Step Guides

Creating AI-ready procedural content

Step Guides

Step Guides are the finished product of context engineering. They are structured, procedural documents that AI agents actually use to help users.

The Key Distinction

Remember: Knowledge documents are raw materials. Step Guides are the processed, AI-ready output.

• Knowledge: What you collect (ingredients)
• Step Guides: What AI uses (finished dish)

What Makes a Step Guide?

Step Guides are:

Structured

• Clear step-by-step format
• Consistent organization
• Predictable layout

Procedural

• Action-oriented instructions
• Decision points clearly marked
• Outcomes specified

AI-Ready

• Written for AI consumption
• Unambiguous language
• Complete information

Versioned

• Track changes over time
• Historical versions preserved
• Clear change documentation

One Guide Per Scenario

Every scenario gets exactly one Step Guide. This 1:1 relationship ensures:

• No ambiguity: AI knows exactly which guide to use
• Clear maintenance: Updates go to one place
• Consistent responses: Same situation, same procedure

The Writing Process

1. Gather Your References

Before writing, collect:

• Knowledge documents linked to the scenario
• The scenario’s description
• Any existing procedures or notes

2. Understand the Goal

What should happen when this guide is followed correctly?

• What’s the desired outcome?
• What does success look like?

3. Write the Steps

Create clear, actionable instructions:

• Start with prerequisites
• Provide step-by-step actions
• Include decision points
• Define escalation criteria

4. Test and Refine

Review the guide:

• Can you follow it without confusion?
• Does it cover edge cases?
• Is anything ambiguous?

Step Guide Structure

A typical Step Guide includes:

Title: [Clear, action-oriented title]

Description: When and why to use this guide

Prerequisites:
- What's needed before starting
- Required access or permissions

Steps:
1. First action
2. Second action
3. Decision point: If X, do Y; if Z, do W
4. Continue...

Escalation:
- When to escalate
- Who to escalate to

Related Information:
- Links to policies or references

Currently Manual

Today, writing Step Guides is a manual process. You:

1. Review the linked knowledge
2. Synthesize the information
3. Write clear procedures

Coming Soon: AI-assisted guide writing will use your mapped knowledge to help generate initial drafts. You’ll review and refine rather than write from scratch.

Why Step Guides Matter

When an AI agent encounters a scenario:

1. Identifies the scenario from the user’s inquiry
2. Retrieves the linked Step Guide
3. Follows the procedure to help the user
4. Applies the guidance consistently

Good Step Guides = Consistent, accurate AI responses

Quality Standards

Step Guides should be:

Quality	Description
Complete	All steps included, no gaps
Clear	Unambiguous language, specific actions
Accurate	Reflects current policies and procedures
Consistent	Same format across all guides
Maintained	Updated when procedures change

Next Steps

1. Writing Step Guides - Detailed writing guidance
2. Version Management - Managing updates over time