Advanced role-setting and behavior control

📄 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

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

• Role + behavior + uncertainty + format → expert-like consistency.
• A title declaration without a job description gives weak guardrails.

Test your knowledge

2 questions · 100% correct to pass · Review your answers when done

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