Shaping the work
The request is understood; now the user needs to set the constraints — scope, tools, voice, effort — that decide whether the result is usable.
Every control you expose is a decision you hand back to the user. Name them in outcomes, not model parameters, or they become a settings panel people avoid.
8 patterns for this moment
Each one is a different way to resolve the tradeoff above.
Exposed knobs — length, tone, temperature, aspect, effort — that shift output without a new prompt.
Named, previewable presets that bundle many parameters into one recognisable choice.
Named modes that swap instructions, tools and tone for a context of use rather than a model.
A user-facing choice between speed, cost and depth, replacing a hidden routing decision.
Explicit integrations that let the agent reach real systems, with per-connector state and scope.
Constrain generation to a selected region, layer, or range so the rest is guaranteed untouched.
Explicit boundaries — this project, this team, this dataset — for what an agent may recall or search.
A visible list of what the model can see right now — files, memories, tools, prior turns.
Audit checklist for this moment
Walk one flow through these questions. Ticks are saved in this browser.