From “Don’t Do” to “Do Well”: Designing Instructions That Make AI Useful
Instruction design turns a chaotic GPT into a reliable tool. Replace a 'don't do' list with a clear operating model: retrieve verbatim from the knowledge base, format consistently, handle exceptions, and test like software. Positive, explicit rules cut variance and improve UX.
In my previous post The Verde Archive bot, I shared how I built a custom retrieval GPT bot for my LinkedIn articles. What I did not explore then was the difference between having an enthusiastic but chaotic assistant, and having a reliable, focused tool.
That difference comes down to instruction design.