AI Best Practices

AI is a tool. Like any tool, you get better results when you know how to use it well.

Ask specific questions

The more specific your question, the better the answer.

“Tell me about safety” could mean anything. The AI has to guess what you want.

“What PPE is required for high-voltage electrical work according to our safety manual?” is specific. The AI knows exactly what to look for.

Provide context

Help the AI help you. Mention the project name, reference specific documents, or explain what you’re trying to accomplish.

“What are the permit requirements?” is okay.

“What permits do we need for the Oakwood project based on the scope document?” is better.

Follow up

Don’t start a new chat for every question. If the first answer isn’t quite right, follow up:

“Can you be more specific about the timeline?”
“What about for residential properties?”
“Where exactly did you find that?”

The AI remembers the context of your conversation and can refine its answers.

Check the citations

When AI gives you an answer, it shows where the information came from. Click through to verify.

This isn’t about not trusting the AI—it’s about being thorough. The AI might have found the right document but misinterpreted something. A quick check confirms you’re on solid ground.

Know when not to use AI

AI is great for:

Finding information buried in documents
Summarizing long documents
Answering factual questions
Comparing information across files

AI is not great for:

Making judgment calls that require human expertise
Critical safety decisions (always verify with qualified people)
Legal or compliance determinations (consult the actual experts)
Creative decisions that need human insight

Think of AI as a research assistant, not a decision-maker.

If you’re not getting good answers

Upload more documents. AI can only answer based on what’s in the system.
Try different phrasing. Sometimes rewording helps.
Check your context. Are you searching the right documents (project vs. company)?
Be more specific. Vague questions get vague answers.

Related: Using Gems for conversation basics. Document Context for controlling which documents AI searches.