Writing Effective Prompts and Instructions for AI Assistants
Overview
AI Assistants are flexible tools designed to retrieve and generate information based on configured instructions and knowledge bases. Because there is no single "correct" way to write prompts or instructions, this guide provides best practices for both configuring AI Assistants and writing prompts.
Additionally, because AI Assistants work best when continuously refined, this guide also includes strategies for improving Assistants over time and ensuring they remain aligned with business needs.
Best Practices for Writing AI Assistant Instructions
Admins setting up AI Assistants should provide clear, structured, and constraint-driven instructions to ensure predictable behavior. Here are key guidelines:
Define the Assistant’s Role Clearly
✅ "You are the RFP Assistant. You assist employees by retrieving past RFP responses and providing company-approved answers."
Specify the Knowledge Base Scope
✅ "Only respond based on the uploaded knowledge base. Do not provide external recommendations."
Outline Key Tasks & Capabilities
✅ "You help employees retrieve past case studies and summarize key messaging points from previous marketing materials."
Guide Response Formatting
✅ "Organize responses in bullet points for clarity and cite relevant documents where applicable."
Anticipate Edge Cases & Avoid Overgeneralization
✅ "If a user asks a question outside the scope of available documentation, inform them that the requested information is unavailable and suggest they contact [relevant team]."
Prevent Speculative or Inaccurate Responses
✅ "Do not generate new policies or modify existing responses. Only retrieve and present information as written in the uploaded knowledge base."
By following these principles, admins can ensure Assistants remain focused, reliable, and aligned with company-approved content.
Best Practices for Writing Prompts
Employees interacting with AI Assistants should phrase their prompts in a way that ensures clear, relevant, and useful responses. Here’s how to optimize prompt-writing:
Be Specific About the Information Needed
✅ "What is the correct process for handling a customer refund?"
❌ "Tell me about refunds." (Too vague)
Use Keywords That Relate to Uploaded Content
✅ "Find past blog posts about sustainability initiatives."
❌ "What are some general sustainability trends?" (Might not retrieve company-specific data)
Use Step-by-Step Requests for Complex Topics
✅ "List the steps for processing a customer refund according to our policy."
❌ "How do I handle refunds?" (Too broad—Assistant may miss details)
Avoid Multi-Question Prompts in a Single Query
✅ "What is our standard process for refunding a customer?"
❌ "How do we process a refund, when does it get approved, and who should the customer contact if they have a problem?"
Clarify What Type of Answer Is Needed
✅ "Summarize our policy on data retention in 3-4 sentences."
❌ "Tell me about data retention."
Ask Follow-Up Questions to Refine Responses
✅ "That’s helpful—can you clarify the timeframe for refunds?"
By guiding users to ask focused, structured questions, organizations can improve the quality of AI-generated responses and enhance productivity.
Managing & Refining AI Assistants
AI Assistants are not static tools—they work best when continuously improved based on real-world interactions. Regular updates to instructions, prompts, and knowledge bases help ensure accuracy and effectiveness.
Regularly Improve the Assistant Based on Feedback
Start with a Baseline, Then Iterate
Begin with clear instructions and structured prompts, then adjust based on user feedback
Monitor AI Performance
Track whether employees are getting accurate, useful answers
Identify and adjust instructions that lead to unclear or incomplete responses
Expand and Update the Knowledge Base
If users frequently ask about a topic that isn’t well-documented, add relevant content
Keep policies, procedures, and messaging aligned with the latest company updates
By continuously refining the Assistant, organizations can ensure AI remains a trusted and effective tool for employees.
Setting AI Usage Guidelines for Your Organization
Since AI Assistants are highly flexible, organizations should consider defining internal AI usage policies to ensure employees understand when, how, and to what extent they should rely on AI-generated responses.
Define Internal AI Usage Expectations
Should employees use AI strictly for information retrieval, or can they rely on AI-generated content with human oversight?
Are there specific topics or scenarios where AI responses should always be reviewed before being used externally?
Ensure Employees Are Trained on Effective AI Use
Provide guidance on how to write clear, structured prompts for the best results
Educate employees on AI limitations and when to escalate questions to a manager
Reinforce Responsible AI Use
Make sure employees understand that AI outputs are only as reliable as the knowledge base provided
Encourage employees to verify AI-generated responses for accuracy and compliance with company policies
By setting clear AI policies and ensuring employees are properly informed, companies can maximize AI’s value while maintaining accuracy, security, and trust in its responses.
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