Four habits for using Claude at work

1. Ask well. Tell Claude who it's writing for, how long it should be, and what facts to use. Say "use only these numbers." If it leaves blanks like [X], fill them from your records, not from memory.

2. Check before using. Claude can be out of date, and it can sound sure when it's wrong. Find every number and rule in the official source, and check what dates it's for. When good sources disagree, don't guess: call the agency, or 211.

3. Protect clients. Never put in names, addresses, birthdays, case or account numbers, health details, or anything that could identify someone. Describe the problem, not the person. Add the real details yourself, in your own systems.

4. Know when not to use it. Claude is good for drafts and ideas. Decisions about a person, and anything about safety, health or the law, stay with trained people. If someone is in crisis, a person responds, right away. In the US, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

If something private goes in by mistake: delete the chat, and tell the person at work who handles privacy, the same day.

Your organization's rules come first. Ask who handles AI and privacy questions where you work: