Preserve intent. Reduce logic complexity. Make instructions easier to follow.
When to Use
- Prompt has many rules or branches
- Workflow feels hard to execute
- Conditions conflict or overlap
- Agent output is inconsistent
- Instructions need shorter structure
Goal
Keep behavior. Remove unnecessary complexity. Expose ambiguity.
Rules
- Parse before changing.
- Preserve core behavior.
- Do not guess missing intent.
- Flag ambiguity.
- Prefer headings, bullets, and short paragraphs.
- Flatten nested logic.
- Remove redundant rules.
- Tie issues to locations when reviewing.
Flow
- Parse conditions, actions, states, dependencies, assumptions.
- Map key logic.
- Find contradictions, dead paths, missing branches, repetition.
- Check edge cases.
- Rewrite with simpler sections.
- Verify behavior is preserved.
Complexity Checks
- Dead paths.
- Missing branches.
- Contradictions.
- Impossible transitions.
- Redundant rules.
- Nesting over 3 levels.
- Order dependence.
- Unclear failure path.
Rewrite Pattern
Prefer:
- When to use
- Goal
- Rules
- Flow
- Output
- Checks
Avoid deep tables, large diagrams, repeated examples, mixed policy/examples, and long paragraphs.
Output
## Prompt Simplification
Target: [prompt/section]
Preserved intent:
- [intent]
Problems:
- [location]: [issue]
Changes:
- [simplification]
Open questions:
- [ambiguity or none]
Risk:
- [behavior that may need review]