Frequently asked questions

No. Every tool recommended in the programme has a free tier that's sufficient to complete the activities. Some tools offer paid plans with additional features, and we'll mention these where relevant, but you'll never need to pay to participate fully.

There's no registration for the programme itself; you just start. However, many of the AI tools you'll try during the activities will ask you to create a free account. This usually just requires an email address. If you plan to earn Open Badges, you'll also need to set up an account on cred.scot.

Then you're exactly who this programme is for. It's designed for people who are comfortable using a computer and the internet but don't have any specialist technical skills. Everything is explained in plain language, and the activities walk you through each step. If you can send an email and use a web browser, you have all the technical ability you need.

Each Thing is designed to take between 30 and 60 minutes, so the full programme represents roughly 12 to 23 hours of activity. But there's no time limit; you could work through it in a few weeks or spread it over several months. It depends entirely on your pace and how much time you want to spend exploring.

It's recommended, especially for the first few Things, which build foundational skills you'll use throughout the rest of the programme. Later Things assume you're comfortable with concepts introduced earlier, like how to write effective prompts or how to evaluate AI output critically. That said, if a particular topic catches your eye and you want to skip ahead, the world won't end. Each Thing is reasonably self-contained.

A computer (Windows, Mac, or Chromebook) with a web browser and an internet connection will cover almost everything. A few Things, particularly Thing 14, which covers AI features on your phone, will also need a smartphone. Headphones or speakers are useful for the Things that involve audio and video.

For most Things, no; you'll be using web-based tools in your browser. A couple of the later Things involve optional downloads (for example, Thing 20 on running AI locally on your own computer), but these are clearly flagged and alternatives are always provided.

It will happen; AI tools evolve quickly. Each Thing includes a "last reviewed" date so you can gauge how current it is, and we've designed the activities around skills and concepts rather than specific buttons and menus wherever possible. If a recommended tool has changed significantly, the activity should still work with a similar alternative. If you find something that's broken or out of date, please let us know via digialitay.co.uk and we'll update it.

The tools recommended in this programme are all mainstream, widely used services from established providers. However, "safe" depends on what you do with them. The most important thing to understand is that anything you type into or upload to an AI tool may be stored, used to improve the tool, or processed on servers outside the UK. For the activities in this programme, which use personal examples rather than sensitive data, the risk is low. Thing 17 covers AI privacy in detail and will help you make informed decisions about how you use these tools going forward.

No, and this is important. Many employers have confidentiality requirements, data protection policies, or NDAs that could be breached by uploading work content to third-party AI tools. All activities in this programme ask you to use your own personal examples: text you've written yourself, publicly available documents, or content you've created for the purpose of the activity. We'll remind you of this throughout the programme.

In most cases, yes, at least by default. The major AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot) all retain your conversations unless you adjust your privacy settings. Some use your conversations to train future versions of their models, though most now offer ways to opt out. Thing 17 walks you through checking and adjusting these settings for the main tools. It's one of the most practically useful Things in the whole programme.

Open Badges are digital credentials that provide verifiable evidence of learning and achievement. They're an internationally recognised standard used by universities, employers, and professional bodies. Each badge contains metadata about what you did to earn it, who issued it, and when, making them more useful than a paper certificate. You can share them on LinkedIn, add them to your CV, or include them in professional development portfolios.

Not at all. The programme is valuable whether or not you collect a single badge. The badges are there for people who want a formal record of their learning, or who want to demonstrate their professional development to an employer or professional body. If you'd rather just work through the Things for your own benefit, that's perfectly fine.

Each Thing specifies exactly what to submit. It's usually the tangible output from the activity, a document, a set of screenshots, a comparison, a short report, along with a brief reflection on what you learned. The requirements are explained at the end of each Thing, and they're designed to be achievable, not onerous. You're demonstrating that you engaged meaningfully with the activity, not writing an essay.

cred.scot is the platform used to issue and manage the Open Badges for this programme. You'll submit your activity evidence through cred.scot, and your badges will be issued and stored there. You can then share them wherever you like. If you haven't used cred.scot before, you'll need to create a free account; it only takes a minute.

The programme is deliberately sector-neutral. The skills you'll learn, communicating effectively with AI, generating and editing content, analysing documents, evaluating AI output critically, understanding privacy implications, are relevant to virtually any professional role. The activities use general examples rather than sector-specific ones, so you can apply what you learn to your own context whatever that happens to be.

Yes. Each Thing involves genuine learning and produces evidence of that learning, which is exactly what CPD is. The Open Badges provide formal, verifiable proof of completion that you can include in CPD portfolios, professional reviews, or registration requirements. If your professional body requires evidence of self-directed learning or digital skills development, the badges from this programme are well suited to that purpose.

Absolutely, and it works well that way. Several past "23 Things" programmes have been done in teams, with colleagues working through the Things together and sharing what they find. If you'd like something more structured, facilitated workshops are available for teams and organisations, either online or face-to-face. Get in touch via digialitay.co.uk to discuss what would work for your group.

We review the programme regularly and update Things when tools change, prices shift, or new options emerge. Each Thing displays a "last reviewed" date so you can see at a glance how current it is. Major updates are noted on the site.

Please tell us. AI moves fast, and despite regular reviews, something will inevitably slip through. If you spot a broken link, a tool that's changed significantly, or information that no longer seems accurate, drop us a note via digialitay.co.uk. It genuinely helps us keep the programme useful for everyone.