The Data Front

(for People who use Data, not code)

A beginner’s practical guide to using AI as a thinking and planning companion – without jargon, overwhelm, or hype.

Part 1 in the AI Enablement Series

I work in data enablement – helping teams become more confident with tools like Tableau, communicate insight more clearly, and build sustainable data culture. My role isn’t to make people more “technical”. It’s to help them use the tools they’ve already got, more powerfully and more purposefully.

And that’s exactly how I use AI.

I’m not a data scientist. I don’t write code anymore. But I do use tools like ChatGPT or Claude – not to do the work for me, but to support how I think, plan, and communicate. It’s a collaborator, not a replacement.

This guide is for anyone who’s curious about using AI Chats but hasn’t yet tried it – or hasn’t found their rhythm with it yet. If you work with information (not models), or use dashboards, reports, team updates or plans – this is written for you.

If you’re still deciding which tool to use, I’ve compared the top five in this follow-up > [Which AI Chat Tool Should I Use? A Non-Tech Guide to 5 Chat AI]

---

Step 1: Get Set Up (It’s Easier Than You Think)

You don’t need anything fancy to get started – just a login and a question.

For ChatGPT, go to chat.openai.com and create a free account. You can sign up with your email, or quickly use your Google or Microsoft login.

Once you’re in, you’ll land in a simple chat window – it works just like messaging a colleague.

ChatGPT now runs on GPT-5 as its default model, which is more accurate, faster, and better at understanding context than earlier versions. If you’re on a Plus, Pro, or Team plan, you may also see enhanced variants like GPT-5 Pro or GPT-5 Thinking for more complex tasks.

You don’t need to understand how the model works. You just need to know what you’re trying to achieve.

---

Step 2: Write a Prompt That Works With You

Think of a prompt like a good brief – you’re not giving orders, you’re setting up a useful response.

The most helpful prompts include:

• Context → What’s this about?
  
• Purpose → What outcome are you aiming for?
  
• Tone → Who’s it for? Friendly? Formal? Clear? Casual?
  

Bonus tip: Set a character

One trick I use a lot is asking AI chats to “act like” someone with a specific background:

“You’re a clear communicator with experience in HR. You write with warmth and structure.”

It doesn’t give you a perfect answer, but it gives you a more useful starting point – especially if you’re working on tone, message or structure.

---

Step 3: Try These Five Practical Use Cases

Here are five real-world tasks where ChatGPT has helped me – not by doing the job for me, but by speeding up the draft, structuring the mess, or getting me past the blank page.

1. Writing a Better First Draft

Use it for: Internal comms, updates, tricky emails
Prompt: “You’re experienced in people comms. Draft a clear, supportive email explaining our new hybrid working policy and why we’re making the change.”

I’ll always tweak the output. But it gets me 80% there – faster than starting from scratch.

2. Idea Generation When You’re Short on Time

Use it for: Events, campaigns, naming, framing
Prompt: “I’m organising a team wellbeing event in September. Can you suggest 10 simple, inclusive ideas that aren’t too cheesy?”

It won’t hit the bullseye first time, but it’s a quick way to explore ideas and spot angles you hadn’t considered.

3. Summarising Long Notes into Something Shareable

Use it for: Meetings, research notes, discussion threads
Prompt: “Summarise the following notes into key themes, grouped by topic. Then pull out any actions.”

You can copy-paste your notes straight in – and get a more structured view to build from.

4. Planning a Trip (or a Project)

Use it for: Personal planning, research framing, itinerary building
Prompt: “You’re a travel planner. I’m spending 5 days in Lisbon with a friend. We like good food, walking tours, and a relaxed pace. Suggest an itinerary with a local feel.”

Sometimes I use it like a sounding board – “does this sound like a good balance?” It’s great for framing ideas without falling down a Google rabbit hole.

5. Building Reusable Checklists

Use it for: Session prep, onboarding, repeat tasks
Prompt: “I’m running a new starter onboarding session next week. What should be on my prep checklist – from setup to follow-up?”

It’s never the final version, but it’s a really efficient way to structure thinking when you’ve got lots on – especially if you type more of a brain offload and refine into more coherent thoughts as you go.

---

Step 4: Refine As You Go

You’re allowed to disagree with the first answer. That’s the point. ChatGPT works best when you respond like you would to a colleague:

• “Can you make this more concise?”
  
• “Add more warmth.”
  
• “Adapt for senior leaders.”
  
• “Break this into steps.”
  

It’s not about getting a perfect output first time. It’s about collaborating with a tool that doesn’t mind endless tweaks.

---

Step 5: Ask for Sources When You Need Them

ChatGPT and other Chat AIs, especially Claude, can also help with live research – especially when paired with web access:

“What are the key HR trends for 2025? Include trusted references.”
“Summarise recent UK employment law updates with links.”

This won’t replace your judgment, but it will speed up the finding part – and help you get to better first drafts, faster.

---

Step 6: Let Memory Save You Time

If you use ChatGPT more regularly, you can turn on memory – which helps it remember things like:

• What your role is
  
• What tone you prefer
  
• What you ask often
  
• Spelling nuances, e.g. UK English
  
  

Example from my own use:
I once asked about how to do a gym movement, and ChatGPT remembered from a previous chat that I’d mentioned injury recovery. So it gave an answer that focused not just on form, but on how to adapt the movement for my recovery goals.

It didn’t just respond to what I typed. It responded to why I was asking, the question behind the question.

Pretty powerful.

---

Final Thought: Use It to Support You, Not Replace You

Just like with data tools – AI should help you do your job better, not take over your thinking.

When I train teams on Tableau or dashboards, I don’t expect them to become data scientists. I help them find the one thing they can do differently tomorrow – the one habit that builds confidence.

It’s the same here. You don’t need to “get good at AI”. You just need to try something small, and see if it helps.