/template-design

name: template-design
description: Creating reusable, parameterised prompt templates for consistent outputs.

Template Design

A prompt template is a reusable prompt structure with variable slots that get filled at runtime. Templates create consistency across similar tasks and make prompt management scalable.

Template Anatomy

A template has:

• **Fixed text**: The parts that stay the same every time (instructions, format, role)
• **Variables**: Slots that get filled with specific content (user input, retrieved data, configuration)
• **Conditional sections**: Parts that appear or disappear based on context
• **Default values**: What fills a variable if no specific value is provided

Designing Variables

Each variable should be:

• **Named clearly**: `{user_query}` not `{input1}`
• **Typed**: Is it free text, a selection from options, a number, a boolean?
• **Bounded**: What are valid values? What's the maximum length?
• **Documented**: What is this variable for? Where does its value come from?
• **Defaulted**: What happens if the value is missing?

Template Patterns

• **Task template**: A template for a specific type of task. Variables capture the task-specific details while instructions remain constant.
• **Persona template**: A template where the persona is variable but the task structure is fixed. Useful for multi-persona products.
• **Format template**: A template where the output format is variable but the analysis approach is fixed.
• **Escalation template**: A base template with additional sections that activate at higher complexity levels.

Template Composition

Complex prompts can be built from smaller templates:

• **Base template**: Core instructions that apply to everything
• **Task overlay**: Task-specific instructions layered on top
• **Context injection**: Retrieved information inserted at a specific point
• **User preferences**: Personal settings that modify behavior

Template Quality Criteria

• **Consistency**: The template produces reliably similar outputs for similar inputs
• **Flexibility**: The variables allow enough variation for diverse use cases
• **Clarity**: The template is easy to read, maintain, and modify
• **Testability**: You can verify the template works with a standard set of test inputs
• **Maintainability**: Changes to one part don't break other parts

Design Artefacts

• Template library with documentation
• Variable specifications per template
• Test input sets for each template
• Template versioning and change log
• Composition rules for combining templates