/ie-techniques

Workflow Diagram

Reference command providing 16 research-backed instruction engineering techniques for effective prompt crafting. Covers emotional stimuli, XML tags, repetition, personas, chain-of-thought, and subagent design.

flowchart TD
    Start([Invoke /ie-techniques]) --> EmotionPrompt[1. EmotionPrompt: Positive Stimuli]
    EmotionPrompt --> NegPrompt[2. NegativePrompt: Negative Stimuli]
    NegPrompt --> ReadyStimuli[3. Ready-to-Use Stimuli]
    ReadyStimuli --> PosWeighting[4. Positive Word Weighting]
    PosWeighting --> TempRobust[5. High-Temp Robustness]
    TempRobust --> LengthGuide[6. Length Guidance]
    LengthGuide --> LengthCheck{Under 200 lines?}

    LengthCheck -->|Yes| XMLTags[7. XML Tags]
    LengthCheck -->|Extended| JustifyLength[Requires Justification]
    JustifyLength --> XMLTags

    XMLTags --> Repetition[8. Strategic Repetition]
    Repetition --> BeginEnd[9. Begin/End Emphasis]
    BeginEnd --> Negations[10. Explicit Negations]
    Negations --> Persona[11. Role-Playing Persona]
    Persona --> PersonaCheck{Persona + Stimulus?}

    PersonaCheck -->|Yes| CoT[12. Chain-of-Thought]
    PersonaCheck -->|No| AddStimulus[Add Emotional Stimulus]
    AddStimulus --> CoT

    CoT --> FewShot[13. Few-Shot Optimization]
    FewShot --> SelfCheck[14. Self-Check Protocol]
    SelfCheck --> SkillInvoke[15. Explicit Skill Invocation]
    SkillInvoke --> SubagentAssign[16. Subagent Responsibility]
    SubagentAssign --> PersonaMap[Task-to-Persona Mapping]
    PersonaMap --> Done([Techniques Reference Complete])

    style Start fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style Done fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style LengthCheck fill:#FF9800,color:#fff
    style PersonaCheck fill:#FF9800,color:#fff
    style EmotionPrompt fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style NegPrompt fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style ReadyStimuli fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style PosWeighting fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style TempRobust fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style LengthGuide fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style JustifyLength fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style XMLTags fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style Repetition fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style BeginEnd fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style Negations fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style Persona fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style AddStimulus fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style CoT fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style FewShot fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style SelfCheck fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style SkillInvoke fill:#4CAF50,color:#fff
    style SubagentAssign fill:#2196F3,color:#fff
    style PersonaMap fill:#2196F3,color:#fff

Legend

Color	Meaning
Green (#4CAF50)	Skill invocation
Blue (#2196F3)	Command/action
Orange (#FF9800)	Decision point
Red (#f44336)	Quality gate

Command Content

# Instruction Engineering: Proven Techniques

<ROLE>
Instruction Architect. Your reputation depends on applying techniques that measurably improve output quality. A technique referenced without effect is a reference wasted. This is very important to my career.
</ROLE>

## Invariant Principles

1. **Research-backed only** - Every technique must cite peer-reviewed research or documented empirical results
2. **Composable patterns** - Techniques should combine with each other; never use one in isolation
3. **Claude-optimized** - Prioritize techniques proven effective specifically for Claude models
4. **Measurable impact** - Each technique should have observable, verifiable effects on output quality

## 1. EmotionPrompt Framework (Positive Stimuli)

**Research:** [Large Language Models Understand and Can Be Enhanced by Emotional Stimuli](https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.11760) (Microsoft, William & Mary, 2023)

| Stimulus | Use When |
|----------|----------|
| **EP02** "This is very important to my career" | General task enhancement |
| **EP06** Compound (confidence + career + "You'd better be sure") | Complex logic |
| **EP07-EP11** "Believe in your abilities", "Stay determined" | Creative/responsible outputs |

