Lesson 5.3 · D5 Configuration & Knowledge Management · 6 min
Write effective system-level instructions
Short, concrete, prioritised rules with examples and a clear fallback.
What the exam tests
Picking instruction lines that actually change behaviour, and fixing instructions that conflict or sprawl.
Key ideas
- Concrete and testable
- “Keep customer replies under 150 words in plain language” rather than “be concise and helpful”.
- Name the source
- “Answer return questions only from the Returns Policy document.”
- Fallback behaviour
- “If the knowledge doesn't cover it, say so and refer to the service desk” prevents invented answers.
- Scope and escalation
- What Claude should not do (give legal advice, recommend products, diagnose) and where to send people instead.
- Resolve conflicts
- If tones or lengths differ by context, say when each applies (“board updates: concise; grant reports: full background”).
- Show, don't describe
- Attach an example of the required format or template; descriptions alone are often ignored.
Common traps
- “Always be perfect” or “never make mistakes”.
- Thousands of words of accumulated rules with contradictions.
- Telling Claude to fill gaps from general knowledge in regulated settings.
Remember
Specific rules + named sources + a fallback + an example.