- Introduction
- How This Book Is Structured
- The AI-Powered Art of Getting Thoughts Out of Your Head
- NEED — The Quest for Mental Clarity
- PROBLEM — The Friction of Every Method
- SOLUTION — The Voice-to-Text Revolution
- Reflection — From Capture Black Hole to Idea Refinery
- Tools
- From 10 Minutes to Infinite Depth: Using AI to Extend a Lightning Talk
- NEED — The Challenge of Sharing Depth in Minutes
- PROBLEM — The Tyranny of the Clock
- SOLUTION — Building a Gateway to Deeper Learning
- Reflection — From Disposable Talk to Evergreen Resource
- Tools
- From Manual Edits to AI Automation: Crafting a Spoken Blog
- NEED — The Vision for Dynamic Content
- PROBLEM — The Manual Editing Grind
- SOLUTION — The Automation Breakthrough
- Reflection — Freeing Creative Energy from Technical Friction
- Tools
- My AI Archaeologist: Uncovering 20 Years of Ideas to Shape My Future
- NEED — The Unread Map of Two Decades
- PROBLEM — The Overwhelming Surplus of Information
- SOLUTION — The Archaeological Excavation
- Reflection — The Power of Zooming Out and Zooming In
- Tools
- Life in Weeks—How AI Helped Me Visualize My Own Story
- NEED — The Quest for a Better Mirror
- PROBLEM — The Friction of a Manual Approach
- SOLUTION — The AI Prototyping Revolution
- Reflection — A New Way of Seeing Time
- Tools
- From Insight to App: Building a Thinking Style Tool in 60 Seconds
- NEED — The Discovery of Different Minds
- PROBLEM — The Missing Tool
- SOLUTION — From Question to Application in 60 Seconds
- Reflection — Making Thinking Styles Visible
- Tools
- From Overwhelmed to Automated: How AI Launched My Newsletter
- NEED — The Newsletter That Lived Only in My Head
- PROBLEM — The Logistical Mountain
- SOLUTION — AI as Executive Assistant
- Reflection — From Doer to Director
- Tools
- AI in the Paddock: Rebuilding a Rider’s Passion Project
- NEED — The Shift from Builder to Architect
- PROBLEM — The Obsolete Platform and the Reluctant Coder
- SOLUTION — The Multi-Faceted AI Co-Pilot
- Reflection — The Joy of Problem-Solving Without the Drudgery
- Tools
- From Video Loop to AI-Powered Hub: Reinventing the Trade Show Experience
- NEED — The Spark for a Better Experience
- PROBLEM — The Limits of a Simple Solution
- SOLUTION — How AI Built the Bridge
- Reflection — From Trade Tell to Trade Show
- Tools
- AI as My Crisis Co-Pilot: From Expired Passport to Emergency Travel in 24 Hours
- NEED — A Race Against the Clock
- PROBLEM — A Passport-Sized Panic
- SOLUTION — Finding Clarity in the Chaos with AI
- Reflection — How AI Makes Us Better Problem-Solvers
- Tools
- Closing
- Resources
- Tools Mentioned in This Book
- AI Studio
- Angular
- ChatGPT
- Cursor
- Final Cut Pro
- Gemini
- MacWhisper
- MailerLite
- NotebookLM
- Reflection.app
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
The NEED, PROBLEM, SOLUTION Playbook
How AI became part of my workflow— one real example at a time
AI isn’t just for tech people—it’s a practical tool anyone can use to solve real problems.
In this short, story-driven book, you’ll discover 10 real ways I’ve used AI in everyday life: planning travel, organizing decades of ideas, rebuilding a passion project, launching a newsletter, prototyping apps in under a minute, navigating a passport crisis, and more.
Each chapter follows a simple, human framework:
Need → Problem → Solution
No jargon. No hype. Just clear examples of how AI can help you think better, save time, and reduce friction in your daily life.
If you’re curious about AI but don’t know where to start, this book shows you what’s possible—one small, practical win at a time.
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About
About the Book
AI isn’t just for work. And it isn’t just for “tech people.”
It’s a practical tool you can use in your everyday life—right now—to solve real problems, reduce friction, and make your days a little easier and more interesting.
This book is a collection of 10 real stories of how I’ve personally used AI outside of work: planning travel, rebuilding a passion project, organizing decades of ideas, launching a newsletter, making better decisions, prototyping apps in under a minute, and even navigating a crisis when my passport expired the night before an international flight.
Each chapter follows a simple, powerful framework:
Need → Problem → Solution
Instead of focusing on tools or jargon, I focus on:
- What I actually needed
- What was in the way
- How I used AI as part of the solution
The point isn’t to impress you with technology—it’s to show you the thinking process behind small, practical wins that anyone can replicate.
Whether you’re curious about AI, overwhelmed by it, or unsure how to start, this book gives you a clear, human way in. It’s approachable, story-driven, and written for people who don’t want to become experts—they just want to solve a problem.
Inside, you’ll learn how AI helped me:
- Turn scattered ideas into organized creative projects
- Launch a newsletter after years of procrastination
- Build working software prototypes in under 60 seconds
- Transform voice journaling into a powerful thinking system
- Visualize my entire life in weeks to see patterns and plan intentionally
- Create a smarter, more engaging trade show experience
- Stay calm and find clarity during a real-world travel emergency
These are not theoretical examples—they’re everyday use cases pulled directly from my life.
Why I Wrote This Book
This all began with a lightning talk, where I tried to share ten AI uses in ten minutes. Each story was too big for a one-minute summary, so I built deeper write-ups and short video overviews. Eventually, those grew into this book—something readers could explore at their own pace.
My goal is simple:
Show you what’s possible, spark an idea, and help you run your own Need → Problem → Solution experiments.
If one chapter helps you solve a problem, think differently, or feel more confident using AI in your daily life, then this book has done its job.
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Author
About the Author
Claudio Lassala
Claudio Lassala has been writing, speaking, and building software for over 30 years. In August 2005, he launched his personal blog at lassala.net, where he has published more than 550 posts reflecting on topics from software craftsmanship and Agile practices to creativity, music, and motorcycle racing.
Originally from Brazil, Claudio began his IT career at just 14, thanks to the generosity of a mentor who sparked his passion for learning and teaching. Since then, he has worked with teams across industries, coached developers, and delivered several talks at conferences and user groups. His work blends technical expertise with a love of storytelling, making complex ideas accessible and inspiring.
When he’s not writing or coding, Claudio can often be found on a racetrack riding his motorcycle, playing guitar, or exploring new ways to connect ideas across disciplines.
Contents
Table of Contents
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