As an instructional designer transitioning into AI and prompt engineering, I wanted my first real-world project to showcase my passion for creating meaningful and human-centered learning experiences. However, this time, I leveraged the power of large language models to enhance the capabilities of my design.
Introducing CyberOnboard AI, a custom GPT-based chatbot that I meticulously designed and developed. This chatbot serves as a simulated smart onboarding assistant for new employees at a fictional cybersecurity company. CyberOnboard AI aims to provide a seamless and intuitive learning experience, empowering new employees to gain essential knowledge and skills in the field of cybersecurity.
The Problem
In many organizations, onboarding is filled with friction:
- New hires can’t find the right policy or setup guide
- HR and IT teams answer the same questions over and over
- Training materials live in six different places
I wanted to explore how AI could alleviate confusion and provide real-time support to new employees, maintaining a helpful and professional tone while preserving the human touch in critical situations.
The Idea: CyberOnboard AI
CyberOnboard AI, a custom-built ChatGPT-powered assistant, offers 24/7 support to new hires. Through prompt engineering, it has been trained to provide comprehensive answers to a diverse range of questions, covering various aspects of the company and its operations.
- Common HR and IT inquiries
- Policy lookups
- Training requirements
- First-day checklists and login assistance
CyberOnboard AI emulates the composed and knowledgeable demeanor of an excellent onboarding manager, offering helpful responses, relevant links, and comprehensive guidance.
How I Built It
I utilized OpenAI’s Custom GPT Builder, which is integrated within ChatGPT, to define the assistant’s personality, tone, and boundaries.
Here’s a brief overview of the key aspects:
System Instructions
You are a professional, helpful onboarding assistant for CyberSafe Inc., a fictional cybersecurity company. Your job is to assist new hires by providing concise, friendly, and accurate responses to common onboarding, HR, IT, and compliance questions.
This instruction sets the tone, role, and limitations of the assistant. I iterated this several times to balance friendliness with professionalism.
Prompt Design
I crafted realistic conversation starters like:
- Where can I find the VPN setup guide?
- What’s the dress code?
- I can’t log into the LMS—can you help?
Each one was tested for:
- Clarity
- Relevance
- Tone consistency
- Escalation (e.g., “please contact IT” if the AI hits a limit)
Functionality
- Conversational logic (no code)
- Simulated training paths and FAQ coverage
- Resource linking using placeholders
- Graceful fallback (“I’m not sure, please contact HR”)
Test & Tweak
I utilized the ChatGPT interface to simulate interactions with new hires, and subsequently refined the responses to ensure they had the appropriate tone, were accurate, and provided helpful information.
What It Shows
This project demonstrates how prompt engineering and AI tools like ChatGPT can elevate traditional instructional design:
- Fast, scalable support without overburdening HR or IT
- Interactive training assistance that feels human
- High adaptability to different industries and policies
It’s also an excellent case study demonstrating how custom GPTs can be shaped without resorting to code—merely through intelligent strategy, structure, and iterative refinement.
What’s Next
This is merely the initial phase. Future iterations may incorporate the following features:
- Personalized responses based on role or department
- Integration with LMS or internal HR systems
- A visual dashboard to track usage and questions
Want to Try It?
If you’re looking for a starting prompt, feel free to use the following:
Hi, I’m new here. What should I do first?
https://chatgpt.com/g/g-67ec2b8144048191a4ece6bf5523dad7-cyberonboard-ai
Thanks for reading! If you’re curious about building something similar for your team, client, or portfolio, I’d be happy to connect and discuss further.
Leave a Reply