constraint-specification

Defining output format, length, tone, and content boundaries within prompts.

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Repository: Owl-Listener/ai-design-skills
Last source activity: April 25, 2026 at 17:41
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name	constraint-specification
description	Defining output format, length, tone, and content boundaries within prompts.

Constraint Specification

Constraints are the rules that shape AI output — what format to use, how long to be, what to include, what to exclude. Well-specified constraints produce predictable, useful outputs. Vague constraints produce inconsistent results.

Types of Constraints

Format constraints:

Output structure (JSON, markdown, plain text, bullet points, prose)
Section headings and organisation
Required fields and optional fields
Data types and schemas Length constraints:
Word count ranges (not exact numbers — models are bad at counting)
Section length proportions ("spend 60% on analysis, 40% on recommendations")
Minimum and maximum bounds
Conciseness directives ("be brief" vs. "be thorough") Content constraints:
Topics to include and exclude
Required information elements
Prohibited content
Source restrictions (only use provided context, don't use external knowledge) Tone constraints:
Formality level
Emotional register
Audience-appropriate language
Voice and style guidelines Quality constraints:
Accuracy requirements ("cite sources", "flag uncertainty")
Completeness requirements ("address all aspects of the question")
Originality requirements ("don't repeat the question back")
Actionability requirements ("every recommendation must be implementable")

Writing Effective Constraints

Be specific: "Keep responses under 200 words" beats "be concise"
Prioritise: When constraints conflict, state which wins. "Accuracy over brevity."
Provide examples: Show what a constrained output looks like
Test boundaries: What happens at the edge of each constraint?
Separate hard and soft constraints: Hard constraints must always be met. Soft constraints are preferences.

Constraint Interactions

Constraints interact and can conflict:

"Be thorough" vs. "Keep it under 100 words"
"Be creative" vs. "Follow this exact format"
"Be helpful" vs. "Don't give medical advice" Resolve conflicts explicitly in the prompt. Don't make the model guess which constraint takes priority.

Design Artefacts

Constraint specification documents per output type
Constraint priority hierarchies
Constraint test cases (inputs designed to stress each constraint)
Constraint violation examples (what bad looks like)
Constraint evolution logs (how constraints changed and why)