The Problem Space is where we go to learn about our users’ problems so we can design and develop meaningful and profitable solutions to solve these problems. It’s also where we go to learn about our companies, our employees/coworkers, and ourselves, so we can create the best organizational conditions for success.
If ChatGPT can write the proposal, which parts of our work are uniquely human?
What's on my mind
Juan Manuel Parrilla, a robotics researcher, recently used ChatGPT to write parts of a grant proposal. His use of ChatGPT cut the workload from three days to three hours.
Is this cheating? Or does it highlight what Parrilla sees as a much bigger issue - “What is the point of asking scientists to write documents that can be easily created with AI?”
In context: This year, Nature surveyed 1,600 researchers and found that
- more than 25% use AI to help them write manuscripts and
- more than 15% use AI to help them write grant proposals.
I’ve written many of those grant applications. They are incredibly time-consuming. And definitely tedious.
They are also a very long shot. In the vast majority of cases, the applications are rejected. If you have an understanding boss, you might get some credit for making the effort, but in the big scheme of things, it counts for nothing. Unless, of course, you get the grant.
So why not spend significantly less time on something that is arguably just as good?
Or perhaps the grant writing industry will need to rethink its evaluation criteria. But how? Which parts of our work are uniquely human? What do we offer beyond mining words into the correct format?
It's a relatable issue in industry. I know I've found myself elbow deep in work that feels monotonous and could easily be outsourced - but something about it makes your leadership and peers (and perhaps you?) demand your personal touch.
In other words, there are many tasks that insist on our authenticity when that authenticity may be unnecessary.
The challenge is to sort out where human output truly matters, because getting that wrong is what rightfully frightens the naysayers.
SaaSiest Amsterdam
On Wednesday October 25th, I'll be at SaaSiest Amsterdam, held at WesterLiefde.
There will be a mix of B2B SaaS Founders, CEOs, Executives, and VCs sharing best practices and experiences.
The line-up of speakers includes talks on product marketing, running effective QBRs, customer success, hiring practices, pricing, product led growth, sales, company culture and leadership, and more.
Are you joining? Please let me know.
The Problem Space
by Janelle Ward
The Problem Space is where we go to learn about our users’ problems so we can design and develop meaningful and profitable solutions to solve these problems. It’s also where we go to learn about our companies, our employees/coworkers, and ourselves, so we can create the best organizational conditions for success.
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