Best practices for using instructions to influence AI agent responses (Legacy)

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">Instructions let you control AI agent behavior in ways beyond thedefault persona options. This article discusses best practices for creating effective instructions and gives you examples of good and bad instructions.</p>
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<div class="note attention" id="instructions_best_practices__note_y4y_fbj_4fc">
<span class="attentiontitle"></span> <span class="ph">This article describes functionality that moved into
legacy status on July 31, 2025. On December 10, 2026, this functionality will no
longer be available. For more information, see <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10487730059034" target="_blank">this announcement</a>.</span>
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<p class="p">Instructions let you control AI agent behavior in ways beyond the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8753435048474" target="_blank">default persona options</a>. This article discusses best
practices for creating effective instructions and gives you examples of good and bad
instructions. </p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="instructions_best_practices__ul_gqw_tnj_4fc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_wbp_vnj_4fc">Best practices for creating effective instructions</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_bpd_xnj_4fc">Examples of good and bad instructions</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Related articles: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="instructions_best_practices__ul_qlq_ynj_4fc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9203004883994" target="_blank">Using instructions to influence AI agent
responses</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_wbp_vnj_4fc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Best practices for creating effective instructions</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">To get the best results from your instructions, keep the following best practices in
mind: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_wbp_vnj_4fc__ul_wy5_b4j_4fc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_jng_ytc_hgc">Write instructions in English</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_jmc_c4j_4fc">Remember the purpose of instructions</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_p5x_f4j_4fc">Be clear and direct</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_kn3_h4j_4fc">Use capitalization for emphasis</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_jty_34j_4fc">Create one instruction per directive</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ah1_k4j_4fc">Avoid conflicting instructions</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_nmb_l4j_4fc">Use existing features appropriately</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ax3_m4j_4fc">Always test your instructions</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested2" id="topic_jng_ytc_hgc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title3">Write instructions in English</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Instructions should always be created in English, regardless of any other AI
agent language settings. Instructions written in English produce better results
because the underlying AI model is currently better tuned for the English
language.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested2" id="topic_jmc_c4j_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title4">Remember the purpose of instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Instructions allow you to refine an AI agent's responses beyond just tone of
voice. They can enforce specific language, avoid certain phrases, or ensure key
information is included in replies. </p>
<p class="p">What instructions can’t do, however, is fundamentally change the content returned
by the AI agent. For example, instructions cannot be used to search a different
knowledge source or to cause an escalation. </p>
<p class="p">Instructions are applied after the AI agent has understood the end user’s
message, queried a knowledge source accordingly, and generated an answer ready
to be sent back to the end user. At this point in the process, instructions can
be used to shape—but not fundamentally change—the way that answer is presented
to the end user.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested2" id="topic_p5x_f4j_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title5">Be clear and direct</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When crafting instructions, clarity is key. Use straightforward language and
direct commands. </p>
<p class="p">For example, instead of saying: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_p5x_f4j_4fc__ul_nyx_s4j_4fc">
<li class="li">"I want the AI to always use our brand name." </li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Say this instead: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_p5x_f4j_4fc__ul_vvr_s4j_4fc">
<li class="li">"ALWAYS use 'Acme Labs™' instead of 'Acme.'" </li>
</ul>
<p class="p">A direct approach helps the AI understand and implement your instructions more
effectively. </p>
<p class="p">That said, expect your instructions and tone of voice settings to be interpreted
as strong guidance rather than rigid commands. Due to the way generative AI
works, your AI agents might not execute every instruction perfectly every time,
so it’s important to maintain realistic expectations about their performance and
test them thoroughly. </p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_kn3_h4j_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">Use capitalization for emphasis</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When you want to stress certain behaviors in your instructions, using
capitalization can be effective. For example, instructing the AI agent to
"ALWAYS include a link" will highlight the importance of that directive. </p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested2" id="topic_jty_34j_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title7">Create one instruction per directive</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Instead of including multiple directives in a single instruction, break them down
into separate instructions. Ensure that each instruction contains no more than a
single directive. This approach: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_jty_34j_4fc__ul_icl_54j_4fc">
