Establishing purpose boundaries when researching with generative AI

- My friend Sarah was recently asked to join a non-profit board faced with a big task, to decide on the future of a private school for at-risk youth. She knew this decision would be fraught with emotion, and she wanted to guide the board in making a decision that prioritized logic and reason. She suspected that Gen AI could help take the sting out of the process by offering a non-human way to prioritize critical thinking. And she was right. It can be easy to get caught up in all the exciting things that Gen AI is capable of. So start by identifying and putting boundaries around your purpose so you don't veer from your objectives. Remember PickPack? We're now tackling that first P, by establishing purpose and setting purpose boundaries. When Sarah introduced Gen AI to the board, they were amazed at how helpful it was. They started to get excited about generating new programs and fundraising ideas, but Sarah was able to convince them to start by establishing purpose and purpose boundaries. Here's what Sarah shared with ChatGPT. "We're a 15-member board of directors charged with governing a school whose purpose is to care for and educate at-risk youth? What probing questions would you suggest to help us make our purpose clear so we can then set boundaries?" And here are some of the probing questions ChatGPT responded with. Which of these would have been obvious to you? One, who qualifies as at-risk in the context of your institution? Two, what does care encompass? Physical well-being, emotional support, mental health services? Three, what educational outcomes are you aiming for? Four, how long do you intend to support each child? Five, how will you measure the success of your programs? Six, what's the maximum number of children you can effectively support at any given time? The board was able to answer many of these questions, and other questions led to constructive debates, like the debate over who qualifies as at-risk in the context of the school. Again, Sarah suggested that ChatGPT help answer this question, so she asked, Please provide a concise list of specific criteria to help determine which children qualify as at-risk youth in need of our school services. The criteria should allow for objective assessment, and avoid biases. ChatGPT came up with a list of criteria for the board to consider, things like socioeconomics, family dynamics, health, behavior, housing, and the availability of role models. The board worked hard to clearly address all of the questions, and came up with the following purpose statement. Our institution is committed to serving children aged six to 18 who are identified as at-risk due to socioeconomic hardships, exposure to crime, or lack of stable guardianship. Our comprehensive care extends beyond traditional education, providing physical well-being checks, emotional support through dedicated counselors, and periodic mental health assessments. We strive for educational outcomes that ensure a minimum of an 80% high school graduation rate, with support systems in place to aid each child for up to 12 years. The success of our programs will be gauged by consistent yearly advancement in education levels, market improvements in emotional and mental well-being, and the successful integration of at least 70% of our students into higher education institutions, or vocational programs post-graduation. We will support no more than 30 students at a time, and over the next decade, we aim to see a 10% increase in our high school graduation rates, and a 20% increase in post-program integration. Now, the clearer the purpose statement, the easier it is to set purpose boundaries. To set boundaries, Sarah copied and pasted the purpose statement into ChatGPT and asked, "Can you please create a purpose boundary statement so the board does not veer from this purpose?" Let's see what it came up with. "To maintain the integrity and effectiveness of our mission, all board discussions, decisions, and actions must align with our clearly defined commitment to our at-risk students, age six to 18. Proposals or initiatives that aim to either dilute our comprehensive care model or divert resources from our core objectives, namely holistic well-being, achieving a minimum of 80% high school graduation rates, and supporting successful post-graduation integration will be considered out of bounds. Furthermore, any suggestion to exceed our capacity of 30 students at any given time, or actions not in line with our 10-year projected growth in graduation and integration rates will not be entertained. Our focus is unwavering, and any venture outside these parameters risks compromising the quality and intention of our purpose." So, think about a decision as you're progressing through this course. Use Gen AI to help you clearly create a purpose statement. Then, share that purpose with your favorite Gen AI and ask it to create purpose boundaries. Here's a bonus tip. Later, if you have an issue and you're wondering if it's within your purpose boundaries, ask Gen AI.