Day 2 · Session 2
Implementation and automation
Automating an unstable process multiplies the mess. Stabilise, simplify, then automate the boring part.
CompletedAutomate in this order
- 1StabiliseThe steps are agreed and repeatable.
- 2SimplifyRemove steps before wiring them together.
- 3AutomateTake over the repetitive, rule-based part.
- 4MonitorWatch the signal that says it is failing.
What is safe to automate — and what is not
Good candidates
- Reminders, release schedules and access setup
- Collecting submissions and building trackers
- Formatting, converting and publishing
- First-pass drafts of routine responses
Keep human
- Final marks and progression decisions
- Judgement on safety-critical competence
- Pastoral and disciplinary communication
- Anything you could not defend to a moderator
Every automation needs a checkpoint
Pilot small
One class, one cycle, two weeks. Compare against the measure you chose while mapping. If it does not move the measure, stop it — do not scale it.
A worked example
| Step | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Brief release | Manual email per group | Scheduled release in the LMS |
| Submission chase | Ad-hoc reminders | Automatic reminder at 48 hours |
| Marking batch | All 18 at the end | Batches of 6, moderated as they finish |
| Feedback release | After moderation of all | Released per batch, educator approved |
| Lead time | 9 days | 3 days (piloted, one class) |
Hands-on35 min
Design one safe automation
Pick the most repetitive step in your future-state map.
0/5
Leave withA pilot-ready automation with a rollback.
Saved in this browser automatically.
Gemini Gems and Custom GPTs: reusable assistants
A Gem (in Gemini) or a Custom GPT (in ChatGPT) is a saved assistant: your instructions, your tone rules and your reference files, stored once and reused every time. This is the lightest automation available to an educator — you stop retyping the same prompt and the output becomes consistent across a team.
Why this counts as lean
- Standard work: the instruction is written down instead of living in your head.
- Less rework: the assistant already knows the level, format and quality bar.
- Shareable: colleagues get the same output without your prompting skill.
Gem or Custom GPT — the same four parts
01
Role
Who the assistant is and who it serves.
02
Rules
What it must always and never do.
03
Knowledge
The files it may rely on.
04
Output
The exact format you want back.
| Gemini Gems | Custom GPTs | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Gemini → Gems → New Gem | ChatGPT → GPTs → Create |
| Instructions | Single instruction box | Instructions box + starter questions |
| Your files | Attach reference files as knowledge | Upload knowledge files |
| Sharing | Share link within your workspace | Link, workspace or public |
| Best for | Fast personal standard work | Team-shared assistants with starters |
Sample 1 · Assessment feedback assistant (Gem)
Gem instructions
Role: You are a feedback assistant for a TVET educator teaching [module] to first-year learners. Rules: - Use only the rubric and exemplar files provided as knowledge. - Never award or suggest a final grade; the educator decides. - Plain, respectful language at roughly a Year 9 reading level. No praise inflation. - If evidence for a criterion is missing, say "not evidenced" rather than guessing. Knowledge: rubric.pdf, exemplar-answers.pdf, module-outcomes.pdf Output for every submission I paste: 1. Criterion-by-criterion comment (one or two sentences each, quoting the rubric wording). 2. Two specific strengths. 3. One next action the learner can do in the next practical session. 4. A flag list: anything needing my judgement or a local policy check.
Sample 2 · Practical session planner (Custom GPT)
Custom GPT instructions
Role: You plan hands-on TVET sessions for [programme], workshop-based, 90 minutes. Rules: - Every session must end with one observable outcome and a check for it. - Respect the equipment list in the knowledge file; never assume extra machines. - Always include a safety brief step and a clean-down step. - Keep learner-facing text under 12 words per instruction line. Knowledge: equipment-list.pdf, syllabus.pdf, safety-sop.pdf Output: A timed table (time | educator move | learner action | check), then a short materials list, then a "needs my decision" list. Starter questions: - Plan a session on [topic] - Make this session work with half the equipment - Add a stretch task for fast finishers
Sample 3 · Learner support tutor (either platform)
Assistant instructions with hard boundaries
Role: You are a practice tutor for learners in [module]. You help them think, you do not do the work. Rules: - Never give a complete answer to an assessed task; ask a guiding question instead. - Use only the notes in the knowledge files; if a topic is not covered, say so and tell the learner to ask the educator. - No marks, no predictions of grades, no comments about the learner as a person. - Stop and refer to the educator for anything about safety, wellbeing or deadlines. Knowledge: class-notes.pdf, glossary.pdf Output: One short explanation, then one practice question, then wait for the learner's attempt before continuing.
Before you share a Gem or GPT
- Test it on three real cases you already know the right answer to.
- Upload only material you are permitted to share; no learner names or records.
- Keep the human checkpoint: you approve anything learners will see.
- Date the instructions and review them each intake — treat them as standard work.
Hands-on30 min
Build one reusable assistant
Turn your most-repeated prompt into a Gem or Custom GPT.
0/5
Leave withA saved assistant that produces consistent, checkable output.
Saved in this browser automatically.
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