start_campaign

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description fully discloses behavioral traits: dialing begins immediately, calls respect a concurrency limit, calls continue until all contacts are reached or campaign is paused/stopped, and insufficient credits cause mid-campaign failures. This is comprehensive behavioral context.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is concise and front-loaded with the primary action. Each sentence adds essential information: status prerequisites, behavioral details, and a financial warning. No wasted words.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's moderate complexity, one parameter, and no annotations, the description covers prerequisites, runtime behavior, and a necessary prerequisite check. The presence of an output schema covers return values, so the description is complete enough for reliable invocation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The single parameter campaign_id is not explicitly described in the schema or description. However, the surrounding context ('The campaign must be in...') implies it identifies the campaign to start. Since schema coverage is 0%, the description partially compensates but could be more explicit.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's action: 'Start a campaign — begins dialing contacts immediately.' This uses a specific verb and resource, and the mention of dialing distinguishes it from sibling campaign tools like pause_campaign and stop_campaign.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides explicit usage context: the campaign must be in 'draft' or 'paused' status, and it advises checking get_balance before starting. It does not explicitly name alternative tools for pausing/stopping, but the conditions and prerequisite are clear.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.