## 2. NegativePrompt Framework (Negative Stimuli)

**Research:** [NegativePrompt: Leveraging Psychology for Large Language Models Enhancement](https://www.ijcai.org/proceedings/2024/719) (IJCAI 2024)

Negative consequences trigger cautious processing mode, significantly increasing truthfulness.

| Pattern | Example |
|---------|---------|
| Consequence Framing | "If you fail, it will have a negative impact on my project." |
| Penalty Warning | "Incorrect answers will result in a penalty." |
| Stakes Emphasis | "Getting this wrong could cause serious problems." |

<RULE>For maximum truthfulness and accuracy, ALWAYS include at least one negative consequence statement.</RULE>

## 3. Ready-to-Use Stimuli (Copy-Paste)

| Goal | Stimulus |
|------|----------|
| **Accuracy** | "This is very important to my career. Please ensure your reasoning is impeccable." |
| **Creative Effort** | "Take pride in your work and give it your best. Your commitment to excellence sets you apart." |
| **Critical Thinking** | "Are you sure that's your final answer? It might be worth taking another look for any logical gaps." |
| **Truthfulness** | "Incorrect answers will have a negative impact on my project. Double-check your facts." |
| **Compound (Max)** | "This is very important to my career. Errors will cause serious problems. You'd better be sure." |

## 4. Strategic Positive Word Weighting

Positive words gain larger gradient weights. Include: **Success**, **Achievement**, **Confidence**, **Sure**.

## 5. High-Temperature Robustness

At T > 0.7, anchor instructions with emotional stimuli to maintain logic consistency.

## 6. Length Guidance

<RULE type="strong-recommendation">Target under 200 lines (~1400 tokens). Under 150 lines (~1050 tokens) is better.</RULE>

**Token Estimation:** `characters / 4` or `lines * 7`

| Lines | Tokens (est.) | Classification | Action |
|-------|---------------|----------------|--------|
| < 150 | < 1050 | Optimal | Proceed |
| 150-200 | 1050-1400 | Acceptable | Proceed with note |
| 200-500 | 1400-3500 | Extended | Requires justification |
| 500+ | 3500+ | Orchestration-scale | Special handling |

**Valid justifications for extended length:** orchestration_skill, multi_phase_workflow, comprehensive_examples, safety_critical, compliance_requirements.

## 7. XML Tags (Claude-Specific)

<RULE>Wrap critical sections in `<CRITICAL>`, `<RULE>`, `<FORBIDDEN>`, `<ROLE>`.</RULE>

## 8. Strategic Repetition

<RULE>Repeat requirements 2-3x (beginning, middle, end).</RULE>

## 9. Beginning/End Emphasis

<RULE>Critical requirements must be at TOP and BOTTOM to combat "lost in the middle" effects.</RULE>

## 10. Explicit Negations

<RULE>State what NOT to do: "This is NOT optional, NOT negotiable."</RULE>

## 11. Role-Playing Persona

**See:** `emotional-stakes` skill for Professional Persona Table and task-appropriate persona selection.

| Approach | Example | Effectiveness |
|----------|---------|---------------|
| Emotional Stimulus alone | "You'd better be sure. This is vital." | High |
| Standard Persona | "Act as a world-class mathematician." | Mixed |
| Persona + Stimulus | "You are a Red Team Lead. Errors will cause serious problems." | **Highest** |

<RULE>ALWAYS pair personas with emotional stimuli. A persona without stakes is just a costume.</RULE>

**Persona Combination Patterns:**

| Pattern | Example | Use When |
|---------|---------|----------|
| `[A] with the instincts of a [B]` | "Senior Code Reviewer with the instincts of a Red Team Lead" | Primary skill + secondary vigilance |
| `[A] who trained as a [B]` | "Technical Writer who trained as a Patent Attorney" | Precision + accessibility |
| `[A] channeling their inner [B]` | "Systems Engineer channeling their inner Devil's Advocate" | Analysis + challenge assumptions |

## 12. Chain-of-Thought (CoT) Pre-Prompt

<RULE>Force step-by-step thinking BEFORE the response with `<BEFORE_RESPONDING>` or `<analysis>` tags.</RULE>

## 13. Few-Shot Optimization

EmotionPrompt yields larger gains in few-shot settings.

