Business workflows need different prompt roles, not one growing system message.
Types
| Type | Role | Example |
|---|---|---|
| System / policy | Non-negotiable rules | “Never quote pricing not in retrieved docs.” |
| Task | Goal and output contract for one run | “Produce JSON with fields A–D.” |
| Retrieval | Query formulation for search | “Find KB articles tagged refund.” |
| Checker | Validate draft against rules | “List unsupported claims.” |
| Transformation | Format or tone adjust | “Convert bullets to executive summary.” |
Practice
- Version each type separately.
- Do not merge policy into task prompts ad hoc—policy should be a maintained pack.
- Run checker prompts on high-risk outputs before send.