[AI x Thinking Methods] Clarifying Vague Instructions: Getting AI to Ask Questions

Make it look good, I'm counting on you.

Have you ever had a frustrating experience after being told that?

What does 'look good' mean? What exactly does 'counting on you' entail and how far should I go? If you proceed without knowing, you'll be told later that it's not what they wanted.

Not only do you waste time, but you also end up having to redo the work.

However, it is not your fault for receiving a vague instruction. Often, the person giving the instruction doesn't even know what they want specifically.

Using AI can help you clarify vague instructions.

Why are vague instructions problematic?

Vague instructions have too wide a range of interpretation.

The 'good' you imagine is different from the 'good' the other person imagines. As a result, the finished product is different from what was expected.

And then, you are told it's wrong after it's finished. If this repeats, you lose confidence.

Do not accept vague instructions as they are. This is the first step to reducing rework.

Show the vague instruction to AI and draw out questions

When you receive a vague instruction, try showing it to AI first.

Example conversation:

上司からこんな指示を受けました。

【指示内容】
新しいプロジェクトの資料をいい感じで作っておいて。
来週の会議で使うから、よろしく。

この指示で曖昧な点を5つ挙げて、
確認すべき質問を作ってください。

The AI will reply like this:

曖昧な点と確認質問：

1. いい感じとは：
   → デザイン重視？内容の詳しさ重視？

2. 資料の形式：
   → PowerPoint？Word？PDF？

3. ボリューム：
   → 何ページくらいを想定していますか？

4. 会議の目的：
   → 意思決定？情報共有？

5. 想定される参加者：
   → 誰に向けた資料ですか？

You can take these questions and confirm them with the person who gave you the instruction.

Asking for clarification is not rude

You might think it's rude to ask for clarification after receiving a vague instruction.

But it is much more troublesome to proceed without asking and get it wrong.

Asking for clarification shows that you are trying to correctly understand the other person's expectations. In fact, it will be appreciated.

By using AI to create questions, the psychological hurdle of asking for clarification is lowered.

People who give vague instructions don't even know what they want themselves

In fact, many people who give vague instructions don't even know specifically what they want.

They only have a rough image and haven't worked out the details. That's why they settle for words like 'make it look good'.

By asking questions, you help the other person organize their thoughts as well. As a result, your understandings will align.

This is a benefit for the other person as well.

Organize the confirmed content using AI

Once you have asked your questions and received answers, use AI to organize that content.

Example conversation:

上司に確認した内容をまとめてください。

【確認内容】
- 資料形式：PowerPoint、10ページ程度
- 目的：意思決定のための情報提供
- 参加者：経営層3名
- 重視する点：数字の根拠と今後の展開

これを依頼内容として整理してください。

The AI will respond like this:

【整理した依頼内容】
新プロジェクトの意思決定資料を作成する。

- 形式：PowerPoint
- ボリューム：10ページ程度
- 目的：経営層による意思決定
- 対象：経営層3名
- 重視すべき点：
  1. 数字の根拠を明確に示す
  2. 今後の展開を具体的に記載する

この理解で進めてよろしいでしょうか。

If you send this organized content to the other person, you can perform a final check. Then, you can proceed without any misalignment.

Summary: When you receive a vague instruction, have AI create questions for you

The next time you receive a vague instruction, try showing it to the AI as is.

Just ask it to list the vague points and create questions that need to be confirmed.

Asking for clarification is the best way to prevent having to redo work.

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