Assign work clearly
Write requests that leave less for the team to guess.
When a result misses expectations, the request often had gaps. Agents fill gaps with plausible choices. If those choices differ from yours, it looks like an error—but the missing detail was never specified. Build the habit of leaving fewer gaps.
Five common gaps
| Gap | Likely outcome | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | The task is done, but not useful for your intended purpose | One line saying who will use it and why |
| Scope | Unrelated folders or files are changed | Distinguish working folders from read-only folders |
| Restrictions | Something important gets deleted | Do not delete or overwrite existing files |
| Completion criteria | The agent stops early or does too much | It is done when these three actions work |
| Report format | A long report that is hard to read | Briefly state what you did and where the files are |
One task, two requests
A specific request is more likely to get the right result first time. How you ask can change the result substantially.
| Vague request | Specific request |
|---|---|
| Build an order list screen. | Build an order list in this folder with three columns: number, customer, and amount. It is done when I can sort by amount. Do not touch other files. |
| Organize these documents. | Read the notes in this folder and put only the decisions in a table. Do not edit originals or infer anything absent from the notes. |
assets/support/guides-delegating.png · Recommended size: 1600×900
Side-by-side results of asking for the same work in two ways
If it is hard to describe
Ask for options first if you do not yet know what you want. Say, 'I want to do this. Suggest two or three approaches. Do not build until I choose.' You do not have to pretend you already know the answer.
If you want to change direction
You can change direction. The new direction is recorded and shared with the team. Changing one thing at a time usually produces more stable results than changing several at once.
Checklist
- I specified purpose, scope, restrictions, completion criteria, and report format.
- Each request has one goal.
- I asked for options where I was unsure.
Next Break down large tasksis a good next read.