Rico AI (Information Sheet)

How it works

• Available in Rico's text fields.

• Prompt interface that drafts responses.

• Understands limited workflow context to produce better-targeted drafts.

• Enables you to reference project data (from Sites, Checklists, Plan Assessment, Past Projects, and Templates) in prompt using the @ command.

• Enables you to pull information from PDFs (e.g. external reports, past project reports, and even architectural drawings (where annotated with text)) can all be used to pull data from and perform commands with.

Where it adds value

• Compatible with Rico's formatting, e.g. headings, bullets, and templates to save time formatting from an external LLM back into Rico.

• Rico already contains high quality project data in the form of Sites, Checklists, Plan Assessments etc. Referencing in prompts makes it easy to call on this data to ensure inputs used to populate responses are accurate.

• Prompts can use your templates to provide direction and structure to responses, ensuring they maintain consistency.

• Keeps you in the driver's seat - everything is editable, and your professional judgement remains essential.

Overall, Rico’s interface systemically reduces the friction to produce more consistent and accurate responses with AI.

Use Cases

To start, you can do general text transformations and tidy ups e.g.  “Summarise into a table”, “Clarify this paragraph”, “Condense to 150 words”, “Turn notes into bullet points.”

Within a prompt, type “@” to pull up reference options for project data (so you feed the AI accurate facts for a given project), templates, and past projects (provide example structure for responses). You can also drag and drop pdfs you’d like to pull information from into the prompts.

Example 1 - Basic

The below is a basic example of this in action:

Workflow step: Description of the Proposal

Context: I have a Default template for Description of the Proposal setup in Rico.

AI Prompt:

• I go in the text field and type '/ai' to bring up the AI prompt, or select the AI button in the tool bar.

• I type: “Can you complete this section using this template @template[Default Template] using my @plan-assessment @site and @checklist” into the prompt.

• The AI drafts a response. I click accept to bring it into the text field.

The basic structure for the prompt above is “Populate [Reference Template using @] using [Reference Project Data using @]”

Using this formula, you’re able to create endless combinations, using various templates to structure outputs and selecting relevant project data you’d like to use to populate these. 

Example 2 - Section Writing

Use these to complete sections of a report or application. Mix and match data sources depending on what you have available at the time.

Using Project data to populate a Template

Can you complete this section using my @Default Template and project data from @Plan Assessment, @Sites and @Checklists

Watch example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5GSP1QlmoY

Example 3 - Extracting data from specialists PDF files, such as compliance

Can you pull compliance off the attached PDF to show how the proposal complies with the rules identified for the relevant zone in my @Plan Assessment

Note: Attach the relevant PDF to the prompt by dragging and dropping the file in the AI text area.

Watch example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha41YWbJzc8

Example 4 - Brief drafting & input enquiry

Use this to generate individual briefing emails for each member of your team, drawn from your plan assessment.

Team brief

Can you draft a brief for my project team consisting of a surveyor, architect, traffic engineer and infrastructure engineer. Provide an email for each clearly stating what inputs I need from them to support the application. Include a brief description of the project as relevant to them, the compliance matters they need to address, and the planning issues their proposed approaches should resolve. Use my @Plan Assessment to help.

Note: Works best once your plan assessment is reasonably complete.

Watch example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqByHIeONN4

Example 5 - Specialist Memos

You need to engage a specialist and want to give them a structured brief to respond to.

Traffic engineer input memo

Can you write a specialist memo for a traffic engineer to provide input on the transport activities proposed. Use my @Specialist Memo template and project data from @Plan Assessment, @Sites and @Checklists

Watch example: https://youtu.be/mLNJ3edRAJs

Using AI responsibly in planning

AI tools in Rico are designed to support planners - not replace their judgment. The planner remains responsible for every output, determination, and citation. We have a few practical notes below, and will continue to develop these over time:

• Technical accuracy matters. Planning assessments are precise. AI can draft well but can make mistakes, omit nuances, include false facts and make incorrect assertions. 

• You must review outputs. Never submit AI output without a thorough read. Treat AI results as a starting point, not a final decision.

• Clear inputs win. Rico is designed so you can see and edit what goes into every output - check the inputs before looking to use them in prompts. If the inputs are wrong, the outputs will be too.

• The clearer your instructions and templates, the better and more consistent the results. Rico lets you create and edit templates. This lets you define structure to enable outputs to be predictable and auditable - where you set the structure, you control the outcome.

• Flag gaps before you start. Where data sources are incomplete or absent, AI tends to fill the gap - sometimes with plausible-sounding but incorrect information. Define what sources to use and instruct AI to note explicitly where information is missing.

• Don't over-delegate. Use AI for writing, clarity, and speed. Keep determinations, citations, and professional judgments under your direct control. If you wouldn't sign your name to the draft as-is, it isn't ready.

Data handling and privacy

• Prompts and outputs are processed by OpenAI solely to generate your result.

• Your content is not used to train their models.

• Your data remains within your organisation’s Rico workspace (not shared with other Rico customers)

• AI functionality is optional. We’ve done our best to put in the right protections and guardrails around your data, but we’re also committed to giving you choice. AI functionality can be turned off or on for your organisation at your request.

If you’d like more information or have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

To opt in (if you haven’t already)

1. Let us know you’d like to opt-in and we’ll turn the feature on for your organisation.

2. Pick low-risk use cases first.

3. Use the prompt tips above and your existing step instructions/templates.

4. Review and edit every output before use.