AI at Work: A BA/PM’s Guide to Getting Things Done Faster

Don’t Fear AI, Learn It

I recently came across an article about how, back in 1988, school teachers were protesting against the use of calculators in classrooms. Fast forward to today, and schools rely on both calculators and computers for daily work. It reminds me of how many people are now rejecting AI, with some companies even banning their employees from using it.

There’s this common fear that AI will make you less creative or somehow “dumb you down.” But honestly, I think it’s more about knowing how to use AI to your advantage. For example, even though I use ChatGPT to generate content, whether it’s a document or something else, I always read through it and double-check for accuracy. Most AI tools even offer the option to see the sources they pulled information from, so you can validate it yourself.

For me, AI is like a knowledge shortcut—it helps me learn and gather info quickly. If you’re open to learning, it’s one of the best resources out there.

Making AI Work for You

I can’t even remember what life was like before AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini became part of my everyday routine. As a business analyst, my days used to be filled with writing tons of documents, doing research, and communicating with clients via email and chat. Back then, I’d spend ages drafting the perfect document, email, or even a simple chat message—not to mention how long technical research could take!

A common complaint I hear is that AI doesn’t always give the right answers or it sounds too robotic. But honestly, I think if you give the AI clear instructions, you can get results that feel natural and require only minor edits. I know some people worry that AI might replace them, but from my experience, if you know how to use it, AI can make you more productive and help you get tasks done with better quality. In this post, I’ll share a few ways I use AI tools in my work, including tips on how to get customized answers that are useful.

Simplifying Technical Jargon

One way I use AI is for technical research. As BAs and PMs, we sometimes deal with technical concepts that are new to us. In situations like that, I ask AI to break things down into simple terms. For example, on one project, I needed to quickly learn about Windows server environments—something I had zero experience with. So, I turned to AI to help me get a basic understanding. Below is a screenshot of how I kicked off the conversation. By giving it a bit of context, I got explanations that made sense to me.

Don’t worry or feel embarrassed about the questions you ask AI—there’s no such thing as a bad question when you’re trying to figure something out. You have the freedom to ask whatever you need to help make sense of the topic you’re researching. That’s the beauty of using AI: it’s there to support you, no matter how big or small your question is!

Sometimes the dev team throws around terms that you might not fully understand, and it can leave you feeling a little lost. This is where AI can come in handy—just ask it to break down those terms into simple explanations. That way, you can follow the discussion more easily once you’re clear on what everything means.

Check out the example above—see how AI used a super simple explanation to help me understand a technical term. This can be a game-changer for non-technical folks, especially those just starting their careers and needing a quick head start on the technical side of things.

Using AI for Documentation

Now, let me show you how I use AI to help with documentation. As BAs, we’re constantly creating different types of documents, and one of the most time-consuming tasks is writing user stories in the correct format. To save time, I have an entire chat in ChatGPT dedicated to helping me with user stories. Below is how I started the conversation and prompted it to give me the output I needed.

I gave the AI the format for the user stories and what the acceptance criteria should cover. Now, all I have to do is type out the requirement as a paragraph (which is way faster than writing out a full user story document) and send it off. In return, I get a perfectly formatted user story sheet that I can just copy, and paste into Jira tickets, and share with the team.

Using AI for Spreadsheets

As managers, we often find ourselves working with spreadsheets, whether it's calculating timelines, tracking progress, or managing resources. But let’s be honest, not everyone has every Excel formula memorized!

Let’s face it, we've all been there! This is where AI can be a real lifesaver. Instead of Googling how to set up a formula for the hundredth time, you can ask AI to walk you through the process step by step, saving you a ton of time and frustration.

One time, I actually managed to generate an app script that automatically updated data in a Google sheet from an API—and it worked perfectly!

Staying Organized with AI

I also want to touch on how I stay organized. I’ve set up separate AI chats for each task category, so I don’t mix things up. This way, I get more accurate answers for each specific type of task, and it’s super easy to jump into the right chat whenever I need something. Whether it’s answering a question or getting a task done, having these dedicated chats keeps everything neat and efficient.

I’ve also used ChatGPT’s customization option to give it a better understanding of my role and the kind of work I do. This helps it tailor its responses more accurately, making it easier for me to get exactly what I need from it

In the end, AI is like a tool in your toolbox—you get out of it what you put in. By using it wisely, you can save time, be more productive, and even learn new things along the way. So don’t be afraid to explore it to fit your needs. AI isn’t here to replace you; it’s here to make your work easier.

As the saying goes, "Work smarter, not harder."