Overview
A prompt contract should not become a prison. There are two failure extremes.
If the scope is too vague, the agent must invent too much. The result becomes unpredictable.
If the scope is too restrictive, the agent loses the flexibility to solve the problem intelligently. Every small change becomes a violation of the specification.
A strong contract defines the essential outcome, constraints, format, and failure conditions while leaving room for the agent to make implementation decisions.
The management analogy is a competent contractor who clarifies the assignment before beginning. The contractor does not demand that the client specify every hammer stroke. The contractor does require agreement on what is being built, the boundaries, the expected deliverable, and the conditions that would make the work unacceptable.