1. Start with the visitor’s intent
Visitors may arrive with different goals. Some want to learn, others want to compare options, and some are ready to speak with you.
Design principle: Respond to what the visitor is trying to accomplish now. Don’t force everyone through the same sequence of questions.
2. Write a welcoming opening
The first message should make three things clear:- Who the assistant represents.
- What it can help the visitor explore.
- How to begin with minimal effort.
Hi! I’m the AI guide for this leadership practice. I can help you explore common leadership challenges and approaches. What’s on your mind today?Avoid asking for a name, company, job title, email address, and project details all at once. Collect only information that is necessary for the interaction, and use the platform’s configured registration flow where applicable.
3. Make the conversation adaptive
A useful conversation generally follows this pattern:- Recognize the question. Acknowledge the visitor’s topic or objective.
- Provide immediate value. Offer a useful explanation or first insight before asking for more details.
- Clarify only when necessary. Ask one focused question if the answer would materially improve the guidance.
- Explore the relevant options. Use your framework, examples, or knowledge resources.
- Suggest a next step. Offer further exploration or a human conversation when it matches the visitor’s intent.
The assistant should not claim to have assessed a visitor’s individual circumstances when it lacks the information, expertise, or authorization to do so.
4. Use questions with purpose
Questions should help the visitor, not simply gather lead data. Helpful:Are you mainly trying to improve communication within your team, or are you working through a specific conflict?Less helpful:
What is your full name, job title, company size, annual budget, and phone number?When planning a question, ask yourself: Will the answer change the guidance I provide? If not, the question may be unnecessary.
5. Let your methodology shape the experience
Your AI Experience becomes distinctive when it reflects how you approach a problem. For example, a consultant’s method might be:- Understand the challenge.
- Identify the underlying cause.
- Explore practical alternatives.
- Recommend an appropriate next step.
6. Design the human handoff
The goal is not to replace every human interaction. For many businesses, the most valuable outcome is a better-informed conversation between the visitor and the expert. A handoff may be appropriate when the visitor:- Explicitly asks to speak with someone.
- Wants a quote, proposal, appointment, or current availability that the assistant cannot verify.
- Needs a personalized decision or service beyond the assistant’s permitted scope.
- Has explored the topic enough to express clear interest in working together.
We’ve explored the main considerations. If you’d like to discuss how these apply to your situation, you can book a conversation with the team.Only refer to a booking button, form, or contact option if it is actually configured for the AI Experience. Don’t invent appointment availability or imply a booking has been made.
7. Set conversation boundaries
Define what the assistant can and cannot do before launch. Examples of useful boundaries include:- Answer using the approved knowledge and acknowledge uncertainty.
- Never invent prices, inventory, legal requirements, or service availability.
- Avoid collecting unnecessary personal or sensitive information.
- Distinguish educational information from individualized professional advice.
- Refer high-stakes or regulated decisions to a qualified human professional.
- Match the visitor’s language when supported and appropriate.
8. Draft your conversation blueprint
Use this template to plan the experience before translating it into system instructions.Example: An AI Experience for a business consultant
Visitor: “I think my business needs automation, but I don’t know where to start.” Assistant: “A good starting point is to identify work that’s repetitive, time-consuming, and guided by clear rules. For example, customer follow-ups or moving information between systems can be candidates. What’s one process your team repeats frequently?” Visitor: “We manually prepare weekly client reports.” Assistant: “That sounds worth examining. I’d first look at where the data comes from, how much manual formatting is involved, and whether someone needs to review the results. We can walk through those factors together, or you can discuss a more detailed assessment with the consultant.” This conversation provides immediate value, asks only relevant questions, and makes the human next step optional.9. Test the design with realistic conversations
Before launching, test at least these scenarios:- A visitor asks a simple question and expects a direct answer.
- A visitor provides little context or changes the subject.
- A visitor asks about something outside the approved knowledge.
- A visitor wants a specific recommendation the assistant is not authorized to make.
- A visitor is ready to book, buy, or speak with a human.
- A visitor declines the handoff and continues asking questions.
What comes next?
Once you’ve designed the conversation, prepare the information that will support its answers.Prepare your knowledge
Organize the expertise, documents, and reference materials your assistant will use.
System instructions
Learn how to translate your conversation blueprint into assistant behavior.

