Using ChatGPT for Better Decision Making

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:

• Use ChatGPT to analyse decision scenarios and gather insights
• Set up effective prompts that help you think through complex choices
• Recognise when ChatGPT can help and when human judgement is essential

Introduction

Making good decisions quickly is a skill that separates successful people from the rest. ChatGPT can be your thinking partner here, helping you process information, spot patterns, and consider angles you might miss.

This lesson shows you exactly how to use ChatGPT as a decision-making tool, with practical steps and real examples. You'll also learn the crucial skill of knowing when to trust AI input and when to rely on human insight instead.

Lessons

Getting ChatGPT to Help With Decisions

ChatGPT works best when you give it structure. Instead of asking "What should I do?", break your decision down into parts it can actually help with.

Start by feeding ChatGPT the key information about your decision. Include the context, your constraints, and what you're trying to achieve. The more specific you are, the more useful its response will be.

Here's how to structure your decision prompts:

• State the decision you need to make
• List the options you're considering
• Include relevant background information
• Specify what kind of help you want (pros and cons, risk analysis, etc.)

Example prompt: "I need to decide between hiring a full-time designer or using freelancers for my startup. We have £40k budget annually, need 20 hours of design work per week, and want consistent brand quality. Can you help me weigh the pros and cons of each approach?"

Teaching ChatGPT Your Decision Framework

You can train ChatGPT to use your preferred decision-making approach. If you like weighing pros and cons, cost-benefit analysis, or the 10-10-10 rule (how will I feel in 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years?), tell ChatGPT to use that framework.

Create a template prompt that includes your decision criteria. Save this as a starting point for future decisions.

Your framework might include:

• Financial impact (short and long term)
• Time requirements
• Risk level
• Alignment with goals
• Resource needs

Template example: "Use this framework to analyse my decision: 1) Financial impact over 12 months, 2) Time investment required, 3) Main risks and how to mitigate them, 4) How well this aligns with my goal of [specific goal], 5) What resources I'll need. Here's my decision…"

Using ChatGPT for Scenario Planning

One of ChatGPT's strengths is helping you think through different scenarios. Ask it to walk through what might happen if you choose each option.

This is particularly useful for business decisions where you need to consider multiple outcomes. ChatGPT can help you map out best-case, worst-case, and most-likely scenarios for each choice.

Steps for scenario planning:

1. Ask ChatGPT to identify 3-5 possible outcomes for each option
2. Request probability estimates (but take these with a grain of salt)
3. Get suggestions for how to prepare for each scenario
4. Ask for early warning signs to watch for

Example: "For each option (hiring full-time vs freelance), show me three scenarios: best case, worst case, and most likely. Include what might trigger each scenario and how I could prepare for them."

When to Ignore ChatGPT's Advice

This is the bit most people miss. ChatGPT can't replace human judgement, especially for decisions involving people, ethics, or situations where you have information it doesn't.

Don't use ChatGPT alone for:

• Decisions affecting people's jobs or wellbeing
• Situations requiring emotional intelligence
• Choices involving confidential or sensitive information
• When you have gut instincts based on experience ChatGPT can't access
• Legal or medical decisions

Always combine ChatGPT's analysis with your own knowledge, instincts, and advice from relevant experts.

Practice

Think of a decision you're facing right now. Write down:

1. The decision in one clear sentence
2. Your main options (2-4 choices)
3. Three key factors that matter most to you
4. One aspect of this decision that ChatGPT probably can't help with

Now create a prompt asking ChatGPT to help with the parts it can handle, while noting what you'll need to figure out yourself.

FAQs

Can ChatGPT make decisions for me?
No. ChatGPT can help you analyse options and think through scenarios, but the final decision should always be yours. It's a thinking tool, not a decision maker.

How do I know if ChatGPT's analysis is reliable?
Cross-check its suggestions against your experience and other sources. ChatGPT is great for structuring your thinking but may miss context or nuances specific to your situation.

Should I share confidential business information with ChatGPT?
Be cautious about sharing sensitive data. Use general scenarios or anonymised examples when possible, especially for strategic business decisions.

Jargon Buster

Prompt Engineering – The skill of writing clear, specific instructions that get better responses from AI tools like ChatGPT

Scenario Planning – Thinking through different possible outcomes and how you'd handle each one

Decision Framework – A consistent method or set of criteria you use to evaluate choices

Wrap-up

ChatGPT works best as a thinking partner for decisions, not as the decision maker itself. Use it to structure your analysis, consider different angles, and plan for various scenarios. But always combine its input with your human judgement, especially for decisions involving people or situations where you have contextual knowledge it lacks.

Start with smaller decisions to get comfortable with the process, then gradually apply these techniques to more complex choices.

Ready to learn more advanced ChatGPT techniques? Check out our full course library at https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership