This blog is long overdue. I have been using Copilot for a while and it has become part of my work, but am yet to share. This is partly because there is a lot of content out there already. I don’t tend to create just for the sake of it. But a recent conversation with a peer surfaced some thoughts and insights that they felt I should share. This means I showed someone deeply technical something I was doing… and it turns out they were not aware it was possible. Wowza!

So here it is. Some key use cases and thoughts from my journey with Copilot so far…

How it started…

My AI journey really began with ChatGPT. I recall talk about it spreading through the usual ‘innovators’ in a workplace, then seeing blogs and videos, and that general early buzz. I tried using it mostly for project communication, getting help to draft text and generally play around with it.

Drafting or tweaking communication with Copilot

These days Copilot is a go-to for text. This might be email communication, or an introduction in a proposal or guide, or ideas for a presentation. Key to this is I use Copilot to gather detail about something. I might ask about technology to help me think about how to explain it to people. This pulls me out of the weeds and helps recap on core high level benefits or explain how it works. I might ask Copilot “what is Intune” to have some text created, then take key chunks and draft in my own words. I now take this further and give very specific prompts so the output completely suits my needs. An example might be “explain why Intune is important for an organisation in less than 200 words and ensure it helps people feel motivated to support the implementation” or something similar.

In additional to drafting text, I also use Copilot to tweak my own content. I might copy text into it and ask it to rewrite in less than 150 words, or even ask it to change the tone. One example could be “staff are really tired of change and really cynical. Draft an email to help them see why online meetings can work for them”. Not something I have created, but you get the gist.

Watch my video below for examples.

Brainstorm with Copilot

Key to my consulting is often creating campaigns or different types of sessions for employees or key stakeholders. I might work with a company to understand gaps in knowledge, challenges and find how staff need further knowledge or support.

At times I lack inspiration or need help getting started. So I might use Copilot to think about topics, detail or even a session outline.

I used this a while ago to create sessions teaching clients about Executive Functions. I can take the suggestions and then build my own presentation.

Or I might ask it about features of a product, then use that to build training. Or just use it to check any gaps in existing content I have already created.

What is amazing is how the output becomes more useful, with the more detailed prompts. I can narrow it down to “I have to run a 1hr session on OneNote for a group who have used it at beginner level. Create an outline that recaps on basics then adds also some valuable intermediate features”. Or I could ask “I want to run training across Microsoft 365. Create an 8 week program that has 2 30 minute sessions a week, with 15 minutes of self-paced actions in their own time. This should cover Microsoft Teams, Planner, OneNote and OneDrive across the entire course”.

To be honest this isn’t the exact content I create, but gives you examples of how you can not only get ideas, but go deep into creating an entire plan with context, activities, timing and much detail.

Other ways to brainstorm could be “what are key new features with Microsoft Teams that many people wont know”. Or, “help me learn about how I can use features to make my meetings more inclusive”.

Watch my video below to know more.

How it’s going…..

The above examples are working with researching, drafting and creating ideas or plans that many may be aware of. The next ideas are how I am amping up my Copilot experience to really make it work for me.

Reduce time to read and understand content with Copilot

I love this, especially as a neurodivergent individual. Why? I am not always in the best head space to absorb and focus. With many work tasks I push through. Or use different strategies. Reading research and articles that I think are important but long and …dry… can be a challenge at times.

So, I drag and drop articles into Copilot for an automatic summary. This helps me getting a high level summary to choose if I want to dive into it more later.

I can then engage with Copilot further and ask questions about the article, such as “what could a change manager learn from this or apply into their method?”.

Taking this further, I can drag multiple articles or links into Copilot. I have done this a few times to have it summarise each one, and then engage to discuss elements. Questions such as “what are the commonalities across all of this research?”, or “what were differences in outcomes for the research?”. Or even “if I am designing workplace learning, what are key things to consider to make it more engaging?”.

For anything you need to read, try uploading to get a summary and then explore the content further through a Copilot chat. You engage with the content on a different level and I feel it helps deeper learning. Watch my video below to see this in action.

Let Copilot create learning and assessment

I have worked more in the education sector in the last 12 months that ever before, and through this have been blown away with the use of AI and Copilot by teachers. If I mention how AI is used in schools, many will jump to talking about how students use it to cut corners or cheat. However the use by teachers is where there is so much innovation and value. I have talked to teachers who use it to help build assessment, and then pump the student assignments or tests back in to have it create exam reports. They can get AI to assess the questions that had lower scores across the board that could be due to confusion and need to be re-written. AI can help educate so much with creation and review of assessment.

For me, I love using it to consider helping save time, and to also explore more ideas.

In a small way, use it in a workplace for inductions or any way you might want to use a quiz. Have it create it for you.

Also, have it create other ways staff can learn. Just give it the content or ideas, and ask it for other suggestions for activities to drive learning.

Review my video exploring this further to see how you can really go deep with Copilot in using it to create learning outlines, detailed assessment and more. Watch the video below to understand more. And for those interested, the site/ article that helped me learn more about this is: Structured Prompting for Educators

Those are the key areas I have found Copilot to be really useful across my work.

Remember:

• Drafting
• Tweaking
• Brainstorming
• Reducing time
• Engaging with it to deepen learning
• Creating detailed learning outlines

There are many ways you can work with it across your work day, even to review emails and actions, or help you create files. I am sure you have ideas and experiences already.

My one final note – learn more about the environmental impact. I had no idea and eventually read some articles about the impact of AI. I have since reduced how much I play around with it, and limited the use. While it isn’t huge, it does add to carbon emission in the world and is worth using less or off-setting in any way you can. I recommend reading about this, and even ask Copilot about your use to date, and compare that to trees getting cut down, or use of a car… or even a kettle. Explore further to know the impact you’re making.