A guide to engineering the brain of your Anam Persona

Learn how to write system prompts that create lifelike, engaging interactive Personas.

Overview

This guide outlines five core building blocks for designing Persona prompts that create engaging, natural interactions across customer virtual training, education, sales, and other applications.

Heads up: The difference between an AI-sounding and a naturally expressive Persona can often come down to how well you structure its system prompt.

Note: The system prompt controls conversational behavior and response style. It does not control conversation flow mechanics like turn-taking, or Persona settings like which avatar or voice is used. These aspects are handled in your Persona Configuration.

Five Building Blocks

Each system prompt component serves a specific function. Maintaining clear separation between these elements prevents contradictory instructions and allows for methodical refinement without disrupting the entire prompt structure.

  1. Personality: Defines the Persona's identity through name, traits, role, and relevant background.
  2. Environment: Specifies the communication context, channel, and situational factors.
  3. Tone: Controls the linguistic style, speech patterns, and conversational elements.
  4. Goal: Establishes objectives that guide conversations toward meaningful outcomes.
  5. Guardrails: Sets boundaries to ensure interactions remain appropriate and ethical.

1. Personality

The base personality is the foundation of your Persona's identity, defining who the Persona is supposed to emulate through a name, role, background, and key traits. It ensures consistent, authentic responses in every interaction.