Tools for thinking together

Choose a tool for the work in front of you. Five of the 26 tools include a full exercise.

Finding your way through the tools

Browse the tools in the order you meet them in the book. Pick one that fits your task, try it and notice what changes. Five tools include a full exercise with optional ways to involve AI: the Sketch, Hybrid Mapping, AI Avatar Dialogues, CEEL and Five Fingers.

6The Power of the Sketch

The Sketch

Put your own thinking on paper before asking AI for a proposal.

7Seeing Eye to AI

Hybrid Mapping

Compare your map of a problem with AI’s. Investigate the differences.

8Neverending ConversAItions

AI Avatar Dialogues

Explore a simulated perspective, then check it against the person’s actual work.

Multi-Avatar Simulations

Bring several simulated perspectives to one question. See where they disagree.

Inner Dialogues

Let the competing parts of your thinking explain what they want.

Meta-prompting

Ask AI to help clarify the task before it starts solving it.

9From Puppet to Co-Curator

Digital Scaffolding

Choose the support that helps you take the next learning step.

Co-curating

Select, connect and shape AI’s contributions into work you understand.

11Building Blocks of Reasoning

CEEL

Build a claim with an explanation, evidence and a link back to the question.

12From Opinion to Well-Founded Argument

Detachment

Put some distance between yourself and an opinion you want to examine.

Evidence Tests

Check whether the evidence is relevant, sufficient and trustworthy.

Pearl Necklace

The facts are pearls. Make the connections between them visible.

13Strategic Approaches to Argumentation

Argument Bricks

Turn your arguments into pieces you can compare, test and rearrange.

Argumentation Strategy

Decide your aim. Select the arguments. Arrange them. Test the case.

Context and Criterion

Understand the audience and agree what should decide the question.

14Treat Your AI Well

Three-step Listening

Show you understand. Find common ground. Then explain the disagreement.

Extra Spin

Examine another way to understand the situation that is frustrating you.

Columbo Questions

Ask the apparently simple question that opens up the reasoning.

Matlock Questions

Test the specific point you think you have understood.

16Matrix Relationships

Matrix Relationships

Look at the outcome and the relationship. Choose your stance towards AI.

17Building Empires

Strategic Thinking Pyramid

Build a path from what matters to actions someone can take.

Five Fingers

Explain the problem, its cause, your plan, the resources and the benefits.

Futures Wheel

Trace what a change could lead to, then follow the next consequences.

21The Arm’s-Length Miracle

Arm’s-Length Miracle

Choose one worthwhile action you can take with what is within reach.

Puppy Running

Follow a small curiosity and see where it takes your thinking.

Thinking in Nuances

Look for the conditions, differences and trade-offs hidden by a simple answer.