Prompting technique

StateAct (Self-Prompting + Chain-of-States)

StateAct: Enhancing LLM Base Agents via Self-prompting and State-tracking, arXiv:2410.02810 (2024) · read the paper

What it does

StateAct improves LLM agent performance through two mechanisms: continuous reminder of the end goal (self-prompting) and explicit tracking of current state at each step (chain-of-states). This helps the model maintain focus and consistency when solving multi-step tasks, increasing success rate by 10-30% without additional training.

Simply adding goal and current state lines to the prompt increases task solution success by 10-30% compared to the best baseline methods, without requiring model retraining or complex tools.checked against the paper

Task typemulti step

Shapeiterative

Efforttwo or three steps

Addressesthe model losing what was agreed earlier; the same prompt giving different answers; answers that are close but wrong

Published2024-09-21

AuthorsNikolai Rozanov, Marek Rei

When it helps

Apply StateAct when an LLM agent must solve complex multi-step tasks requiring sequential actions and maintaining focus on the end goal. Especially effective in scenarios where the model tends to lose context or deviate from the original task in long dialogues. Ideal for automated systems, planning, decision-making, and tasks requiring reasoning chains. Does not require additional model training or complex infrastructure, making it accessible for quick implementation in existing systems.

A prompt you can paste

Generic by design: it applies the technique without knowing your task. Adapt the marked parts.

Prompt

# Role
You are an AI agent tasked with developing a comprehensive concept for a new urban cafe.

# Goal
Develop a complete and attractive concept for the urban cafe "Morning Breeze" with a launch budget of 1 million rubles. The concept must include: target audience, unique selling proposition (USP), core menu, and interior design ideas.

# Current State
- **Decisions Made:** None. This is the initial step.
- **Budget:** 1,000,000 rubles.
- **Cafe Name:** "Morning Breeze".
- **Previous Steps:** N/A.

# Task
Follow the StateAct methodology to guide the LLM through the concept development process. For each step, explicitly state the Global Goal and the Current State before providing the specific instruction.

---

## Step 1: Target Audience Definition

**Global Goal:** Develop a complete and attractive concept for the urban cafe "Morning Breeze" with a launch budget of 1 million rubles. The concept must include: target audience, unique selling proposition (USP), core menu, and interior design ideas.

**Current State:**
- Decisions Made: None. This is the initial step.
- Budget: 1,000,000 rubles.
- Cafe Name: "Morning Breeze".
- Previous Steps: N/A.

**Instruction:**
Propose 3 distinct target audience profiles suitable for a cafe named "Morning Breeze" with the specified budget. For each profile, briefly explain why it aligns with the name and budget.

---

## Step 2: Unique Selling Proposition (USP) Development

**Current State:**
- Decisions Made: Target audience profiles have been proposed.
- Budget: 1,000,000 rubles.
- Cafe Name: "Morning Breeze".
- Previous Steps: Target audience definition.

**Instruction:**
Based on the potential target audiences (from Step 1), formulate 3 distinct Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) for "Morning Breeze". Each USP should highlight what makes the cafe special and appealing within its budget constraints.

---

## Step 3: Core Menu Design

**Current State:**
- Decisions Made: Target audience and USP have been defined.
- Budget: 1,000,000 rubles.
- Cafe Name: "Morning Breeze".
- Previous Steps: Target audience definition, USP development.

**Instruction:**
Propose a core menu concept that complements the chosen target audience(s) and USP. Focus on items that are feasible within the 1 million ruble budget, emphasizing quality and the "Morning Breeze" theme (e.g., light, refreshing, energizing). Suggest 3-5 signature items.

---

## Step 4: Interior Design Ideas

**Current State:**
- Decisions Made: Target audience, USP, and core menu are defined.
- Budget: 1,000,000 rubles.
- Cafe Name: "Morning Breeze".
- Previous Steps: Target audience definition, USP development, core menu design.

**Instruction:**
Outline key interior design elements and concepts for "Morning Breeze" that align with the name, target audience, USP, and budget. Describe the desired atmosphere, color palette, and essential furniture/decor ideas that can be achieved within the 1 million ruble limit.

---

## Step 5: Concept Synthesis and Summary

**Current State:**
- Decisions Made: Target audience, USP, core menu, and interior design ideas are defined.
- Budget: 1,000,000 rubles.
- Cafe Name: "Morning Breeze".
- Previous Steps: All previous concept development steps completed.

**Instruction:**
Synthesize all the elements developed in the previous steps into a cohesive and compelling final concept summary for "Morning Breeze". This summary should be ready for presentation to stakeholders.

