How to write tasks for an AI agent.

1. Start with the goal, not the steps

Say why you need it and what the outcome should be. “I want clients to book a haircut without calling” beats “make a form with three fields.” Knowing the goal, the agent will suggest a better solution than the steps you listed.

2. Give context

The agent doesn’t know your business. Tell it who the result is for, what the constraints are (budget, deadlines, where it will run) and what’s already done. Put files — copy, spreadsheets, photos — into the chat folder and mention them in the request.

3. Define what “done” looks like

Done criteria are the most underrated part of a task. “The site opens on a phone, the booking button is visible without scrolling, the form sends the request to me on Telegram” — the agent can check a task like that itself, which means it will see it through to the end.

4. Show examples

A link to a site you like, a sample text, a screenshot — one example replaces a paragraph of description. Say what exactly you like about it: the color, the structure, the tone.

5. One task, one chat

Don’t mix a website, a bot and an email to a client in one conversation. A long chat on different topics is harder for the agent to keep in mind, while a new chat starts with a clean slate.

6. Break big work into parts

For a large task, ask for a plan first and agree on it. Then move in parts: the home page, then the catalog, then payments. That way each part is easy to check.

7. Give feedback that’s to the point

Say what’s wrong with the result, not how to fix it: “the button text is unreadable over the photo” instead of “make the font 18px.” On websites and in apps, use element comments — the agent will see which spot you mean.

8. Tell it about yourself once

If you always want the same thing — short answers, a certain style, a specific programming language — write it down once. In the web chat, that’s “Account → Data → Instructions for NEO”: they apply to all chats. For a project in NEO Desktop, put the rules in an AGENTS.md file in the project folder — the agent reads it before starting work.

9. Stay in the loop

“Ask first” mode doesn’t get in the way — it helps: you see what the agent is about to do and can stop it if it misunderstood the task. Turn on Auto mode only when the task is clear and the folder contains nothing valuable without a backup.

Example: before and after