Maintaining Contact with Childhood Friends

Can ChatGPT really create a Job Map?

I’m curious what you all think about these inputs to a job map. One thing I have learned is that AI is not perfect. However, I have seen it make some improvements through better prompt engineering, and also its ability to learn. Let’s take the job of a person trying to maintain contact with childhood friends. This is clearly a job-to-be-done you might use Facebook for. Without quantifying the job map, you still might be able to find gaps in the service to get more of the job done. Maybe not. I didn’t give it a context, just a general job…and context matters sometimes. (I do have a context portion of the prompt).

I’m only going to share the output with you, sorry. If you like it, I encourage you to experiment on your own. The output is a bit verbose as it results in a lot of steps. Like I said, it’s not perfect, and a human is still going to need to be involved to refine and consolidate and generally isolate the scope. However, that human is going to spend 99% less time and resources in their qualitative research. Think about that a moment ($$$).

I generated this output in less than 10 minutes (processing and cut & paste time). I’ve tested this prompt against about 20 jobs - some of which have been studied in the past (and were surprisingly close to the imperfect human models). I’ve done customer and provider jobs (you could create a very comprehensive service blueprint). I’ve done functional jobs, and I’ve done customer journeys. I’ve done politically oriented jobs of voters.

I have to say that I’m impressed, because it does a consistently good job, and people aren’t consistently good interviewers or listeners - including myself. I think any good systems thinker can appreciate that. It’s generally free from solutions or solution concepts. This particular one seems to incorporate a few things I might consider for emotion or social jobs. But, it’s kind of social and emotional at its foundation, so…

At some point I may share the output of the success measures it generates for each step. Actually, that was the more difficult part and took some considerable experimentation. For many of the studies you all are focused on, you may not even need to go that far.

I’m closing in on far better than good enough. Trust me.

Define Steps

1. Identify childhood friends: Make a list of childhood friends with whom the person wants to maintain contact.

2. Determine preferred communication method: Decide on the preferred mode of communication with each childhood friend, such as social media, phone, email, or in-person meetups.

3. Set frequency of contact: Determine how often the person wants to be in contact with each childhood friend, such as weekly, monthly, or on special occasions.

4. Establish purpose of communication: Define the reason for maintaining contact with each childhood friend, such as to share updates, reminisce about old times, or seek support during difficult times.

5. Create a schedule: Develop a schedule that outlines when the person plans to reach out to each childhood friend, which will help ensure consistent communication and prevent the job from being forgotten.

Locate Steps

1. Retrieve contact information: Locate the contact information for each childhood friend, such as their phone number, email address, or social media handles.

2. Find common ground: Research the interests and hobbies of each childhood friend to identify common ground for conversation and build a stronger connection.

3. Locate convenient meeting places: Identify suitable places for in-person meetups with childhood friends, such as a local coffee shop, park, or restaurant, that are convenient for both parties.

4. Gather mementos and photos: Locate mementos and photos from shared experiences with childhood friends to use as conversation starters and deepen the connection.

5. Access communication technology: Ensure that the necessary technology is available to access and use the chosen communication methods with childhood friends, such as a working smartphone or computer.

Prepare

1. Organize contact information: Enter the contact information for each childhood friend into a phone or email contact list for easy access and reference.

2. Plan conversation topics: Prepare a list of conversation topics based on common interests, shared experiences, and updates about personal life that the person wants to discuss with childhood friends.

3. Set up meeting places: Book or reserve suitable meeting places for in-person meetups with childhood friends and ensure that the location is convenient for both parties.

4. Prepare communication technology: Ensure that the necessary communication technology is ready to use and troubleshoot any issues that may arise with internet connectivity or device performance.

5. Create a positive environment: Prepare a welcoming and positive environment for in-person meetups with childhood friends by arranging seating, setting up refreshments, and creating a comfortable atmosphere.

Confirm

1. Prioritize contacts: Determine which childhood friends are the highest priority based on the level of closeness, frequency of contact, and importance of the relationship.

2. Confirm preferred communication methods: Double-check that each childhood friend is comfortable with the chosen mode of communication and adjust if needed.

3. Verify timing and frequency: Confirm that the timing and frequency of contact with childhood friends aligns with the person's schedule and availability, and make any necessary adjustments.

4. Check for potential barriers: Identify and address any potential barriers that could prevent successful communication, such as time zone differences, language barriers, or conflicting schedules.

5. Decide on next steps: Determine the next steps for maintaining contact with each childhood friend, such as scheduling a follow-up call, setting up an in-person meetup, or continuing regular communication through the chosen mode.

Execute

1. Initiate contact: Reach out to childhood friends through the preferred mode of communication and start the conversation based on the predetermined conversation topics.

2. Actively listen: Listen attentively to childhood friends' responses, ask follow-up questions, and show interest in their lives.

3. Share personal updates: Share personal updates and experiences with childhood friends to maintain a two-way conversation and build a stronger connection.

4. Respect boundaries: Respect each childhood friend's boundaries, privacy, and availability, and adjust communication frequency and timing as needed.

5. Express appreciation: Express gratitude and appreciation for the time and effort put into maintaining the relationship and for the positive impact it has on the person's life.

Monitor

1. Track communication frequency: Keep track of the frequency of communication with each childhood friend to ensure that the relationship is being maintained consistently.

2. Monitor feedback and responses: Monitor the feedback and responses from childhood friends to assess the quality of the communication and identify areas for improvement.

3. Adjust communication methods as needed: Evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen communication methods and adjust if needed to improve the quality of the communication and strengthen the relationship.

4. Stay up to date on childhood friends' lives: Stay informed about childhood friends' current lives and experiences through social media, shared contacts, or regular communication to maintain a strong connection and provide more opportunities for meaningful conversations.

5. Assess the success of the job: Regularly assess the success of the job in maintaining contact with childhood friends by evaluating the quality and consistency of the communication and the overall strength of the relationship.

Modify

1. Assess the effectiveness of communication methods: Evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen communication methods and modify them as needed to improve the quality and consistency of the communication and strengthen the relationship.

2. Adjust the frequency of contact: Assess the frequency of contact with each childhood friend and adjust it as needed to ensure the relationship is maintained consistently and meets the needs of both parties.

3. Find new ways to maintain the relationship: Explore new ways to maintain the relationship with childhood friends, such as sending small gifts, organizing virtual events, or participating in shared interests and hobbies.

4. Re-evaluate the list of childhood friends: Re-evaluate the list of childhood friends and adjust it as needed to include new friends or remove friends who are no longer interested in maintaining the relationship.

5. Modify the purpose of communication: Adjust the purpose of communication with childhood friends as needed to reflect changes in the person's life, such as seeking support during a difficult time or celebrating a major milestone.

Conclude

1. Set goals for future communication: Determine the goals for maintaining contact with childhood friends moving forward, such as increasing the frequency of communication, deepening the connection, or strengthening the relationship.

2. Schedule future communication: Schedule the next communication with each childhood friend to ensure that the relationship is maintained consistently and that the job is not forgotten.

3. Reflect on the relationship: Reflect on the relationship with childhood friends and the positive impact it has had on the person's life, expressing gratitude and appreciation for the memories and experiences shared.

4. Celebrate the relationship: Celebrate the relationship with childhood friends through small gestures of appreciation, such as sending a thoughtful message or gift, to strengthen the connection and reinforce the value of the relationship.

5. Closure: Conclude the job of maintaining contact with childhood friends with a sense of closure, knowing that the relationship has been maintained consistently and meaningfully.

How do you think it did? Would I make any changes? Yes, but I’d like to hear what you think.