If this one does not fit, the two closest alternatives in the corpus are Debugging Prompts Framework and MTR (Multi-Turn Reasoning) Framework, which target the same failure from a different angle.

Worked example

The same technique applied to a concrete job: turn a vague goal into an ordered plan with checkpoints. Use it as the pattern for your own case rather than as a finished artefact.

Worked example

# Role
You are an AI agent tasked with developing a comprehensive plan for a new urban cafe.

# StateAct Process

## Step 1: Initializing the Plan

**Current State:**
- **Decisions Made:** None. This is the first step.
- **Budget:** 1,000,000 rubles.
- **Cafe Name:** "Morning Breeze".

**Thought:** The first step is to define the target audience. The name "Morning Breeze" suggests a calm, refreshing, and perhaps early-day focus. The budget is moderate, implying a need for a focused and efficient concept rather than an ultra-premium one. I need to propose 3 distinct target audience options that align with these factors.

**Action:** Propose 3 distinct target audience options for the "Morning Breeze" cafe. For each option, briefly describe why it is suitable given the name and budget.

---

## Step 2: Refining the Target Audience

**Current State:**
- **Decisions Made:** [Insert chosen target audience from Step 1 here, e.g., "Option 1: Young professionals seeking a quiet workspace."]
- **Budget:** 1,000,000 rubles.
- **Cafe Name:** "Morning Breeze".
- **Target Audience:** [Insert chosen target audience from Step 1 here]

**Thought:** Now that the target audience is defined, I need to develop a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that resonates with them and leverages the cafe's name and budget. The USP should differentiate "Morning Breeze" from competitors. I will propose 2-3 USP options tailored to the chosen audience.

**Action:** Based on the selected target audience, propose 2-3 Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) for "Morning Breeze". Each USP should highlight a specific benefit or feature that appeals to the target audience and fits the "Morning Breeze" theme.

---

## Step 3: Developing the Core Menu

**Current State:**
- **Decisions Made:** [Insert chosen target audience and USP from Step 2 here]
- **Budget:** 1,000,000 rubles.
- **Cafe Name:** "Morning Breeze".
- **Target Audience:** [Insert chosen target audience from Step 2 here]
- **Unique Selling Proposition (USP):** [Insert chosen USP from Step 2 here]

**Thought:** With the audience and USP established, the next logical step is to define the core menu. The menu should complement the "Morning Breeze" theme and appeal to the target audience, while also being mindful of the budget. I will suggest a focused menu with signature items.

**Action:** Propose a core menu for "Morning Breeze" that aligns with the selected target audience and USP. Include 3-5 signature items (e.g., breakfast/brunch dishes, specialty coffee/tea, light snacks) and briefly explain their relevance.

---

## Step 4: Conceptualizing Interior Design

**Current State:**
- **Decisions Made:** [Insert chosen target audience, USP, and core menu from Step 3 here]
- **Budget:** 1,000,000 rubles.
- **Cafe Name:** "Morning Breeze".
- **Target Audience:** [Insert chosen target audience from Step 3 here]
- **Unique Selling Proposition (USP):** [Insert chosen USP from Step 3 here]
- **Core Menu:** [Insert core menu details from Step 3 here]

**Thought:** The final element of the concept is the interior design. It needs to embody the "Morning Breeze" theme, create an atmosphere that attracts the target audience, and be achievable within the budget. I will outline key design elements and a general mood.

**Action:** Describe the interior design concept for "Morning Breeze". Focus on elements that create a "morning breeze" atmosphere (e.g., color palette, lighting, furniture style, key decorative features) and ensure it's budget-conscious.

---

## Step 5: Final Concept Synthesis

**Current State:**
- **Decisions Made:** [Insert chosen target audience, USP, core menu, and interior design from Step 4 here]
- **Budget:** 1,000,000 rubles.
- **Cafe Name:** "Morning Breeze".
- **Target Audience:** [Insert chosen target audience from Step 4 here]
- **Unique Selling Proposition (USP):** [Insert chosen USP from Step 4 here]
- **Core Menu:** [Insert core menu details from Step 4 here]
- **Interior Design:** [Insert interior design details from Step 4 here]

**Thought:** All components of the concept have been developed. Now, I need to synthesize them into a cohesive final concept document. This involves summarizing all previous decisions and ensuring they form a unified vision for the "Morning Breeze" cafe.

**Action:** Compile a final, cohesive concept document for "Morning Breeze" by summarizing the decisions made in Steps 1-4. Ensure all elements (Target Audience, USP, Menu, Interior Design) are presented clearly and harmoniously.

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