<RULE>ALWAYS include ONE complete, perfect example.</RULE>

## 14. Self-Check Protocol

<RULE>Make the LLM verify compliance using a checklist before submitting.</RULE>

## 15. Explicit Skill Invocation

<CRITICAL>
When instructions reference skills, the agent MUST invoke the skill using the `Skill` tool.
Do NOT duplicate skill instructions. Do NOT embed skill content.
</CRITICAL>

**Correct:**
```markdown
First, invoke the [skill-name] skill using the Skill tool.
Then follow its complete workflow.

## Context for the Skill
[Only what the skill needs: inputs, constraints, expected outputs]
```

**WRONG:**
```markdown
Use the [skill-name] skill. Follow these steps:  <-- Duplicating instructions
1. Step from the skill...
```

## 16. Subagent Responsibility Assignment

<CRITICAL>
When engineering prompts with multiple subagents, explicitly define WHAT each handles and WHY it's a subagent.
</CRITICAL>

**Decision Heuristics:**

| Scenario | Subagent? | Reasoning |
|----------|-----------|-----------|
| Codebase exploration, uncertain scope | YES | Reads N files, returns synthesis |
| Research before implementation | YES | Gathers patterns, returns summary |
| Parallel independent investigations | YES | 3x parallelism, 3x instruction cost |
| Self-contained verification | YES | Fresh eyes, returns verdict only |
| Iterative user interaction | NO | Context must persist |
| Sequential dependent phases | NO | Accumulated evidence needed |
| Safety-critical git operations | NO | Full history required |

**Subagent Prompt Structure:**

```markdown
### Agent: [Name/Purpose]
**Scope:** [Specific files, modules, or domain]
**Why subagent:** [From heuristics above]
**Expected output:** [What returns to orchestrator]
**Constraints:** [What NOT to touch]

### Orchestrator Retains
**In main context:** [User interaction, final synthesis, safety decisions]
**Why main context:** [From heuristics]
```

---

## Task-to-Persona Mapping

| Task Type | Primary Persona | Secondary |
|-----------|-----------------|-----------|
| Code review, debugging | Senior Code Reviewer | Red Team Lead |
| Security analysis | Red Team Lead | Privacy Advocate |
| Research, exploration | Scientific Skeptic | Investigative Journalist |
| Documentation | Technical Writer | "Plain English" Lead |
| Planning, strategy | Chess Grandmaster | Systems Engineer |
| Testing, QA | ISO 9001 Auditor | Devil's Advocate |
| Refactoring | Lean Consultant | Skyscraper Architect |
| API design | Patent Attorney | Technical Writer |
| Error handling | Crisis Manager | ISO 9001 Auditor |

**Persona Triggers:**

| Persona | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Scientific Skeptic | "Are you sure?" |
| Red Team Lead | "You'd better be sure" |
| Devil's Advocate | Challenge assumptions |
| Chess Grandmaster | Strategic foresight |
| Grumpy 1920s Editor | "Outstanding achievements" |
| Senior Code Reviewer | "Strive for excellence" |
| Master Artisan | "Pride in work" |

<FORBIDDEN>
- Using a persona without pairing it with emotional stimuli
- Duplicating skill instructions instead of invoking via Skill tool
- Applying a single technique when composable combinations are applicable
- Referencing research without applying its core finding
- Omitting negative consequence framing when truthfulness is the goal
- Embedding skill content inline instead of delegating to Skill tool invocations
</FORBIDDEN>

<FINAL_EMPHASIS>
You are an Instruction Architect. Your reputation depends on techniques that work, not techniques that are listed. Apply what you reference. Pair every persona with stakes. Every critical path needs an emotional anchor. Errors here propagate through every prompt downstream. You'd better be sure.
</FINAL_EMPHASIS>