Make AI Work for You

Introduction

Start here

Why AI gives poor results, and how this course fixes it.

What this course isWhy AI often gives poor resultsHow the course worksA few words you'll meetWhat you needYour steps

01What this course is

This course teaches you how to get good results from AI.

It is for people who already use AI, or want to, but don't get what they hoped for. You don't need to be technical. If you can send an email and copy and paste, you can do this course.

It works with Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini and Claude Code. It works on Windows and on Mac.

02Why AI often gives poor results

Most of the time, the problem isn't the AI. It's one of three things.

  1. It doesn't know what you know. The AI can't see your situation. It only knows what you tell it, so it fills the gaps with guesses.
  2. The request is vague. "Make it better" could mean a hundred things. The AI picks one, and it is often not the one you meant.
  3. Nobody checks the work. AI can sound sure of itself and still be wrong. If you don't check, mistakes slip through.

Here is an example. Someone asks:

Copy this
Write a newsletter.

The AI writes something generic, because it has nothing else to go on. Now compare:

Copy this
Write the March newsletter for our village walking club.
It goes to 40 members, mostly retired.
Cover the two walks this month and the AGM on 28 March.
Keep it under 300 words, friendly, and with no jargon.

Same AI, much better result. The difference is that the second request gives it what it needs. This whole course is about doing that, every time, without having to think about it.

03How the course works

  • There are ten modules. Take them in order, because each one builds on the last.
  • After the modules there are three optional extras, on research, writing and decisions. At the back there are pages with every prompt, typing commands, and tools and prices.
  • Each module ends with a short test. It takes a few minutes. Pass it before you move on.
  • Most modules take 30 to 60 minutes, with the steps. Module 1 takes longest, because you set everything up. This is a rough guide, not a target. Stop between modules whenever you like.
  • You use one real project all the way through. You pick it in this introduction. Every exercise is done on that project, so by the end you have finished something real.
  • New words are explained the first time you meet them. There is also a list of every word at the back.
  • Grey boxes hold text to copy. You copy it, paste it into your AI tool, and fill in the parts in square brackets.

04A few words you'll meet

  • AI tool: an app or website you talk to, like Claude, ChatGPT, Grok or Gemini.
  • Chat: one conversation with an AI tool.
  • Prompt: the message you type to the AI.
  • Project: a space in your AI tool that keeps your instructions and files together, so you don't have to repeat them. Module 1 shows you how to set one up.

05What you need

  • A computer, Windows or Mac.
  • An account with at least one AI tool. If you already use one, stick with it. Module 5 helps you choose if you want to change.
  • A free plan is enough to start with Claude, ChatGPT, Grok or Gemini. Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan. If any other step needs a paid plan, the module tells you.

06Your steps

Step 1: Pick your project

Choose something real that you want done. A good project:

  • matters to you, so you'll finish it
  • can be done in a few weeks, not a few years
  • involves writing, planning or working things out

Some examples: a newsletter for a club, a plan for a small business, a CV and job applications, a family recipe book, a holiday plan, or a guide for new staff at work.

For now, choose something that doesn't involve private details, like bank or medical information. Module 8 covers how to handle those safely.

Step 2: Pick your AI tool

Use the tool you already know. If you use more than one, pick the one you use most. You can try the others later.

Step 3: Write it down

Copy this into a document or a notebook, and fill it in.

Copy this
My project: [what you are making, in one or two sentences]
Finished means: [how you'll know it's done]
The AI tool I'll use: [Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini or Claude Code]

Here is a filled-in example:

Copy this
My project: A monthly newsletter for my village walking club.
Finished means: Three issues written and sent, March to May.
The AI tool I'll use: ChatGPT

Step 4: Start a problems list

Make a note, on paper or on your computer, called "Problems list".

Each time the AI gets something wrong, write one line about it. For example, "made up a walk date" or "too long again". You'll use this list in Module 7.

07When you get stuck

  • Read the step again. Most problems come from a missed line.
  • Start a fresh chat. A chat that has gone wrong rarely recovers.
  • Ask the AI itself. Tell it which module and step you are on, and paste in what happened.

08Keeping it current

If your project changes, update what you wrote in Step 3. Keep it short. Two sentences are better than a page.

09Test

Look at what you wrote in Step 3. Answer yes or no to each question.

  1. Is it a real project you want done?
  2. Can you say, in one sentence, what "finished" looks like?
  3. Have you signed in to your AI tool in the last week, so you know your account works?
  4. Have you started your problems list?

Four yes answers: you pass. Move on to Module 1: Set up your project.

Any no answers: fix that one, then check again.