Behind the Scenes: Making a Quiz

Behind the Scenes

Last week, I mentioned that I'd created a quiz about the five elements and shared my surprising results. A couple of you wanted to take it, so I thought I'd have it ready by now.

But then I tried to rewrite and revise it. 

I decided to recruit ChatGPT because I wanted a quiz that would make space for the results I got from the old quiz. I didn't just want the quiz to identify someone's strongest element. I also wanted it to reveal their secondary influence and the element they feel most called to develop.​

ChatGPT is a good brainstormer and sounding board. Plus, it can be counted on to give me bad ideas to react to, which then inspires better ones from me. 🤣

I thought each question would take about five minutes. Instead, one afternoon I spent two solid hours writing just seven questions. By the end, I was ready to hand the whole project over to ChatGPT while I wandered off in search of tea and a snack.

Listening for Voices &
​Building a Foundation

The hardest part has been making each element sound like its own person.

At first, we were writing descriptions. Now we're listening for their voices.

So instead of writing things like, "This person likes comfort," I'm trying to hear what she'd actually say.
Like "this is going to require a blanket and some ice cream."

But there's more. The quiz is only the beginning. It will end up being the foundation for journals, an AI tool that would give them personalized journal prompts based on their 3 results, and maybe other things. 

​So instead of rushing it out this week, I'm letting it take the time it needs.
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Give you a pile of possibilities—even your own—and you have an uncanny instinct for hearing the one that sounds alive. - nice compliment from ChatGPT

A Friendly Argument

ChatGPT and I don't completely agree about Water. So I kept wanting to give choices to Water that ChatGPT says belongs to Earth.

I learned about the elements through astrology, Chinese medicine, Fashion Feng Shui, and other traditions, and they don't all describe them the same way. So now I'm spending a little time comparing them before I decide what feels most true for this quiz.

But here's the thing! I came into this project pretty sure that I was Water, but now I'm not sure.

Stay tuned.

Have you ever explored the different elements and identified with one or more of them?

See you next time!

Love, Jeanine
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