Best Practices for Conversational Interactions

1. Keep It Simple and Actionable

Be concise — avoid long paragraphs
Reveal details gradually (progressive disclosure)
Guide users step-by-step toward outcomes
Offer short, clear next steps (“Want me to show that report?”)

Don’t

Overload users with multiple suggestions or cards
Mix unrelated intents in one reply
Flood the chat with stacked outputs

2. Managing Conversations

Keep the conversation alive when

The user pauses briefly or closes the chat for a few minutes
The previous task is incomplete or awaiting input

Start a new conversation when

The context is outdated or irrelevant
The user starts a new intent
The session expired or was cleared

Treat the agent like an assistant — always ready to resume, but respectful of resets.

3. When to Elaborate vs. Be Brief

Situation	Agent Style	Example
New or complex topic	Elaborate	“Here’s how pipeline analysis works — want an example?”
Ongoing task	Brief	“Got it — filtering for Q3.”
Confirmations	Minimal	“Done.”
Ambiguous intent	Clarify	“Should I update or create a new record?”

Be detailed when it helps, brief when it doesn’t.

4. Handling Missing Actions

When users request something unsupported, respond gracefully.

Option 1: Generic fallback

“That action isn’t available right now, but I’ve noted it for future support.”

Option 2: Suggest related actions

“I can’t update leads yet, but I can show their activity or create a note.”

Option 3: Log user intent

“Got it — I’ve noted that you’d like to automate this workflow.”

Recommended: Combine Option 2 + Option 3
→ Suggest useful alternatives and log missing intents for telemetry.

5. Agent Instruction Summary

Keep the agent aligned with user expectations.

agentInstruction: "Be concise by default. Elaborate only when explaining new concepts. When an action is missing, suggest related ones and log the user’s intent."