Mindset
AI Problem Solving Mentality
Think of AI as a helpful assistant that you collaborate with, not something you hand off to.
Solve problems by collaborating with AI. Prompts are the start of a collaborative process, not a one-off instruction.
Don’t be tempted to hand off to the AI. Break large problems into small problems and collaborate on them.
Output must be human-reviewed
All output generated by AI tools — including code, tests, documentation, etc — must be critically reviewed before being accepted into delivery pipelines.
You’re still responsible for anything generated by AI.
Embrace the Fun and Creativity of AI
Working with AI tools combines productivity with creativity. Teams can rapidly develop production-quality features in novel ways, driving continuous exploration and innovation.
You need to adapt beyond traditional development mindsets to effectively work with LLMs.
A Generalist Approach to Collaboration
AI development shifts from role-based workflows to a generalist mindset. Team members must work across product, design, development and testing. While domain expertise remains valuable, you need adaptability across disciplines for accelerated AI-driven development.
Managing Cognitive Load
AI tools create unique challenges:
- High cognitive load from rapid experimentation
- Frequent context switching
- Risk of change fatigue
Reduce these through:
- Regular pairing sessions
- Structured breaks
- Clear priorities
- Supportive team culture
Effective Prompting
Clear communication with LLMs is essential. They are highly capable but they have no context. Well-crafted prompts give better results. Iterate on prompts to improve outcomes.
Refer to Prompting Guidance for details on how to write effective prompts.
Test-and-Learn Approach
Rather than lengthy iterations, experiment and test ideas quickly. This mindset enables creative exploration without over-commitment. The insights you gain often exceed the value of the code produced.
Evolving Best Practices
This playbook captures current best practices, acknowledging they will evolve rapidly. Embrace this constant change as an opportunity for growth.
