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Module
Module 4 of 5Lesson 2 of 4~12 min

Conversation, project, research, agent: choosing the mode

The same assistant can handle a quick question, ongoing work on documents, in-depth research or a task carried out on its own. This lesson helps you choose the lightest mode that fits each task and understand the level of oversight it requires from you.

Take this lesson: your first course is freeSee the full syllabus

Lesson objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to choose, for a given task, the right way of working (conversation, project, deep research, agent) and the level of control it requires.

Topics covered

  • AI agent
  • deep research
  • AI projects
  • usage modes

In the glossary

Full glossary

Where it fits

Choosing the right tool and way of working

Which tool, and which way of using it, for which need?

Lessons in this module

  1. General-purpose assistants
  2. Conversation, project, research, agent: choosing the mode (this lesson)
  3. Specialized tools
  4. The tool selection grid

What you will learn in the course

This lesson is part of the course Choosing and using AI tools at work

  • Explain how a generative AI assistant works and what it does well or badly, so you know what to ask of it.
  • Identify a tool's limits (fabrications, sources, freshness, data privacy) and the precautions to take before using it.
  • Write a clear request (task, context, data, format, criteria) that produces a usable first result.
  • Diagnose why a response falls short and fix it with a targeted clarification.
  • Select the right tool for a deliverable using a grid of criteria (deliverable, data, sources, cost, language, integration) and justify the choice.
  • Choose the right way of working for a task (conversation, project, deep research, agent) and the level of control that goes with it.
  • Build your toolkit by comparing at least two tools on a real task with criteria written in advance.

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