<li class="li">Enhances the likelihood that the AI agent will respect your instructions. </li>
<li class="li">Makes it easier for you to edit and manage instructions over time. </li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title8" class="topic nested2" id="topic_ah1_k4j_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title8">Avoid conflicting instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Ensure that your instructions don’t contradict each other. For example, don’t
write an instruction that says to end all messages with a smiley face if you
have another instruction that says not to use emojis. </p>
<p class="p">Also, make sure your instructions don’t conflict with your chosen <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8753435048474-Customizing-an-AI-agent-s-persona-to-add-personality-to-AI-generated-responses#:~:text=Under-,Tone%20of%20voice,-%2C%20select%20one%20of" target="_blank">tone of voice</a>. For example, if you
configured the AI agent’s tone of voice to be informal, avoid instructions that
suggest overly formal or abrupt responses. Consistency in messaging is crucial
for a seamless customer experience. </p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title9" class="topic nested2" id="topic_nmb_l4j_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title9">Use existing features appropriately</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Remember that instructions are not a substitute for other features. For specific
tasks like customizing the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8774095741466" target="_blank">standard responses</a> or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8753435048474" target="_blank">persona</a>, use the designated features
instead of relying on instructions. </p>
<p class="p">In particular, take full advantage of the available persona settings, including
business profile, tone of voice, and reply length. These features help define
how your AI agent interacts with customers, enhancing the overall user
experience. </p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title10" class="topic nested2" id="topic_ax3_m4j_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title10">Always test your instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Before making any instruction active, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9203004883994#topic_snd_bdj_4fc" target="_blank">test the individual instruction and all
your instructions together</a> to see how the AI agent responds. Testing
helps you identify any issues with wording or clarity. If an instruction doesn’t
yield the expected outcome, try rephrasing it. The wording of an instruction
plays a significant role in determining how an AI agent responds. </p>
<p class="p">After publishing your AI agent, continue to monitor its interactions with end
users. If certain instructions aren’t performing as expected, revisit and tweak
them. The AI agent’s effectiveness can improve over time with careful
adjustments based on real-world usage.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title11" class="topic nested1" id="topic_bpd_xnj_4fc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title11">Examples of good and bad instructions</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Below are examples of instructions, some good and some bad. Each example also
includes an analysis of how following or ignoring the best practices above impact
the instruction’s effectiveness.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title12" class="topic nested2" id="topic_c3p_bpj_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title12">Good instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_c3p_bpj_4fc__ul_tf2_hpj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: ALWAYS say “Enjoy your flight!” at the end of your message
<ul class="ul" id="topic_c3p_bpj_4fc__ul_bkm_hpj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s good</strong>: Uses capitalization for emphasis. </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_c3p_bpj_4fc__ul_i5y_hpj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: When your answer is a list of step-by-step instructions,
always list them as 1, 2, 3 regardless of the formatting of the source. <ul class="ul" id="topic_c3p_bpj_4fc__ul_xpf_3pj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s good</strong>: Clear and direct. </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_c3p_bpj_4fc__ul_zcm_3pj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: At FinanceCo, we cannot offer any financial advice ever.
Make sure you NEVER give the user financial advice of any kind. If you think
an answer could be construed as financial advice, make sure to add a
disclaimer at the beginning that says “Please note, we cannot provide
financial advice.” followed by a new paragraph. <ul class="ul" id="topic_c3p_bpj_4fc__ul_ip5_3pj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s good</strong>: Uses capitalization for emphasis. Though note
that, as mentioned above, instructions cannot be 100% foolproof, so
expect some potential instances of the AI agent not including the
disclaimer when you might want it to. </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title13" class="topic nested2" id="topic_kwz_cpj_4fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title13">Bad instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_kwz_cpj_4fc__ul_a4g_mpj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: You can use emojis, but only if they are more likely to be
appropriate than not. Decide yourself. <ul class="ul" id="topic_kwz_cpj_4fc__ul_i5k_mpj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s bad</strong>: The language is too vague and leaves too much
up to interpretation. </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_kwz_cpj_4fc__ul_jz4_mpj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: Always welcome the user. <ul class="ul" id="topic_kwz_cpj_4fc__ul_qht_mpj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s bad</strong>: This conflicts with the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8774095741466#topic_z34_zcd_f2c" target="_blank">greeting message feature</a>.
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_kwz_cpj_4fc__ul_ilz_mpj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: Always escalate to an agent if the user mentions being
hacked. <ul class="ul" id="topic_kwz_cpj_4fc__ul_tvc_npj_4fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s bad</strong>: Instructions cannot trigger escalations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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