Best Practices for Writing Checklists for the AI Checklist Assistant

Help the AI prefill FON checklists more accurately and effectively

The AI Checklist Assistant saves time by analyzing transcripts of simulated encounters and pre-filling checklist items based on what was actually said. However, for the AI to perform its job effectively, the checklist items themselves must be written clearly and intentionally.

This guide explains how to write Questions and Answer options that the AI can reliably interpret and match to the transcript.

🎯 1. Write Clear and Specific Questions

✅ DO: Use simple, direct language that reflects the specific behavior you're evaluating.
❌ DON’T: Use vague, general, or abstract phrasing.

Good Example:
Did the learner introduce themselves at the beginning of the encounter?

Poor Example:
Did the learner act professionally?

Why this matters: The AI matches spoken phrases to questions based on content and structure. Vague or high-level concepts make matching harder and less accurate.

🧠 2. Include Realistic and Diverse Answer Options

Answers should reflect:

• The expected behavior (i.e., the “correct” answer)

• Common mistakes or omissions

• Contextual edge cases (e.g,. wrong timing)

• A fallback option (e.g., “None of the above”)

Example – Question:
Did the learner introduce themselves at the beginning of the encounter?

Answer options:

1. Yes, the learner clearly stated their name at the beginning of the encounter.

2. The learner did not state their name during the scenario.

3. The learner stated their name but not at the beginning of the encounter.

4. None of the above.

Why this matters: The AI isn’t just looking for “right answers” — it also detects typical errors or missing behaviors. Including these, improves prefill accuracy and allows better automated feedback.

📚 3. Phrase Answers Like Natural Transcript Excerpts

Think of each answer option as something that could reasonably appear in the transcript.

Better:
The learner asked if the patient had any questions.

Worse:
Demonstrated strong closing skills.

Why this matters: The AI uses text analysis to match phrasing. The more your answers resemble real-life dialogue, the more likely the AI is to find a match in the transcript.

🔄 4. Always Include a Fallback Option

Always offer an option like “None of the above” or “Not applicable”.

Why: This gives the AI a valid path when the transcript doesn’t include the expected behavior — due to either scenario variability, learner behavior, or poor transcript quality.

✅ Summary Checklist for AI-Optimized Questions

• Questions are clear, specific, and scenario-based

• Answers include both correct and incorrect options

• At least one fallback or “none of the above” option is present

• Answer text sounds like something a learner might say

• Avoid abstract answers — stick to observable behaviors or spoken statements

🙋 Need Support?

If you’re unsure how to phrase a Question or structure Answer options for best AI performance, reach out to the product or training team for help or examples.