Writing instructions and persona
Assistant Creator Manage assistants Since 0.1.0
An assistant’s instructions are the single biggest lever on how well it works. They set its role, its voice, and the rules it follows.
What to include
Section titled “What to include”- Role: who the assistant is and the job it does, in one or two sentences.
- Scope: what it should and shouldn’t help with, so it stays on task.
- Voice: how it should sound (plain, formal, brief) and any wording to use or avoid.
- Rules: must-dos and must-not-dos: cite sources, ask for missing details, never guess at figures.
- Be specific. “Answer HR policy questions using the handbook and always cite the section” beats “be helpful”.
- Tell it what to do when it doesn’t know, ask a clarifying question, or say it can’t help.
- Keep it as short as it can be while still clear; long instructions dilute the important parts.