AI Tools & Setup Help
Choosing and setting up Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, VS Code, and more.
16 articles
- Can AI create Gantt charts and dashboards?Yes. Give the AI your task list with dates and dependencies and ask for a Gantt chart or dashboard as a visual artifact. The book calls these Magic Window artifacts and covers them in Chapter 4.
- Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini: which should a PM use?The book uses Claude as the primary assistant for planning, writing, and analysis, and Google Gemini for deep research and large-context work. The core methods work in any of the three.
- Do I need a paid AI subscription?Not to get started. Free tiers are enough to learn the methods, but running a Project Brain every day usually needs higher usage limits and room for larger documents. Check each provider's current plans before paying.
- Do project managers really need Python?No. Chapters 1–8 of the book need no code. Python appears in Chapter 12 as "disposable software": small scripts the AI writes for a specific chore, which you run and review rather than write yourself.
- How can AI turn meeting notes into action items?Give the AI a transcript or your notes plus your project context, and ask for decisions, action items with owners and due dates, open questions, and a follow-up email. Review the list before you send it.
- How do I catch AI mistakes and hallucinations?Treat AI output as a draft you edit, not a finished product. Check names, numbers, and dates against your source documents, scale the review to the stakes, and fix missing context when errors repeat.
- How do I set up a Claude Project for my project?Create a dedicated workspace for the project, upload your core documents, add standing instructions about your role and output style, then keep the files current. That workspace becomes your Project Brain.
- How do I set up VS Code as a local AI workspace?Install VS Code, create one folder per project with your Project Brain documents inside, then add an AI assistant such as Claude Code. Chapter 11 of the book walks through the full setup.
- How do I stop re-explaining my project to AI?Store your project context somewhere persistent instead of in chat history. Keep core documents, a decision log, and standing instructions in a dedicated workspace so every new conversation starts informed.
- How do I use AI to simulate stakeholders?Describe a stakeholder's role, priorities, and style, share what you plan to present, and ask the AI to respond as that person with tough questions and objections. Chapter 6 of the book, The Simulator, covers the method.
- How do I write weekly status reports with AI?Feed the AI this week's notes, decisions, and metrics alongside your Project Brain, use the same report prompt every week, and edit the draft before sending. Chapter 7 of the book, The Weekly Report, covers the method.
- How much do AI API calls cost?It depends on the provider, the model, and how much text you send and receive. APIs are usually billed per token, separately from chat subscriptions. Check the provider's current pricing page and set a spending limit.
- Is it safe to share project data with AI tools?It depends on your organisation's policy and the provider's data terms for the account you use. Check both first, share only what a task needs, and anonymise sensitive details. No tool is guaranteed safe for your data.
- What documents should I give my AI assistant?Organise documents into three tiers: a Constitution of stable facts, News of recent changes, and a Library of reference detail. Give the AI current, clean versions only, and leave out anything your policies don't allow.
- What is an MCP server?MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to outside tools and data. An MCP server is a small connector that lets the assistant read from or act on a specific system.
- What is Claude Code, and do I need it?Claude Code is an AI assistant from Anthropic that works directly with files and code on your computer. You don't need it for Chapters 1–8 of the book; it comes in with the local environment in Chapter 11.