Chatting with ChatGPT: How Conversational AI Can Enhance Product Management for Social Impact

⚠️ Key Takeaways

ChatGPT is a game changer. With its advanced natural language processing and creative capabilities, ChatGPT can help you think outside the box and develop innovative strategies for driving social impact through product management.

1️⃣ Idea generation: how a product can have a positive impact on society

2️⃣ KPIs for social impact: generating ideas for impact metrics, as well as analyzing and interpreting data to measure the impact of a product

3️⃣ Suggesting partnerships & collaborations: brainstorming what types of partnerships and collaborations might further the progression of the product with an impact focus

4️⃣ Learning new perspectives: providing new perspectives to help PMs think more broadly and critically about the impact of their products

👋🏽 Quick Intro!

As the tech industry continues to focus on social impact, product managers are turning to new solutions like ChatGPT to drive change. By leveraging the power of generative AI, product managers can not only streamline development processes and create more engaging products, but also facilitate meaningful conversations with customers and address important social issues.

ChatGPT has taken the world by storm, and the potential of it and other generative AI tools are enormous with high levels of disruption all but guaranteed. Many lead thinkers in product management have begun uncovering the transformative ability of ChatGPT and GPT-4, but there’s one crucial area that has to be addressed: social impact.

Let’s take a SIP ☕️.

1️⃣ Idea Generation

For example, let's say a PM is working on developing a new fitness tracking app, focused on being user-friendly and providing accurate tracking data for users to monitor their fitness goals. However, the PM is having trouble considering ways to make the product more impactful for the environment.

🤖 Insert ChatGPT → prompt it to help you consider how to make your product more impactful. It can help you broaden your thinking and consider new ideas about the impact of your product beyond just its core functionality.

💥 ChatGPT In Action

For this example, ChatGPT suggested to:

1. Consider the carbon footprint of the app and explore ways to reduce it, such as by optimizing the code to use less energy or partnering with eco-friendly hosting providers

2. Incentivize users to engage in environmentally friendly activities, such as biking or walking instead of driving to their workouts

💡 Prompts

1. "How can my product have a positive impact on [specific social or environmental issue]?"

1. "What are some innovative ways my product can support [specific social or environmental cause]?"

1. "How can my product be designed to promote [specific social or environmental goal]?"

2️⃣ KPIs for Social Impact

Let's say a PM is working on developing a new ride-sharing app that aims to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in cities by encouraging users to carpool and use public transportation more frequently. However, the PM is struggling to define impact metrics that can measure the app's effectiveness in reducing those problems.

🤖 Insert ChatGPT → prompt it to generate metrics for you and to provide guidance on data analysis for those data metrics. This can ultimately lead to a more effective and impactful product that is more targeted and better designed for effectiveness.

💥 ChatGPT In Action

For this example, ChatGPT suggested to:

1. Measure the number of car trips reduced or the number of miles saved through carpooling or using public transportation

2. Measure the number of new public transportation users and correlate that to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the app's use

💡 Prompts

1. "What are some metrics I can use to measure the social impact of [specific product or technology]?"

1. "What data should I collect to measure the impact of [specific product or technology]?"

3️⃣ Suggesting Partnerships & Collaborations

Let's say a PM is responsible for developing a new line of sustainable cleaning products. While they have a clear idea of the product and its features, they might need help through potential partnerships or collaborations.

🤖 Insert ChatGPT → prompt it generate ideas and suggestions for partnerships and collaborations based on existing partnerships in the market, or suggest new organizations that they may not have previously considered. This will lead to a more comprehensive strategy and thorough go-to-market strategy.

💥 ChatGPT In Action

For this example, ChatGPT suggested to:

1. Collaborate with non-profit organizations focused on environmental sustainability like the Environmental Defense Fund to identify ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their product line or collaborate on a public awareness campaign

2. Partner with retailers that share their sustainability goals like a grocery store chain that has a strong commitment to sustainability to promote their new line of cleaning products or create in-store displays and promotions to increase awareness and sales

💡Prompts

1. "What organizations or companies can we partner with to achieve [specific social impact goal related to the product]?"

1. "What innovative ways can we collaborate with organizations that share our social impact values?"

4️⃣ Learning New Perspectives

Let's say a PM is working on developing a new meal-planning app that helps users make healthier food choices by creating personalized meal plans based on their dietary preferences and health goals. However, the PM may not have access to leaders in the meal-plan space to learn from their perspectives.

🤖 Insert ChatGPT → prompt it to generate new perspectives. This can ultimately lead to the creation of a more socially responsible and impactful product that considers not only the functional needs of its users but also the potential impact on the environment and society.

💥 ChatGPT In Action

For this example, ChatGPT suggested to:

1. Consider the issue of food waste and how the app could be designed to reduce it

2. Consider how different diets have different environmental impacts and how to promote more environmentally friendly diets in the app

💡 Prompts

1. "What are some unintended consequences of my product on [specific cause]?"

1. "How can my product have a negative impact on [specific cause or topic], and what can I do to mitigate that impact?"

1. "What are some alternative ways [specific product] can be used, and what impact could that have on society?"