Practical Prompting:
April Challenge: A to Z AI in Genealogy
Comparing AI Tools with One Universal Prompt
Introduction
Welcome to Day 18 of the April Challenge A to Z AI in Genealogy series, where I am focusing on many and varied aspects of this topic for beginners and advanced users. Today, I am taking a practical view of how different AI tools respond to identical prompts and highlighting the AI tool differences for effective genealogy use. The goal is to help genealogists evaluate and choose the right AI platform for specific genealogy tasks, with one prompt to ‘rule them all.’
Note: One of my most popular YouTube videos from 2024 was this one, ‘One Prompt to Rule Them All.’ It contained a ‘universal prompt generator’ that I have adapted for genealogists.
Case Study: Face-off - ChatGPT and Claude Sonnet (new video coming soon)
The amended prompt that I used to test the responses from ChatGPT and Claude included references to ‘genealogical needs,’ ‘Genealogy Assistant,’ and ‘genealogy research. ’
After answering question 1, each provided me with a draft prompt. ChatGPT and Claude.
The section 3 follow-up questions varied between the two AI tools. ChatGPT was a little more long-winded in this department, whereas Claude was more succinct. The questions took me on slightly different journeys and the end results were quite engaging.
After completing the iterative process with both ChatGPT and Claude Sonnet, here are the two Revised Prompts.
Note: I have asked ChatGPT to sign off like this: Genealogy Assistant ChatGPT @ OpenAI
Note: I have asked Claude to sign off like this: Genealogy Assistant Claude @ Anthropic
Of the two responses, I prefer that from ChatGPT - it is well laid out and easy to read. It also gave me subsequent opportunities to ‘generate a Trello board’ design’—Trello being my preferred planning tool.
🧭 Trello Board Outline: "Genealogy AI Archive Project Board"
📌 Board Description:
This board helps genealogists (and students of your course) manage ancestor-based projects using AI tools. It tracks progress from data collection to storytelling, integrates with a digital archive (Google Drive/OneDrive), and connects to Canva and ChatGPT-powered automation.
📋 Trello Columns (Lists)
1. 🔍 Research Planning
Define ancestor profile (name, dates, location)
Set research goals
Link to ancestor’s OneDrive folder
Add AI prompt tasks
📌 Sample Card: “Mary Allery—define research scope and story goal.”
2. 🗂 Data Gathering
Upload and tag documents (PDFs, photos, audio)
Run voice-to-text on oral histories
Use OCR on scanned documents
Assign AI tagging (ALLMAR1892 format)
📌 Sample Card: “Upload 1901 census scan—run OCR and tag.”
3. 🧠 AI Processing
Extract summaries (via ChatGPT)
Generate timelines
Draft narrative outlines
Create Trello card links to summaries in Drive
📌 Sample Card: “Generate life timeline for Mary Allery using AI summaries.”
4. 🖼️ Visual Storytelling
Design Canva thumbnails or panels
Choose portrait, maps, and timeline slides
Link the Canva design to the card
Optional: add narration script
📌 Sample Card: “Create Canva slide—Mary Allery’s early life”
5. 📣 Publishing Prep
Assemble assets into a presentation or video
Export timelines and bios
Review content for course/module use
Export ZIPs or backups
📌 Sample Card: “Export Allery project to video for Beyond the Pen showcase.”
6. ✅ Completed Projects
Archive project card
Include a checklist of completed steps
Link to final output (eBook, Slide, StoryMap, etc.)
📌 Sample Card: “Mary Allery archive—final version ready for course demo”
✅ Sample Card Template (for Ancestor Project Cards)
Card Title: Mary Allery—Project Card
Description:
DOB: 1892
Location: Surbiton, Surrey
Project Goal: Create a visual story and an AI-summarized timeline
Chatbot Code: ALLMAR1892
Checklist:
☐ Upload key documents
☐ Tag and summarize files
☐ Generate a timeline
☐ Create Canva visuals
☐ Write a story draft
☐ Final export & archive
🧩 Optional Power-Ups & Automations
🔄 Calendar View (for project deadlines)
📥 Google Drive/OneDrive Attachment
🧠 Butler Automation (e.g., auto-assign labels based on surname code)
🔗 Canva Integration (paste links to editable designs)
Universal Genealogy Research Prompt Template
Introducing the concept of a universal prompt template for genealogy research!
The template structure with key components:
Research objective/question
Known facts and details
Geographical/historical context
Specific record types of interest
Output format preferences
Follow-up instructions
Setting Up Your Comparison Test
Create or log in to accounts on multiple AI platforms (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude)
Organize your browser with separate tabs for each platform
Creating a simple tracking system (spreadsheet or document) to record results
Tip: customise the instructions on each platform for genealogy research
Test Case Scenarios
Three practical genealogy research scenarios to test across platforms:
Note: for each AI tool, begin by asking how to improve these prompts!Immigrant Research: "What records exist for 19th-century immigrants to the United States from Ireland?"
Military Records: "How do I research an ancestor who served in World War I?"
Historical Context: "What social conditions affected rural farming communities in England during the 1840s?"
For each scenario, transform the basic question into a comprehensive prompt using the ‘Universal Genealogy Prompt Template’ example above.
Analyzing and Comparing Results
What to look for when evaluating responses:
Accuracy of historical information
Depth of region-specific knowledge
Specificity of record suggestions
Organization and structure of information
Additional insights or context provided
Set up a sample comparison table showing the strengths and weaknesses of each platform
Use an Iterative Prompting Process within each AI tool conversation
Refine prompts based on initial results
Use follow-up questions to improve responses
Document the progression of responses in an AI Notebook (e.g, Google Docs)
Practical Applications
Apply your findings to create:
Research plan development for different regions and periods
Ancestor profile creation with appropriate historical context
Historical context investigation for various locations
Story development based on cultural and historical accuracy
Tip: Create a personal prompt library based on what worked best for different genealogical tasks
Call to Action
Try the universal prompt with your research questions
Share results in comments or on social media
Happy ancestral and Easter Egg hunting!
Ready to elevate your genealogy research with AI? Come and learn how to become an AI-skilled ancestral storyteller in the course "Beyond the Pen: Using AI to Transform Ancestral Storytelling." Discover practical techniques and ethical approaches to incorporating AI into your family history work. Join us at Beyond the Pen and transform how you preserve your family's legacy!
How do you engineer your prompts? What practical examples of successful prompting can you share? Share your experiences in the comments below!
I’m going to give these ago. I did use the prompt generator in the early days, so time to try it again. One minute I like Claude, the next ChatGPT.