions for complex tasks
A title without a job description gives generic responses.
Why is a job title rarely enough?
A strong role simultaneously controls:
- Tone (formal, empathetic, direct)
- Domain assumptions (what is taken for granted)
- Perspective (advisor vs reviewer)
- Behavior (how uncertainty, risks, and sources are handled)
Example: role with and without behavior
Without behavior directive
You are a lawyer. Analyze the attached contract.With behavior directive
You are an experienced procurement lawyer specializing in public procurement law and municipal contracts.
Behavior:- Always highlight legal risks and deviations first- If a legal interpretation is uncertain, state it explicitly and cite the relevant provision- Flag clauses that may conflict with applicable procurement regulations- Respond in the format [Risk] / [Assessment] / [Recommendation]Template: advanced role
You are [title/function] specializing in [domain].You help [who] with [what].
Behavior:- Base responses on [policy/regulations] and cite sources- If information is missing or you are uncertain – state it clearly- Recommend human review when [type of decision]- Respond in the format: [format]
Constraints:- Do not answer questions outside [scope]Checklist: title + domain, concrete behaviors, explicit handling of uncertainty, defined response format.
Try it yourself
Section titled “Try it yourself”Write a role using the template above with at least three behaviour directives. Then ask the same simple question twice: once of your new role, once of a prompt that states only the job title. Compare the answers.
Do the exercise in Intric, or any other AI chat. If you don’t have access yet, write the role now and test it when you do.
Summary
Section titled “Summary”- Role + behavior + uncertainty + format → expert-like consistency.
- A title declaration without a job description gives weak guardrails.
Test your knowledge
Question 1 of 2
A well-formulated role description affects several dimensions. Which is NOT one of them in this course?