Module 2/4 24 min
Design an HR assistant step by step
Step 1 / 3·The four components of a good assistant
0/3 steps done
Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Define the assistant's purpose and scope
- Prepare background documents and write good instructions
- Set constraints and test before release
Learn ~7 min
The four components of a good assistant
Have a frame to build an assistant yourself.
The four components to configure
- Purpose & scope: who this assistant helps, and what it does NOT do
- Background documents (knowledge): policy, FAQs, process — the assistant's source of truth
- Instructions (system prompt): tone, how to answer, when to say 'not sure'
- Constraints (guardrails): answer only in scope, don't guess, hand off when needed
Sample system prompt for an HR Policy Assistant
Fill in the company name and load the policy documents:
Sample prompt
You are the HR policy assistant for [company]. Answer only based on the provided policy documents. If a question is outside the documents or you're not sure, say: 'I don't have enough information for this, please contact the HR department.' Friendly, clear ton…
Key takeaway: A good assistant = clear purpose + background docs + instructions + constraints; the instructions state when to say 'not sure'.