brachnha-insight/_bmad/bmb/workflows/agent/steps-c/step-04-persona.md

name, description, nextStepFile, agentPlan, personaProperties, principlesCrafting, communicationPresets, simpleExample, expertExample, advancedElicitationTask, partyModeWorkflow

name	description	nextStepFile	agentPlan	personaProperties	principlesCrafting	communicationPresets	simpleExample	expertExample	advancedElicitationTask	partyModeWorkflow
step-04-persona	Shape the agent personality through four-field persona system	./step-05-commands-menu.md	{bmb_creations_output_folder}/agent-plan-{agent_name}.md	../data/persona-properties.md	../data/principles-crafting.md	../data/communication-presets.csv	../data/reference/simple-examples/commit-poet.agent.yaml	../data/reference/expert-examples/journal-keeper/journal-keeper.agent.yaml	{project-root}/_bmad/core/workflows/advanced-elicitation/workflow.xml	{project-root}/_bmad/core/workflows/party-mode/workflow.md

STEP GOAL

Develop a complete four-field persona that defines the agent's personality, expertise, communication approach, and guiding principles. This persona becomes the foundation for how the agent thinks, speaks, and makes decisions.

MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES

CRITICAL: Field Purity Enforcement

• Each persona field has ONE specific purpose
• NO mixing concepts between fields
• NO overlapping responsibilities
• Every field must be distinct and non-redundant

Output Requirements:

• Produce structured YAML block ready for agent.yaml
• Follow principles-crafting guidance exactly
• First principle MUST be the "expert activator"
• All fields must be populated before proceeding

EXECUTION PROTOCOLS

Protocol 1: Load Reference Materials

Read and integrate:

• personaProperties.md - Field definitions and boundaries
• principlesCrafting.md - Principles composition guidance
• communicationPresets.csv - Style options and templates
• Reference examples for pattern recognition

Protocol 2: Four-Field System Education

Explain each field clearly:

1. Role (WHAT they do)

• Professional identity and expertise domain
• Capabilities and knowledge areas
• NOT personality or communication style
• Pure functional definition

2. Identity (WHO they are)

• Character, personality, attitude
• Emotional intelligence and worldview
• NOT job description or communication format
• Pure personality definition

3. Communication Style (HOW they speak)

• Language patterns, tone, voice
• Formality, verbosity, linguistic preferences
• NOT expertise or personality traits
• Pure expression definition

4. Principles (WHY they act)

• Decision-making framework and values
• Behavioral constraints and priorities
• First principle = expert activator (core mission)
• Pure ethical/operational definition

Protocol 3: Progressive Field Development

3.1 Role Development

• Define primary expertise domain
• Specify capabilities and knowledge areas
• Identify what makes them an "expert"
• Keep it functional, not personal

Role Quality Checks:

• Can I describe their job without personality?
• Would this fit in a job description?
• Is it purely about WHAT they do?

3.2 Identity Development

• Define personality type and character
• Establish emotional approach
• Set worldview and attitude
• Keep it personal, not functional

Identity Quality Checks:

• Can I describe their character without job title?
• Would this fit in a character profile?
• Is it purely about WHO they are?

3.3 Communication Style Development

• Review preset options from CSV
• Select or customize style pattern
• Define tone, formality, voice
• Set linguistic preferences

Communication Quality Checks:

• Can I describe their speech patterns without expertise?
• Is it purely about HOW they express themselves?
• Would this fit in a voice acting script?

3.4 Principles Development

Follow principlesCrafting.md guidance:

1. Principle 1: Expert Activator - Core mission and primary directive
2. Principle 2-5: Decision Framework - Values that guide choices
3. Principle 6+: Behavioral Constraints - Operational boundaries

Principles Quality Checks:

• Does first principle activate expertise immediately?
• Do principles create decision-making clarity?
• Would following these produce the desired behavior?

Protocol 4: Structured YAML Generation

Output the four-field persona in this exact format:

role: >
  [Single sentence defining expertise and capabilities]

identity: >
  [2-3 sentences describing personality and character]

communication_style: >
  [Specific patterns for tone, formality, and voice]

principles:
  - [Expert activator - core mission]
  - [Decision framework value 1]
  - [Decision framework value 2]
  - [Behavioral constraint 1]
  - [Behavioral constraint 2]

CONTEXT BOUNDARIES

Include in Persona:

• Professional expertise and capabilities (role)
• Personality traits and character (identity)
• Language patterns and tone (communication)
• Decision-making values (principles)

Exclude from Persona:

• Technical skills (belongs in knowledge)
• Tool usage (belongs in commands)
• Workflow steps (belongs in orchestration)
• Data structures (belongs in implementation)

MANDATORY SEQUENCE

CRITICAL: Follow this sequence exactly. Do not skip, reorder, or improvise unless user explicitly requests a change.

1. LOAD personaProperties.md and principlesCrafting.md
2. EXPLAIN four-field system with clear examples
3. DEVELOP Role - define expertise domain and capabilities
4. DEVELOP Identity - establish personality and character
5. DEVELOP Communication Style - select/customize style preset
6. DEVELOP Principles - craft 5-7 principles following guidance
7. OUTPUT structured YAML block for agent.yaml
8. DOCUMENT to agent-plan.md
9. PRESENT completion menu

9. Present MENU OPTIONS

Display: "Select an Option: [A] Advanced Elicitation [P] Party Mode [C] Continue"

Menu Handling Logic:

• IF A: Execute {advancedElicitationTask}, and when finished redisplay the menu
• IF P: Execute {partyModeWorkflow}, and when finished redisplay the menu
• IF C: Save content to {agentPlan}, update frontmatter, then only then load, read entire file, then execute {nextStepFile}
• IF Any other comments or queries: help user respond then Redisplay Menu Options

EXECUTION RULES:

• ALWAYS halt and wait for user input after presenting menu
• ONLY proceed to next step when user selects 'C'
• After other menu items execution, return to this menu
• User can chat or ask questions - always respond and then end with display again of the menu options

CRITICAL STEP COMPLETION NOTE

ONLY WHEN [C continue option] is selected and [all four persona fields populated with DISTINCT content and field purity verified], will you then load and read fully {nextStepFile} to execute and begin command structure design.

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SUCCESS METRICS

Completion Indicators:

• Four distinct, non-overlapping persona fields
• First principle activates expert capabilities
• Communication style is specific and actionable
• YAML structure is valid and ready for agent.yaml
• User confirms persona accurately reflects vision

Failure Indicators:

• Role includes personality traits
• Identity includes job descriptions
• Communication includes expertise details
• Principles lack expert activator
• Fields overlap or repeat concepts
• User expresses confusion or disagreement