Prompt Architecture & Design Standards

Operational Protocol

1. Analyze Intent: Determine if the goal is Drafting, Optimizing, or Auditing a prompt.
2. Consult Standards: PROACTIVELY load references/core-standards.md for Attention Management rules.
3. Select Pattern (Signal-to-Noise Rule):
   • Markdown-First (Default): Use for 80% of tasks.
   • Hybrid XML: Use ONLY if:
     • Data Isolation (>50 lines raw data)
     • Strict Constraints (NEVER/MUST rules)
     • Internal Monologue (Complex reasoning)
4. Apply Theory: Use references/optimization.md for refinement workflows.
5. Verify: Apply references/quality.md gates before final output.

Core Principles (Quick Reference)

Attention Management

Use Markdown headers for hierarchy. XML tags (Max 15, No Nesting) ONLY for semantic data isolation or thinking scaffolding.

Sycophancy Prevention (Truth-First)

If user suggests flawed path → CONTRADICT immediately. No "Great idea!" or superlatives. Speak in code, files, commands.

Signal-to-Noise Rule

• Default: Markdown (80% of prompts) - fewer tokens, Claude-native
• Upgrade to XML/Markdown hybrid only when:
  • Data Isolation: >50 lines of raw data
  • Constraint Weight: NEVER/MUST rules that cannot be broken
  • Internal Monologue: Complex reasoning requiring step-by-step

Knowledge Index (Progressive Disclosure)

| Reference | Purpose | Load When | |:----------|:--------|:----------| | core-standards.md | Attention, Sycophancy, Quota, XML/MD matrix | ALWAYS consult first | | design-patterns.md | CoT, Few-Shot, Taxonomy, Structural patterns | Selecting technique | | optimization.md | Systematic refinement workflow | Improving existing prompts | | quality.md | Production quality gates | Final verification | | anti-patterns.md | Common mistakes to avoid | Prevention | | taxonomy.md | Single vs Chain vs Meta categorization | Storage/planning | | execution-protocol.md | Standard completion reporting | Structured output |

Design Patterns

Approved Patterns

• Chain of Thought (CoT)
• Few-Shot Learning
• Structured Output
• Constraint Encoding

Success Criteria

A prompt meets 2026 standards when:

• [ ] Uses Markdown headers for hierarchy (default)
• [ ] XML tags are < 15 and never nested
• [ ] Instructions are specific, actionable, and truth-focused
• [ ] Examples (if any) are isolated in <example> tags
• [ ] Reasoning is isolated in <thinking> blocks (if needed)
• [ ] Quality gate checklist is included
• [ ] Output format is clearly specified

Note: For generating .md prompt files for Claude-to-Claude pipelines, use generating-prompts skill.