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JUNE 2026 I I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE 39 Stretch—Original Exercise: Build Your "Follow-Me" Shop Context Block Time: 30+ minutes What to Do This one goes beyond the previous exercises and sets up the next stage of the journey. Write a short reusable context block about your plant and your role, keeping it to 150–250 words. Include your role, what your shop makes, typical technologies or product mix, your biggest operational constraints, the kind of decisions you personally make, and anything the AI should avoid assuming. Then use that same block at the top of three differ- ent AI conversations this month. Here is a starter template: I work at a PCB fabrication shop as a [role]. We primarily build [product types/customer mix]. Our operation includes [relevant process areas or capa- bilities]. The constraints that matter most in my work are [yield/lead time/customer specs/equipment uptime /documentation/material availability/staffing/ certifications]. I am using AI to help me think, summa- rize, draft, and prepare questions, not to replace engineering judgment or shop procedures. If you make a technical claim about standards, process limits, or customer requirements, flag it for verifica- tion. After using it three times, ask the AI: Compare the quality of your answers with and with- out this context. What got better? What still needs human judgment? What Success Looks Like You create one reusable block that makes your AI conversations more relevant to your actual world. Just as important, you begin seeing that better inputs usually create better outputs. That will matter a lot in the months ahead. Best for: Everyone, especially leaders who want to model a practical "follow me" approach for their team. Practice: Multi-Turn Conversation Practice on Real Work Time: 15–30 minutes What to Do This is one of the best exercises of Months 1–2 because it teaches the real skill: follow-up. Pick one real work scenario, summa- rizing a customer requirement package before quote review, drafting clarification questions for a new job, cleaning up a shift handoff, turn- ing defect investigation notes into a cleaner summary, or comparing two supplier options. Start with a prompt like this: "I work in PCB fabrication, and I want to use you as a thought partner. Here is the situ- ation: [paste notes or describe the task]. First, summarize what you think is going on. Then ask me one question at a time so we can improve the result before you draft anything final." During the conversation, force yourself to ask at least five follow-up questions, such as: "Why do you think that matters most? What assump- tions are you making? What would change your recommendation? Give me an alternative inter- pretation. What important question have we not asked yet? Rewrite that for a shift supervisor, customer, or plant manager." What Success Looks Like You save a 6+ turn conversation that is visibly better than the first answer. That is the lesson. In Months 1–2, you are not learning how to "prompt like a genius." You are learning how to stay in the conversation until the output becomes useful. Best for: Everyone PROMPT 2 PROMPT 3