list_conversations

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive, and closed-world, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely new behavior: results are cursor-paginated, ordered newest-first, and soft-deleted records are silently excluded — the last being important context an agent would otherwise misinterpret as missing data.

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?

Three short sentences, front-loaded with the core purpose, then ordering and the exclusion caveat. No filler, no restatement of the title, every clause carries information.

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?

For a six-optional-parameter read-only list tool with full schema coverage and no output schema, the description covers the essentials: what it returns conceptually, how to page, and what is filtered out. It stops short of noting that no filters are required or whether filters compose, which would fully close the gap.

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?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so limit, status, channel, assigned_to, updated_since, and starting_after are all documented in the schema. The description only indirectly touches starting_after via "cursor-paginated" and says nothing about the enums or the negative-value convention on assigned_to, so it adds little beyond the structured fields — the baseline 3.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ("List conversations") and adds ordering (newest first) and a deletion exclusion, so an agent can distinguish it from get_conversation or list_messages. It never names a sibling explicitly, which keeps it short of a 5.

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?

Usage is only implied by the list semantics and the cursor-pagination note; there is no explicit when-to-use, when-not-to-use, or pointer to alternatives such as searching or filtering by a specific conversation. An agent can infer the tool browses collections, but must reason about it rather than read it.

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